CHARTEREDINSTITUTEOFLINGUISTS

51/6 DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013

The Linguist
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CONTENTS

The Linguist
The Linguist

Features

18

50 YEARS IN PRINT . . . . . . . 13

The Linguist, formerly The

Incorporated Linguist, is the
official journal of the Chartered
Institute of Linguists.

A concluding look at The Linguist archives

HARD TIMES, SOFT POWER . 14

This years Threlford Memorial Lecture

Editor Miranda Moore

Email: linguist.editor@gmail.com
Sales Sarah Heaps
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7940 3100; Email: sarah.heaps@iol.org.uk

A STAR RISES IN THE EAST . 18

How singer Mary-Jess made it in China

Editorial Board
Ms J Fraser MA DipTrans IoLET FCIL FHEA FITI
Ms A M Graham BA DipTrans IoLET AMIOEE
Ms S Heaps BA (ex officio)
Mr D Luddy BA
Dr G A Makin MA PhD DPSI MCIL
Mr T Merz BA
Mr K Moffitt BSc DipTrans IoLET MCIL MITI
Ms M Moore BA (ex officio)
Prof J Munday BA MEd PhD PGCE DipTrans IoLET MCIL
Mr A Peacock BA (ex officio)
Ms K Stokes MA (Oxon) DipTrans IoLET MITI FCIL
CL (Translator) (Chair)

A SUCCESSFUL START . . . . . 20
Tips for establishing yourself as a freelancer

GAELIC RENAISSANCE . . . . 22
What has been the impact of official status?

STUFF AND NONSENSE . . . 24

A brief look at translations of Edward Lear

The Chartered Institute of Linguists, Saxon House,

48 Southwark Street, London SE1 1UN; Web: www.iol.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7940 3100; Email: info@iol.org.uk

Opinion & comment

Royal Patron HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO

President Dr N Bowen BSc MA PhD Dip TEFL RSA HonFCIL
Vice-Presidents
Prof T J Connell MA BPhil DLitt PGCE FCIL
Mrs A Corsellis OBE BA HonFCIL
Baroness J Coussins MA HonFCIL
Prof D Crystal OBE PhD FCSLT HonFCIL FRSA
Mr R Hardie MA FCA HonFCIL
Dr J M Mitchell CBE MA DrPhil FCIL
Members of Council
Mr T Bell MA MPhil FCIL (Hon Treasurer)
Mrs J Cambridge MA FCIL
Mr M Cunningham BA MCIL
Prof H Fulford BA MA PhD FCIL MBCS FHEA
Dr M-M Gervais-le Garff MA Doct 3e Cycle FCIL
Ms M J Lee MA DPSI MCIL
Dr G A Makin MA PhD DPSI MCIL
Mr K Moffitt BSc DipTrans IoLET MCIL MITI (Chair)
Mrs C Pocock DipTrans IoLET FCIL (Vice-Chair)
Mrs J A Ridgway BA FCIL MCMI
Ms K Stokes MA (Oxon) DipTrans IoLET MITI FCIL
CL (Translator)
Mr P Shipman BSc (Hons) MScCEng MIMechE MCIL

Senior Institute personnel

Ms H Maxwell-Hyslop MA (Joint Acting Chief Executive)
Mr A Peacock BA (Director of Membership &
Joint Acting Chief Executive)
IoL Educational Trust
The examinations are provided under the auspices of
the IoL Educational Trust. Senior officers:
Prof T J Connell MA BPhil DLitt PGCE FCIL (Chair)
Ms H Maxwell-Hyslop MA (Director of Examinations)
Printed by Hastings Printing Company, St Leonards-on-Sea.
Published six times a year and distributed free of charge to all
members. Annual subscription 41 post free. Overseas
subscription 54 (airmail Europe), 58 (airmail rest of world).
ISSN 0268-5965

This issue will be available online from

17 December at www.iol.org.uk/TheLinguist.html.

Vol/51 No/6 2012

News & editorial

FIRST STEPS . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
New column following a translator starting out

VITAL ROLE FOR TEACHERS . 5 WHY KIDS NEED CLASSICS . 26

Why Latin is flourishing at primary schools

Speak to the future

WORST IN EUROPE? . . . . . . 6
How can England get better at languages?

Internet for business

LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Institute matters
A DAY TO REMEMBER . . . 28
Join delegates at Members Day 2012

HOW TO WRITE A WEBSITE . 8 COUNCIL NEWS . . . . . . . . 29

Top tips for an effective professional site

DIVISIONS & SOCIETIES . . 29

SOMETHING NEW
IN STORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ADMISSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Inside Debenhams: the first department
store to launch a foreign language website

MAKING FRIENDS . . . . . . . . . 12
How to use Facebook for effective marketing

Annual review
ANNUAL REVIEW 2011-2012 . 31
FRONT COVER ISTOCKPHOTO

The editor reserves the right to edit all material submitted. Views expressed in The Linguist
are not necessarily the official views of the Chartered Institute of Linguists. All rights of
reproduction, translation and adaptation reserved for all countries.
The Chartered Institute of Linguists, The Linguist, and officers accept no responsibility
collectively or individually for the service of agencies or persons advertised or announced in the
pages of this journal. The good faith with which we publish offers no implied/implicit guarantee.

