Call this the governmental version of Anglos who get Japanese or Chinese symbols as tattoos without really knowing what they mean. Or Japanese who wear oddly phrased English t-shirts because the words look or sound pretty.
When officials asked for the Welsh translation of a road sign, they thought the reply was what they needed.
Unfortunately, the e-mail response to Swansea council said in Welsh: “I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated“.
So that was what went up under the English version which barred lorries from a road near a supermarket.
“When they’re proofing signs, they should really use someone who speaks Welsh,” said journalist Dylan Iorwerth.
Oops.
Apparently the quality of translation in signs from English to Welsh is not an uncommon problem.
(via Doyce)
“”When they’re proofing signs, they should really use someone who speaks Welsh,” said journalist Dylan Iorwerth.”
Yes you Welsh fool, that’s what they thought they were doing. Its a pity that the person who does the translation was arrogant enough to only (my guess) put their Out Of Office assistant in Welsh.
My guess is that sign writer emailed the translator and got back a sentence in Welsh. Emailed request, something comes back- why would you double check?
As Cool Hand Luke put it, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”
Neither side seems to have done a thoughtful job about making sure what they were saying was understood and correct.