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."