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

NEWS & EDITORIAL

FROM THE

EDITORS

CHAIR OF COUNCIL LETTER

The Institute has had its offices at 14 addresses since

1910. Saxon House has been its home since 1997,
and the decision we have taken to sell the building
and move to more suitable accommodation has not
been taken lightly. When it was purchased, Saxon
House was described as a striking-looking former
warehouse which had been completely modernised
internally a fitting home for the Institute and all its
activities. Sadly, no one would now describe the interior as modern, and Council
has decided that the building, with its seven rather cluttered floors, is no longer fit
for the purposes of a 21st-century organisation. We plan to move to modern,
serviced accommodation for the immediate future, while taking appropriate steps
to protect the value released from the premises. We intend to stay in London, and
in the longer term the decision may be to acquire our own premises again.
There is no doubt that the move, which we aim to make in the spring, will
absorb a considerable amount of time and energy, not least on the part of
Adam Ladbury, our Office Manager, but we do not intend to lose focus on other
important issues. Still top of the list is the continuing controversy surrounding
the Ministry of Justices legal interpreting contract. The Institute submitted
evidence to the Justice Select Committee inquiry into interpreting and
translation services under the Capita/ALS contract, and I have been attending
the Justice Select Committee and Public Accounts Committee hearings, which
have drawn heavily on the recent National Audit Office report highly critical of
many aspects of the new arrangements.
Also in the legal field, CIOL Vice-President Ann Corsellis and I took part in the
Antwerp workshop organised by EULITA (the European Legal Interpreters and
Translators Association) in October. It considered the EU directive on interpreting
and translation in criminal proceedings that is due to be implemented in October
2013. Many of our colleagues in other EU countries were dismayed to see how the
public service interpreting qualifications and register created by the Institute, which
Ann herself played a key role in establishing, were in danger of being undermined.
On page 28, there is a detailed account of Members Day, which many
participants told me was one of the best they had attended. I am deeply
grateful to Baroness (Sue) Garden for her excellent Threlford Memorial Lecture
(see page 14), and to all the other speakers and members of staff who helped to
make it such a successful and memorable day.
Lastly, I am sorry to report that Hilary Maxwell-Hyslop, our Director of
Examinations and currently our Joint Acting Chief Executive Officer, will be
leaving us at the end of January 2013. Hilary has served the Institute and the
Educational Trust with great skill, graciousness and good humour for many
years, and she will be hugely missed in both roles.

I was interested
to read the latest
research about
the use of
Scottish Gaelic in
the Hebrides,
where it is most
widely spoken.
Although younger generations predictably use
the language less than older Scots, the study
conducted at the University of the Highlands
and Islands (UHI) found that many adults
who normally speak English use Gaelic in
conversations with children. This bodes well
for the language, which gained official status
in Scotland in 2005, generating new work for
linguists and boosting the revival effort (p.22).
A separate UHI study shows that Gaelicspeakers are actively promoting the language
using social media, indicating the influence of
online networking sites. Interpreting for
Europe is harnessing this power to encourage
language learning more generally, and has
some useful advice on how to use Facebook
effectively (p.12). The professional rewards
can be great, but most people still under-use
social media for business purposes. So our
three-article focus looks at the professional
internet, with tips on how to write web content
from Jonathan Stockwell, DG Translation (p.8).
Our three-part series on language and
song concludes with an interview with
classical-pop crossover artist Mary-Jess
Leaverland. It was refreshing to interview
someone so passionate about language
learning, and so aware of the limits of her
own linguistic and cultural knowledge (p.18).
We launch a column following a recent
MA Translation graduate as she starts her
career (p.25); and also hear from an
interpreter/translator who is a little further
along the career path and rapidly making a
name for herself in the profession (p.20).

Keith Moffitt

Miranda Moore

The Linguist

DECEMBER/JANUARY

www.iol.org.uk

NEWS & EDITORIAL

The latest from the languages world

What the
papers say
[Bollywood] studios bother to subtitle their
films for export presumably for secondgeneration immigrants with a shaky grasp of
the mother tongue, and curious foreigners
so why not extend the effort to some of the
overall marketing as well?
Why Arent More Bollywood Films Marketed
in English? 23/10/12

Vital role for teachers

The role of teachers in encouraging
language learning is paramount, according
to a recent survey by the European
Commission. Friends of the Interpreting for
Europe Facebook page were asked how
they made decisions about whether to
continue with languages studies. UK-based
respondents cited teachers as being the
greatest influence, followed by parents in the
early years and their own interests later on.
Least influential were careers advisers.
Interpreting for Europe is dedicated to
promoting interpreting careers across the
institutions of the European Union, and works

NEW GENERATION: Students at the

DG Interpretations Open Doors Day 2012

to encourage language learning in schools,
colleges and universities in Europe. Its
Facebook contacts tend to be young people
with an interest in studying languages, which
means that the survey sample was limited, as
well as self-selecting. However, 500 people
responded in the UK alone, revealing a clear
trend that will inform the DG Interpretations
ongoing awareness-raising campaigns.
See ec.europa.eu/dgs/scic/news/english_
native_speak_report.htm for the full report.

