<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail-container gmail-dfp-top-ad-container">
<div class="gmail-dfp-ad gmail-text-center gmail-top-dfp-ad" style="height:20px"><div id="gmail-DFP_top_leaderboard" class="gmail-is-sticky"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/154725070/www.countytimes.co.uk/news_8__container__" style="border:0pt none"></div></div></div>
</div>
<div class="gmail-container">
<div id="gmail-article" class="gmail-article-wrapper">
<span class="gmail-article-timestamp gmail-formatTimeStampEs6">21st June</span>
<h1 class="gmail-headline gmail-semi-loud">Welshpool Town Council will learn lessons from language gaffe</h1>
<div class="gmail-author-details">
<div class="gmail-author-name-container">
<span class="gmail-author-name">
<a href="http://www.countytimes.co.uk/author/profile/171960.Elgan_Rhodri_Hearn/" class="gmail-author-name-link">Elgan Rhodri Hearn</a>
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail-article-row-container">
<div class="gmail-article-row-container-left">
<article class="gmail-v2">
<div id="gmail-articlePage">
<div class="gmail-article-hero gmail-light-background">
<img src="http://www.countytimes.co.uk/resources/images/7953128.jpg?display=1&htype=0&type=responsive-gallery" alt="Welshpool Town Council Transport Festival Poster at the Town Hall Welshpool..Picture by Phil Blagg.PB327-2018-1.">
<p class="gmail-hero-caption"><span class="gmail-x-small">Welshpool Town Council Transport Festival Poster at the Town Hall Welshpool..Picture by Phil Blagg.PB327-2018-1.</span></p>
</div>
<div class="gmail-article-credits gmail-clearfix">
</div>
<div class="gmail-social-circles-component gmail-top-socialbar">
</div></div></article></div></div></div></div>
<a href="http://www.countytimes.co.uk/my/account/emailthispage/" class="email-link">
</a><div class="gmail-social-circles-component gmail-top-socialbar">
<a href="http://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/16304972.Welsh_gaffe_by_Town_Council_is_criticised_online/#comments-anchor" class="gmail-small gmail-comments-button"><i class="gmail-m-icon-chat"></i> <span>0 <span class="gmail-comment-number-text">comments</span></span></a>
</div><div id="gmail-div-gpt-ad-1505141632244-0"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/21617473178/news_quest_mobile_0__container__" style="border:0pt none"></div></div>
<div id="gmail-DFP_article_fluid_1"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/154725070/www.countytimes.co.uk/news_0__container__" style="border:0pt none"></div></div>
<div class="gmail-article-body">
<div>
<p>
"NOT even Google translate could have got it that wrong and Welshpool Town Council should be ashamed of itself."
</p>
<p>
Comments made online by Welsh speakers who have criticised a translation into Welsh of a banner by Welshpool Town Council.
</p>
<p>
Behind the Town Hall Welshpool Town Council have placed a banner
advertising this weekend's Transport Festival, with Free Park and Ride
from the Livestock Market.
</p>
<p>
The Welsh version should read: "Gwyl Trafnidiaeth Canol Dref, Parciwch a Theithiwch and Ddim o'r Farchnad Da Byw."
</p><div id="gmail-inArticleAd-1" class="gmail-advert-container"><div id="gmail-DFP_in_article_mpu"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/154725070/www.countytimes.co.uk/news_2__container__" style="border:0pt none;display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px"></div></div></div>
<p>
But the mangled translation is: "Gorau Cludiant Canol Dref, Parc a Chride am Ddim o Farchnad Livestock."
</p>
<p>
Which when converted back to English reads: Transport Town Centre and there is no such word as "Chride."
</p>
<p>
In Wales, Welsh has the same status as English as an official language.
</p>
<p>
Public bodies such as County Councils, the Welsh Government and Police
work bilingually and service users can expect to be spoken or written
to in the language of their choosing.
</p>
<p>
There is an expectation that Town and Community Council, such as Welshpool Town Council will follow soon.
</p>
<p>
Indeed next week Welshpool Councillors will be discussing it own Welsh language policy.
</p>
<p>
The County Times asked Town Clerk, Robert Robinson, to explain the error.
</p>
<p>
Mr Robinson, explained: "I have no idea.
</p>
<p>
"When we do something in Welsh, we end up being told it's not the right type of Welsh.
</p>
<p>
"We do have a Welsh Language Plan that we are working towards and it will be dealt with by Councillors."
</p>
<p>
Cllr David Senior, has been working towards getting Welshpool Town Council to become more Welsh language friendly.
</p>
<p>
Cllr Senior, said: "When I passed the banner and I saw it, I did
wonder if it might have been better just not to have the Welsh version
as it is clearly embarrassing.
</p>
<p>
"We will learn lessons from this, the council is being criticised for making an effort which is better than in the past.
</p>
<p>
"The Welsh Language Policy will be coming before us at the next
council meeting and several of us have been campaigning to makes sure
that we do more and better.
</p></div></div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
</div>