Pedestrians have been left confused by a road sign telling them to look different ways in different languages. A temporary road sign in Cardiff city centre urged English speakers to look one way before crossing the road, and Welsh speakers to look the other way. The sign “pedestrians look left” was translated to say “cerddwyr edrychwch i’r dde” – or “pedestrians look right”. Cardiff council said the sign was the work of a contractor, and it had been removed after the mistake was noticed. Cardiff council said: “This sign was made by a traffic management contractor, not Cardiff council. “It was originally placed on St Mary Street earlier this year by Wales & West Utilities while essential maintenance work was carried out. “Cardiff council has now removed the sign from the area.” Meirion Prys Jones, chief executive of the Welsh Language Board, said: “We would like to stress how important it is to ensure the quality and accuracy of bilingual signs.” |
Left for English speakers and right for Welsh speakers.By Ben, on July 17th, 2009 | Tags: road safety, Translation quality, Wales, Welsh | Category: Automotive, Government, Lifestyle | Leave a comment 
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...WELSH will be welcomed in the corridors of power in Brussels from today, following the signing of a deal between the UK and its European partners.
An arrangement will be signed today by Sir Kim Darroch, the UK’s permanent representative to the EU, allowing people to write to the Commission in Welsh – and to expect to receive a response in the same language.
It follows a series of similar arrangements concluded with the Council of Ministers and Committee of Regions, allowing ministers to speak Welsh in official meetings.
It does, not, however, yet put Welsh among the “official” languages of the EU, which remains at 23.
All of the financial and administrative costs of translation are being met by the Assembly Government and the Welsh Language Board although costs are likely to be low, since few expect major use to be made of the new opportunities.
Sir Kim said: “This is about putting practical measures in place to make the EU more open and accessible to its citizens. We’re committed to ensuring similar arrangements across the institutions of the EU.”
The Assembly Government asked the Foreign Office to negotiate the agreement last year and has already set up the necessary administration.
The status that Welsh and will enjoy is based on the same arrangements that Spain’s regional languages – Basque, Catalan and Galician – have had with EU institutions since 2005.
Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans launched a campaign in 2005 for Welsh to be given the same status.
First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: “This is another sensible step towards making the EU a little bit more accessible to a group of its citizens.
“It is a practical way for the EU to demonstrate Europe’s cultural diversity and it enables citizens the choice of corresponding in Welsh where that is their preference.”
Welsh was first used officially for the first time in a meeting of European Union ministers by Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones last year.
His first words to the Council of Ministers were: “Diolch madam llywydd” (thank you madam chair).
Ms Evans had already addressed the European Parliament in Welsh, without translation in response to a speech by former prime minister Tony Blair.
Europe Minister Glenys Kinnock said: “As a Welsh speaker myself I’m clearly delighted to see further recognition for the language at the European level.
“This demonstrates a clear commitment by the EU to promote its unique and diverse cultural heritage.”
By Ben, on July 17th, 2009 | Tags: European Union, Welsh | Category: Government | Leave a comment (No Ratings Yet)
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...HEALTH bosses have had their knuckles rapped for failing to provide proper treatment and translation services in Welsh.
It comes after the parents of a two-year-old boy complained there was a lack of speech and language therapy in Welsh at the former Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust.
The family said there was also no physiotherapy for their son in Welsh last April, and the only written material given to them was in English.
The mum said she had to translate in appointments and group sessions, as there weren’t enough Welsh-speaking staff to speak to the youngster in his first language.
Welsh Language Board investigators were called in to examine nine specific failures to apply the trust’s own policy.
Under the Welsh Language Act 1993, all trusts and local health boards in Wales have a statutory duty to deliver services to the public in Welsh and English.
Yesterday Welsh language campaigners called for the trust to comply with the law and for a tougher monitoring regime to ensure public bodies treat the language on an equal basis.
North Wales NHS Trust chiefs have since apologised for the failure.
They are looking to launch an action plan to bring their Welsh-language provision up to scratch – but it won’t be implemented until March next year.
The WLB is waiting for an official response from NWNHS Trust.
But if they are not happy with it they could refer it to the Welsh Assembly Government’s heritage minister Alun Ffred Jones for further investigation.
NWNHS Trust bosses will discuss the issue at a board meeting today.
Menter Iaith Conwy chief officer Meirion Davies said: “We are aware that there are problems in the health sector with a lot of anecdotal evidence people are not getting the service they need in the medium of Welsh. It needs to be looked at.”
Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg spokesman Dafydd Morgan Lewis said: “Welsh should be treated on an equal basis with English. Schemes agreed with the Welsh Language Board do not go far enough. We would like a Welsh Language Commissioner who deals with these problems.”
A NWNHS Trust spokeswoman said: “The trust has acknowledged that there were failings on this occasion in providing a service in the Welsh language, and we apologise wholeheartedly to the family concerned. This particular case has been resolved, and the family are receiving a service through the medium of Welsh from the trust.”
By Ben, on June 10th, 2009 | Tags: Health, NHS, Translation, Welsh | Category: Government, Healthcare | Leave a comment (No Ratings Yet)
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Signs put up at a set of roadworks in Cambridgeshire warning drivers of a new speed limit were in Welsh.
Four signs in Welsh were placed on the Longthorpe Parkway in Peterborough with the English translation underneath.
A number of drivers who saw the signs contacted the city council and some took pictures.
A council spokeswoman said: “They seem to have just appeared there. We’re not too sure how and why. It’s all a bit of a mystery.”
‘Practical joke’
She said the roadworks were carried out by a contractor and the road had been closed overnight for the work to take place.
“The road was closed and when it re-opened there were no speed restrictions in force.
“So therefore there was no need for signs. Why speed restriction signs would be put up we have no idea.”
A council spokesman added while it could have been the contractors hired to carry out the work it also could have been a practical joke.
The signs have now been removed.
By Ben, on June 2nd, 2009 | Tags: Cambridgeshire, Council, Peterborough, Welsh | Category: Government, Language Connect | Leave a comment (No Ratings Yet)
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Labour bosses must have been red-faced over the Welsh language as their conference opened in Swansea.
A smart bilingual set where Gordon Brown was speaking on Friday night displayed a spelling error in the Welsh translation of the party’s campaign slogan. Conference organisers had clearly failed to spot a missing ‘n’ in the misspelling of the Welsh word to win in their slogan ‘Enil Dros Gymru Yn Ewrop’ in time for the rally.
By Ben, on April 27th, 2009 | Tags: Campaign, Language, Swansea, Wales, Welsh | Category: Government | Leave a comment (No Ratings Yet)
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