Investment in Welsh TV secured

BBC Cymru Wales will continue to support
Welsh language broadcaster S4C following a
new four-year deal. The renewal of the
partnership between the two broadcasters
ensures that the BBC will maintain current
levels of investment in Welsh-language
programming until 2017. Currently, the BBC
provides S4C with a minimum of 520 hours
of programmes a year. Rhodri Talfan Davies,
Director of BBC Cymru Wales, said: Our
partnership continues to strengthen as we
look forward to even more creative
collaboration ahead.
Launched on 1 November 1982, following
a long campaign by language activists, S4C
has seen a decline in viewing figures and

Vol/51 No/6 2012

revenue in recent years. As it marked its 30th

anniversary, the British government decided
to end direct funding for the channel. From
April 2013, most of its budget will come
instead from the BBC licence fee.
In a bid to attract bigger audiences, S4C
Chief Executive, Ian Jones, is considering
adding more voiceovers in English: If were
producing content, why not put an English
language track on the red button so that
everybody can enjoy the programming?
The Official Languages Bill, which gives
equal status to English and Welsh in the
Welsh assembly, will no longer be challenged
by the UK government, despite concerns
raised by the Welsh Secretary, David Jones.

British officials believe diplomats fluent in

Hindi will develop a better understanding of
India and be quicker to spot business
opportunities for British firms The increasing
mash of the two languages in India has forced
a policy move away from English alone being
regarded as sufficient for diplomats to
communicate with those who matter. The
Foreign Office under William Hague is
placing increasing importance on the ability
to transact business in foreign languages
said a British High Commission spokesman.
British Diplomats in India to Learn
Hinglish, 10/10/12

The perception that booming economies

in the East currently offer more job
opportunities than in the West explains why
increasing numbers of overseas students are
clamouring to study in Asia, particularly at
Chinese universities in Hong Kong, Beijing
and Shanghai. The days when a Western
expatriate was able to land a job with few
qualifications besides English language
fluency are over, says Angel Lam, a Hong
Kong-based recruiter at the Robert Walters
agency. Language skills are very important.
The ability to understand the local culture is
very important, so if you dont have the
language skills and you havent been to a
specific Asian country, then getting a job will
be a challenge.
Hopeful in Hong Kong, 18/10/12

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

SPEAK TO THE FUTURE

Regular updates on the campaign for languages

FIND OUT MORE

ISTOCKPHOTO

See www.speaktothefuture.org for

the latest about the campaign or to
get involved. Were also on Twitter
@speak2future, LinkedIn (search
for us in groups) and Facebook
(www.fb.com/speaktothefuture).

Worst in Europe?
Bernardette Holmes calls for
stronger language skills in England
In June, the European Commission published
the results of the first European Survey on
Language Competences (ESLC).1 It came as
no surprise that, of the 14 countries surveyed,
England appeared bottom of the table, with
only nine percent of 14-15 year-olds able to
use their first foreign language to the level of
an independent user.
Before we attempt to assuage our collective
national embarrassment by any suggestion
that the goal of being an independent user
is overly ambitious for our school-age
learners, the Council of Europes definition is
to be able to deal with straightforward,
familiar matters in the language of study.
The average across the 14 countries was
42 percent, with Sweden and Malta reaching
82 percent and the Netherlands 66 percent.
France was rather lower on 14 percent.
The results dont get any better when we
look at the statistics for those reaching the
level of a basic user who can use very simple
language with support. Thirty percent of our
students failed to reach even this level after
three compulsory years of language study in
our state-maintained secondary schools.
Sympathetic readers may be tempted to
exonerate our students and teachers by

The Linguist

retreating to the fallback position that, as

English is the language of choice across
Europe, and, indeed, much of the world, it
would be invidious to compare our standards
of language proficiency with others learning
of English. It is this very lack of urgency and
low level of public engagement with the
importance of language skills that we must
challenge if we are to have any chance of
developing and maintaining our international
status politically, economically and culturally.
The economic case for languages has
never been more convincing. Reports from
the CBI (Confederation of British Industry),
the British Chambers of Commerce and the
Education and Employers Taskforce confirm
both the deep dissatisfaction of employers
over the paucity of language competence
and the urgent need for language skills.
Former Treasury Economic Adviser, James
Foreman-Peck, has calculated the effects of
underinvestment in language skills, which
he now terms the tax on trade, and
estimates the annual loss to be 7.3 billion or
0.5 percent of GDP (gross domestic product).2
Yet students from state and independent
schools appear to be shying away from
language study in Higher Education. Perhaps

DECEMBER/JANUARY

anxiety over the costs of the additional year

of study required by an undergraduate
course in languages, together with the
swingeing impact of the rising cost of student
fees overall is taking its toll on UCAS
applications, but the decline is alarming. The
11.2 percent decrease in applications for
European Languages and related studies this
year was disturbing enough; more worrying
still was the dramatic drop of 21.5 percent in
applications for non-European languages and
related studies. With the business community
clearly calling for a wider range of language
skills to promote economic growth in
non-European markets, the move away from
Chinese and Arabic seems hard to reconcile.
Our understandable national preoccupation
with economic recovery should not obscure
the other equally valid reasons for promoting
the essential value of language learning in its
own right. Sir Adam Roberts, President of the
British Academy, urges us to broaden our
national conversation and consider the
inherent merits and contribution of humanities
and social sciences to our society. It seems
incontrovertible that we need to preserve and
strengthen the ability of researchers to read
original sources in the language in which they
were written. Plainly, in a country renowned
for its world-class research capability in these
fields, we need to maintain this strong
position [and] attract and retain the very
best to our undergraduate programmes.3
So, what must be done? If we are to
address issues of supply, we need more
language learners in schools and in Further
and Higher Education. The introduction, in
2014, of languages from the age of seven
could be a positive step. Equally, the impact
of the EBacc appears to have reversed the
decline in students continuing with language
study post-14. In 2010, only 22 percent of
Year 10 students (ages 14-15) were studying
what are now deemed to be the rigorously
academic core subjects included in the EBacc.

