Blunder does not translate
MOTORISTS passing a bilingual road sign in Morriston could have been forgiven for thinking Swansea Council had gone a bit twp.
The authority got completely lost in translation when it tried to bar lorries near the Asda store.
The mix-up happened when officers sent an email to the council's translation service asking for a Welsh translation of a road sign.
The response came back and up went the sign — to the amazement of Welsh speakers in the city.
The English on the notice, at the junction of Clase Road and Pant-y-Blawd Road, was clear enough.
It declared: "No entry for heavy goods vehicles. Residential site only."
But the Welsh version read (translated to English) : "I am not in the office at the moment.
"Please send any work to be translated."
Welsh magazine Golwg's managing editor Dylan Iorwerth said: "When they're proofing signs, they should really use someone who speaks Welsh."
The embarrassing error was sent to Golwg by a number of its readers.
Mr Iorwerth said: "We've been running a series of these pictures over the past few months.
"They're circulating among Welsh speakers because, unfortunately, it's all too common that things are not just badly translated, but are put together by people who have no idea about the language. It's good to see people trying to translate, but they should really ask for expert help.
"Everything these days seems to be written first in English and then translated.
"Ideally, they should be written separately in both languages."
Red-faced council officers have since removed the sign.
A council spokesman said : "Our attention was drawn to the mistranslation of a sign at the junction of Clase Road and Pant-y-Blawd Road.
"We took it down as soon as we were made aware of it and a correct sign will be instated as soon as possible."
22 Comments
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by Tom, Swansea
Sunday, November 02 2008, 5:17PM
“p evans I am just as Welsh as you are, but I would rather the money spent on translating signs like this in to Welsh was spent on something that will benefit everybody.
Welsh, for the majority of people in Wales, is just a waste of time. For those living on the M4 corridor and the Valleys English is 'our' language not Welsh.
The rest of world is teaching English to their school children as soon as they can whereas in Wales some people are trying to eradicate from our daily lives.
The Welsh language is an important part of our heritage and for that reason should be preserved - but not forced in to our daily lives.”
by Meirion Bowen, Llandybie
Sunday, November 02 2008, 3:42PM
“As an employee from the wrong side of the Loughor bridge I get used to criticism.
However, The fact of the matter is we have seen the humiliation of the Council at National level in this instance. There are Welsh speakers that could have spotted this before the sign was even authorised. Perhaps that the Authority should respect its Welsh speaking employees a bit better to prevent something like this from happening again.”
by Ray Welsby, Clase Morriston
Sunday, November 02 2008, 11:25AM
“The sign gives the people of swansea the answer you get when you phone the highways dept, no-ones in the office.The sign does show the incompetence of this department as I have found on enquiring reference a bus shelter to be informed that it is to dangerous to erect one because the road is dangerous but,the bus stop as been their for 56yrs.We were also refused a crossing because no-one as been killed but,we have had people knocked down by vehicles so now we can see the people who run the Highways dept , are comedians and we do need a laugh now and again just to remind us the council are still disfunctional within this department so please Cllr,Hague give them a kick up the backside or get rid.”
by jo, mumbles
Sunday, November 02 2008, 8:28AM
“Alex, get over yourself. I agree with what you saying, mistakes happen, in fact this is a quite a nice story highlithing the erosion of the welsh language. Do you not think that there is some mischief here on the part of the sign writer and translater. Someone has obviousley tranlated the out of office reply on purpose.
Ok so its cost some money, you get worked up over the cost of a sign, wow, look around you (i can see a lot from my ivory tower) at the other waste of money the council have made (I cant see a bendy bus from my tower)!!!!!!
I”
by ADAM, SWANSEA
Sunday, November 02 2008, 1:19AM
“Oh come on people of Swansea lighten up. It is actually really funny. Everyone makes mistakes. What would you rather the 100 odd pound to edit the sign or the few thousand pounds that the council could spend on consultants to ensure the sign is correct and that everyone leaving the toilets in the guildhall washes there hands first.”