www.iol.org.uk

SPEAK TO THE FUTURE

The latest DfE survey shows that 49 percent of

pupils now in Year 10 are taking them.4 The
data also record an astonishing 310 percent
increase in the proportion of children on Free
School Meals who are studying this essential
core of key subjects so coveted by employers
and the Russell Group universities. It seems
almost counterintuitive, but the primary
beneficiaries of this new performance measure
are among the most disadvantaged learners.
Excellent! Mission accomplished? I think not.
Redressing the language skills deficit is not
only about supply but also demand. Does our
society value languages? Is England a
language-friendly environment? There is also
another elephant in our national classroom
and that is the issue of quality. Our weakness
in language outcomes cannot be rectified by
legislation alone. It is not simply a matter of
numbers studying languages but more an issue
of the quality of their learning experience. We
have to reflect on what is taught and how.
The ESLC report could shed light on these
matters and inform the agenda for change. In
addition to the language tests completed by
representative samples of 14-15 year-olds in
the countries surveyed, a questionnaire was
used to explore the relation of context factors
with the outcomes of the tests. There are
substantive findings in the results for England,
which we should take seriously at this time of
curriculum reform. Some relate to teaching
approaches and resources, and others are
about attitudes and perceptions, which are as
much about our society as our classrooms.

Firstly, teachers reported that the use of

the target language in lessons was
substantially less than in other countries and
this perception was shared by their students.
This is ironic given that the number of
teachers for whom the target language was a
first language was significantly higher than
average. There also appeared to be less
exposure to the use of the target language
through traditional and new media.
There was even less exposure at home, as
parents target language knowledge was
significantly lower than the average. Students
rating of target language lessons, teachers and
text books was lower than average. Finally,
we discover perhaps the most telling context
factors: English students perception of the
usefulness of learning the target language was
much lower than average but their perception
of the difficulty of learning languages was
much higher. In sum, students in England find
languages hard, rarely use them for real and
dont think they are very important in any case.
Game over? No, it has only just begun.
There is an unquestionable need for greater
advocacy and societal change. The Speak to
the future campaign exists to unite those with
a passion for languages and a belief in the
strategic importance of language capability.
We have to persuade government, employers,
parents, teachers and students that languages
matter. There are four main reasons why:
Mobility. We want our young people to take
advantage of the opportunities that being
part of the European Union affords them.

On the campaign trail

Speak to the future (STF) has built a wide network of supporters and a strong organisation.
Our dynamic Project Manager, Dominic Luddy, took the work forward with energy and
professionalism. Since he left to start a career in teaching, we have taken the time to review
our needs. Our priority for the next period is the message that the UK needs to act urgently
to increase its capability in languages. This need is apparent in all areas of society and in
every branch of education. We aim to get the message out to people who are not yet aware,
not entirely convinced, or not sure what to do about it, including learners and parents. And
we aim to address those who can make a difference, including leaders in business and
education, policy makers and the media.
We plan to develop our lobbying capacity, shaping the agenda of government; sharpen our
messages, responding to clear needs; and strengthen our communications strategy so that our
messages have a wider reach. We are encouraged that so many initiatives are now underway
to raise the profile of languages, and we will strive to add value to the work of STFs many
supporters. We have two major sponsors the CIOL and the British Academy and a number
of partners, and we will call on a wider range of supporters, so as to build the momentum.
Michael Kelly, STF Hon Secretary

Vol/51 No/6 2012

They need to be ready to study and work in

other countries, acquiring language skills as
needs arise.
Employability. Being part of the knowledge
society means being highly educated,
culturally aware and critically literate; being
monolingual in a multilingual world is a
distinct disadvantage.
Entrepreneurship. The commitment and
endurance young people show when they
invest in learning a language demonstrates
the kind of drive, creativity and flexibility
needed to take calculated risks, see ideas
through from inception to implementation
and communicate their message; the
hallmarks of a future entrepreneur.
Social cohesion. Our world is indisputably
multilingual. To understand one another and
build on each others strengths as part of a
diverse community means being willing to
respect and share the languages and
cultures of our neighbours. Only by seeing
the world through a different lens can we
appreciate our own values and open our
minds to fresh perspectives.
The Speak to the future campaign is a call
to action. It exists not simply for the languages
community, but through the languages
community. Decisions about what is taught
and how should not be left to specialist
linguists in schools and universities alone. We
are all stakeholders in languages education.
To engage in this debate and play your part
in influencing policy change, please join our
campaign and make your voice heard.
For further information, contact
Bernardette Holmes: bh327@cam.ac.uk.
Notes
1 First European Survey on Language
Competences, Final Report, 2012, European
Commission. See: http://ec.europa.eu/
languages/eslc/docs/en/final-report-escl_en.pdf
2 Foreman-Peck, J, The Economic Case for
Language Learning and the Role of Employer
Engagement, 2011, in Education and Employers
Taskforce, CfBT
3 Roberts, A, Tongue-Tied UK Badly Equipped
to Join in the Conversation of Nations, 2012,
Times Higher Education. See www.timeshigher
education.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&story
code=418901&c=1
4 Press Notice, DfE, 5/10/12. See www.education
.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a00215171/ebaccmeans-twice-as-many-take-academic-subjects-

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

INTERNET FOR BUSINESS

How to write a website

Jonathan Stockwell, of the European Commissions
DG Translation, offers some invaluable advice
Read any good websites lately? If that seems a
strange question, its probably because youre
about as likely to read a website for pleasure
as you are a dictionary, insurance policy or the
Highway Code. With the exception of blogs,
online journalism and social media, web text is
not there to be savoured.
Effective web writing is functional, it helps
users do practical jobs from simple things
such as checking train times and ordering
books, to more complex tasks such as
comparing university courses or applying for
a home-insulation grant. People want to
complete these tasks without wasting time
over unclear phraseology, or hunting for key
information in big blocks of prose.
Effective writing and translation for the
web begins with an understanding of how
people use websites, and what they want
from particular sites. Structure, style and
vocabulary follow from that. The best web
writing is unobtrusive and unnoticed by the
people it serves, ready to provide what they
want before they know they want it.

Instead, commercial web writers require an

understanding of what users come to their
sites for, what terms they might be searching
for, and how to guide them through the
process of choosing and ordering. Web users
are quick to go elsewhere if they dont find
what they are after. So, to succeed, corporate
websites must follow their users agenda and
provide a useful service. Understanding this is
the first step to good web writing and, more
specifically, to deciding what to write.

Whats the webpage for?

The starting point for any piece of writing is
to be clear about its purpose: what job does
the text have to do? For commercial
websites, maximising sales is a likely priority.
Does that mean web writers have to be
good at writing catchy advertising copy?
Well, no, because advertising in the
traditional sense doesnt work on the web.
Web users dont sit at their screens passively
watching whats fed to them; they actively
determine what they see. Usually, they are
looking for specific things and are liable to
ignore, or be irritated by, advertising blurbs
that distract from their search.

The Linguist

What to leave out

After spotting a new dry cleaners shop, I went
online to find out more about their lockers for
out-of-hours drop-off and collection, and to
research their eco-friendly claims. But those
interesting features werent mentioned at all
on their site, which didnt even give basics
such as opening times and prices. Instead, the
page began with the startling revelation, Dry
cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing or
textiles using a chemical solvent other than
water. And it went on and on in the same
vein. The thoughtful writer had even linked the
word water to a Wikipedia page, just in case I

DECEMBER/JANUARY

was interested (I wasnt). Admittedly, this is a

rather extreme case, but it illustrates what can
happen when a writer doesnt think through
who or what the page is for.
Even when writers do include relevant
information, a reader may have to wade
through irrelevant background first. Good
practice in academic essays, introducing and
contextualising the subject is often
misguided on the web. Mostly, the page
heading and the banner saying who owns
the site are introduction enough. The context
is provided by the user-need: if Ive found my
way to a page on left-luggage facilities, Ive
almost certainly figured out that they are
useful to bag-laden travellers. I dont need an
introductory paragraph telling me that.

How to write it
We spend years being taught to write
polished, flowing prose. Perhaps we should
also study the art of writing minimally
conveying essential information as concisely
and simply as possible. Put key information
first, be direct, and use the personal pronouns
you and we, provided it is clear who they
refer to. Dont be afraid to use a telegraphic
style, with bullet points where appropriate.
On the left-luggage page I mentioned, the
first paragraph read:
The left luggage office in the central
station offers fantastic prices on hourly or
daily storage with 24-hour storage costing
just 8. And our closed-circuit television
cameras ensure that your bags will be kept
under constant surveillance until you return
at your convenience.
However, much of this information was
superfluous, as Central station in city X was
already in the banner, and the page header

www.iol.org.uk

INTERNET FOR BUSINESS

IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO

announced the subject Left luggage. The first

43 words could have packed in so much more
information if they had read, for example:
Locker storage
24-hour access for deposits and
withdrawals
8 for first 24 hours, 5 per 24-hour
period after that
Payment by Visa/MasterCard or cash
(change available)
Secure video surveillance
Locker size 60 x 80 x 70cm
This kind of presentation works much
better than running text on screen, where
tracking lines of dense text is harder than on
paper. It also sits well with web users
tendency to skim-read, scanning for relevant
keywords and links. A bullet list of top tips for
easy-to-read web writing might look
something like this:
Use bullet points where appropriate the
white space they create reduces the strain
on users eyes
Dont fill up space just for the sake of it
Be inspired by the sparseness and focus of
the Google search page
Keep paragraphs to five lines or fewer, so
they can be read quickly
Write lots of meaningful subheadings to
facilitate skim-reading (one per paragraph
isnt excessive). And if you cant come up
with subheadings, maybe its because there
is no clear focus to
your paragraphs.

Links

Choice of words

important on the web: the wrong words on

your page (or in your metadata) may mean
your content doesnt get found. Try to
include the words that potential users might
enter in Google.
Take the example of swine flu: during the
epidemic, worried members of the public
might have googled swine flu, while scientists
and other experts searched for h1n1. But its
hard to imagine many people typing in novel
influenza, a term invented so that consumers
wouldnt be put off buying pork.
On multilingual sites, such as those of the
European Union, users likely search terms will
affect how web texts are translated. Translators
may think it worth deviating from official
terminology to make a text more findable.
The French term PME, for example, can be
rendered in English as SME (small and
medium-sized enterprise), but more people
would search for small businesses, so a
translator might consider using that in the text.
There is a wealth of advice out there about
writing for search engines, and about other
aspects of web writing not mentioned here,
such as navigation labels. The web writing
section of useit.com is a good place to start.
But if, for now, youd be happy with just the
most golden of golden rules, think of your
users and keep it short.

With any writing, the concepts and words

you use will depend on the purpose and the
target audience. But
choosing the right
words is doubly

Notes
1 One alternative would be: EU report
support for sustainable drylands in Africa
(2009-11).

Links are a crucial, and unique, part of web

writing. Like road signs, they enable users to
decide quickly whether or not to take a
particular turn-off. For that, they have to be
both short and specific. More tips:
Avoid links that read click here. It doesnt
identify the subject, can be confusing for the
visually-impaired, who use screen readers,
and misses an opportunity to help people
find your page via search engines (which pay
special attention to words used in links)
Over-long links are equally bad, because
users wont take the time to read them
Dont write a paragraph just to serve as a
frame for a link. Stand-alone links are fine.
It doesnt matter if the link text isnt
identical to the title of the linked-to page,
as long as there is no risk of confusion.
If you want some practice at link writing,
have a go at improving this bad one (and
avoid looking at my suggestion):1
To read the European Union report to
the UNCCD on the policies, financial
instruments and projects that supported
sustainable drylands management activities
in Africa over the period January 2009December 2011, click here.

INTERNET FOR BUSINESS

Something new in store

Miranda Moore goes inside Debenhams HQ to
find out how it became the first UK department
store to launch a foreign language website
British viewers cant get enough of
department store drama at the moment. Rival
primetime period dramas The Paradise and
Mr Selfridge are offering their fictionalised
accounts of how these retail emporia came to
dominate our major shopping streets. In the
19th and early 20th centuries, these glamorous
new shops impressed all who passed by;
today, new developments are less visible, with
marketing wars fought and lost online.
Few customers outside Germany will have
noticed when Debenhams launched
debenhams.de in September, becoming the
first UK department store to establish a
foreign language website. Yet the move
caused ripples among the competition, with
other retailers equally eager to expand
globally. International is key on everyones
agenda, says Lindsay Clifford-Smith,
Debenhams International E-Commerce
Senior Marketing Manager. Its nice for us to
be right up there at the forefront.
At the same time, Debenhams expanded
sales from its UK-based website to 40
countries, and opened stores in Bulgaria and
Georgia for the first time, putting a 2.6 percent
rise in sales down to its international expansion
and multi-channel strategies. Having launched
debenhams.ie for the Irish market in 2010,
there were compelling reasons to look to
Germany next, not least because its nice to
pick something close to home, says CliffordSmith when we meet at company HQ, behind
the flagship store on Londons Oxford Street.
After the UK, Germany is the largest
e-commerce market in Europe, with 41 million
German customers spending 6.34 billion
online in the first quarter of 2012. Once we
had the business case it was about putting it
to the systems team, to decide how we were

10

The Linguist

going to optimise and localise our UK

business for German customers, adds
Clifford-Smith.
The process took about a year, from
green-light to online launch. If that seems
short, considering the logistics involved in
selling more than 2,000 brands in a foreign
language and territory, bear in mind that
Debenhams was already distributing to seven
overseas markets, including Germany, and
had an order management system dealing
with nearly three million orders every month.
Its not possible for us to suddenly launch a
bunch of international websites globally, says
Clifford-Smith. But weve got a lot in place, so
we can leverage our systems and everything
weve already got in the UK. Debenhams
Direct, the retailers online division, has
been in operation since 1998. In 2010,
it launched its first app allowing
customers to shop at Debenhams from
their mobile phones. So when a new
international team was created to
support the German, Irish and
future international websites,
they had a lot of in-house
experience to draw on.
Aside from the issue of
localising the web content,
there were other challenges,
such as the implications of
trading in euros and the
companys approach to
reconciliation; differing
rates and reporting
systems for VAT;
registering the online
store for trade in
Germany; making
sure they complied

DECEMBER/JANUARY

with German retail laws and obligations; and

determining the logistics of everything from
press campaigns to deliveries and returns.
The website itself looks very similar to the
.com site, although the large homepage
image often differs. It is designed as a wire
shell, ready to be filled with text and images,
which helps to minimise the pitfalls involved
in web translation. They have encountered
standard problems, such as templates that
didnt work with German grammar rules and
long compound words that didnt fit the
allotted space, but Clifford-Smith is confident
that the web design suits their needs: Having
image-led pages, where we can fill that with a
German message, makes it really customisable,
really dynamic and really fast-paced.
On Tuesday, they might be selling
evening dresses; on Thursday,
pushing scarves and gloves.
Speed is key, and this is one of
the few frustrations they have
with the German-language
website. Although there is a
German-speaking team
in-house, they use an agency
to translate the product
details and buying guides for
tens of thousands of goods.
This includes information
such as the product
name, composition and
description, as well as style
and care advice. Another
challenge is the time,
because there is that
extra step, admits
Clifford-Smith. Its about
educating the business
and building that into

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INTERNET FOR BUSINESS

your timelines. We want to do it all yesterday,

but it needs to be right as well.

Selling British fashion to Germany

Based at Debenhams HQ in London, the
German e-commerce team is led by
native speaker Sarah Stott. Having a German
manager who knows both the brand and the
target market has been essential to
establishing and maintaining a localised online
store. I know the German market and I also
know the culture, says Stott. Thats a big
plus just being able to see how something
would be received in Germany. Why certain
things would work in the UK and might not
work in Germany. Each campaign is assessed
on its own merits; sometimes UK and German
promotions coincide but often debenhams.de
runs its own, localised campaigns.
Covering home products, gifts and toys,
as well as clothing, the website nevertheless
offers a restricted product range. Apart from
the logistical issues of selling items such as
furniture, there are differences in standard
measurements, so they need to make sure
that bed linen fits German requirements, for
example. Tastes differ too, with bold prints
selling better in the UK, so some ranges are
unlikely to perform as well in Germany.
Stotts team has to be aware of everything
that is going on in Germany, despite being
based in the UK. So if its a lovely weekend
in Berlin and actually blustering blizzards over
here, wed localise our content, explains
Clifford-Smith. This might mean selling
dresses to the Germans while promoting hats
and scarves in the UK.
Its not only about choosing what to
promote but also how to promote it. If were
pushing dresses, we might say evening

Vol/51 No/6 2012

dresses for the UK and we might say ball

dresses in Germany, if we know that the
school-leavers ball is coming up, explains
Stott. A recent designer deal was labelled
London Fashion Week for the Germans,
because that was likely to grab customers
attention while at the same time helping to
establish the Debenhams brand.
Selling itself as the British high street
online, Debenhams Direct aims to bring UK
fashion to Germany, so establishing the
brand is vital. On the German website, they
talk a lot about who they are. Weve got

After the UK,

Germany is the largest
e-commerce market in
Europe, with 41 million
German customers
the recognition in the UK, our customers
know who we are. We dont have that
following in Germany, so we design the
website in a way that ensures were also
educating, says Clifford-Smith. We have a
saying that were 2,010 brands under one
roof. Wed never bother saying that in the
UK; we dont need to.
For this reason, much of the German web
content is original, written by Stott and her
team. They have the in-house language skills
to send emails, post on social media, and
write features and web content in German.
However, the press agency and customer

IN FASHION

At the launch event in Munich, models and

designers strike a pose (above and left);
and the International E-commerce team,
including Lindsay Clifford-Smith (2nd r)
and Sarah Stott (r) pause for a photo (inset)
services team are based in Germany, so that
they can provide a local service that meets the
needs of both the customer and the company.
They also work with local agencies that
have in-depth knowledge of online consumer
behaviour in Germany, and employ insight
specialists who work directly with customers,
observing the way they interact with the
website. This information has enabled them
to create a fully localised website. The
differences are subtle but significant and
based entirely on customer behaviour.
There is a unique sort order at the top of
the homepage, for example, so that when
the customer is buying, were always showing
them what they want, says Clifford-Smith. In
English, the categories start (from left to right)
women, beauty, home and furniture, with
shoes listed seventh; in German you get
Damen, Herren, Kinder, Schuhe
Continual use of analytics tools enables
them to further improve the websites
performance by assessing how well each
element is working what items are (and
arent) clicked, how formatting changes affect
consumer responses, etc. This cycle of analysis
and optimisation is a familiar process for the
e-commerce team, but there is a lot they have
learnt from their first foreign language venture
that they can take forward to future online
stores. They are already working on their next
foreign language website, but which language
it will use is still a closely guarded secret.

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

11

INTERNET FOR BUSINESS

COMIC RELIEF: A post by one member

Making friends
Ian Andersen explains how the
European Commission uses social
media for marketing and promotions
The Interpreting for Europe Facebook page
was created in November 2009, as part of a
wider strategy to attract new recruits to the
European Commissions Directorate-General
Interpretation, and to interpreter training more
generally. The choice of Facebook as a forum
for dialogue with young people was
straightforward. We needed to engage with
young language-learners with an international
outlook in the space they inhabit.
After a gentle start, our Facebook page
grew to 25,000 participants by 2011. We now
find that helping our Facebook friends is the
best way to increase awareness of the
profession. The page aims to be the (potential)
interpreting students best friend, and most
reliable source of factual information.
Maintenance of the website is spread
between several people at the DG
Interpretation, including trainees. The
workload amounts to less than one full-time
post, with further contributions from the
interpreting services of the European
Parliament and Court of Justice. In designing
posts, we keep a number of ideas in mind:
All posts should create value for our
Facebook friends by providing them with
useful information or links, events, interesting

12

The Linguist

discussion points, application deadlines,

work opportunities and even comic relief.
All posts are connected to interpretation or
languages and can provide links to courses
or events at interpreter schools/universities.
Useful contributions by the European
Commission to language studies or the
language professions are highlighted.
Light-hearted posts are designed to build
audience figures, to increase the likelihood
of people looking at more serious messages.
Other posts engage friends in discussion.
All questions are answered truthfully and
comprehensively as soon as possible,
normally within 24 hours.
There are obvious pitfalls to avoid, such as
publishing propaganda pieces, sounding
bureaucratic and inundating members with
posts. The book on social media is still being
written. What is true for one group is not
necessarily true for another. So your best bet
is to experiment, be factual but dont be
afraid of being controversial, and keep an
eye on the statistics of your page.
DG Interpretation language campaigns are
launched with a press event and followed up
with media interviews, speaking tours of
schools and universities, direct mail campaigns,

DECEMBER/JANUARY

and advertising campaigns on Facebook. The

page benefits from the buzz created at events
or in the press, and it is an effective tool for
spreading messages quickly.
Generally speaking, a post on Facebook is
likely to be seen by about 15 percent of the
members of a page. Most Interpreting for
Europe posts are seen by 20-30 percent of its
members, so we are doing relatively well. Still,
it is not possible to be certain which posts will
connect to a large proportion of our fans.
These are some of the lessons weve learned:
Keep a record of all published posts to avoid
repetition, and keep track of all questions
asked on the wall and via email. This analysis
shows what information our audience is
lacking, which can be used for future posts.
Keep up to date. Do not use old sources. If
you miss a hot topic it is better to avoid it.
Although we generally post in English, we try
to answer all queries and comments in the
language in which they are posted.
Every post and reply should be checked by a
native speaker of the language of the post.
Grammar and spelling mistakes are not
acceptable in pages about languages.
Communicating with friends by participating
in discussions, answering questions and
commenting is a big part of our approach.
Thanks to specific campaigns and (limited)
targeted advertising on Facebook, Interpreting
for Europe now has 4,000 UK friends. That is
16 percent of the total EU-based pages and
proportionally far more than any other.
Facebook statistics are thorough and
immediate once a certain number of people
have liked your page. But it is easy to get
carried away with virality (the percentage of
people sharing a post or commenting to their
friends) or reach (number of unique people
who have seen a post). In the end, the only
worthwhile statistic is the number of applicants
to and graduates from interpreting courses.
The results are persuasive. The number of
applicants to conference interpreting courses
in the UK has increased substantially since
2008. I am convinced that all language and
interpreting courses can benefit from
establishing a social media presence and
working together with other sites, blogs and
forums, in particular in the UK, where there is
plenty of work to do in raising awareness of
the benefits and job possibilities created by
foreign language training.

www.iol.org.uk

FEATURES

50 years in print
In the last of the series, Karen Stokes examines
the increasingly professional focus of The Linguist
The most obviously striking change in the
most recent decade of The Linguist (20022012) came in with volume 45 (2006), with a
dramatic redesign of the cover to include the
now-familiar red banner and eye-catching
photographs. A thorough redesign of the
inside of the journal followed in volume 46
(2007), creating a more modern, professional
feel. The same period saw our current Editor,
Miranda Moore, step into the role vacated by
Pat Treasure, with Mirandas first issue (TL45,5)
featuring articles on subjects as varied as the
multilingual constitution in South Africa, the
challenges of teaching Chinese in the UK and
German spelling reform.
This was the decade in which the Institute
celebrated the granting of its Royal Charter,
with the President, John Mitchell, noting that
the award of the Charter also carries with it
recognition of the linguistic profession as a
whole (TL44,5). Reflections on
professionalism are, in fact, a leitmotif of this
period. Ross Smith, writing in 2003, lamented
the belittlement of the translators trade
(TL42,2) but was optimistic about the
prospect of a Charter.
Paul Woods article on translator status in
2004 (TL43,2) was similarly positive about the
Charter, though it is somewhat disheartening
to see a reference to the (2001) ITI rates
survey suggesting that the average annual
income for freelance interpreters and
translators in the UK is around 31,000. If
that figure sounds familiar, compare the
findings of the 2011 joint CIOL/ITI survey:
The median annual gross income for [] fulltime translators and interpreters was in the
region of 31,000 (TL51,2).
With increasing numbers of practitioners
working on a freelance basis, practical advice

Vol/51 No/6 2012

abounds throughout the decade, from Cate

Averys tips on Getting your CV Noticed
(TL42,1) to the Going it Alone series for
budding freelancers in vol. 46 (2007). In his
article on marketing skills (TL47,3), Stephen
Hackett writes: Lack of experience is difficult
to counter, but you can mitigate its impact
by stressing your selling points. An eightpage feature on continuing professional
development (CPD) in TL49,5, included
Janet Frasers tips on reflecting on CPD
activities: Be patient, keep at it, and above
all, enjoy the process.

The journal became

increasingly outwardfacing and more
inclined to reflect
current events
Articles on career opportunities in newer
areas of translating and interpreting begin to
appear more frequently in the second half of
the decade, with features on computer game
translation, remote interpreting and
translating advertising material. The practical
focus is also reflected in the regular Trade
Secrets column and in articles on areas
ranging from forensic linguistics to working in
aid organisations.
While the journal became increasingly
outward-facing throughout the decade and
more inclined to reflect current events, it
retained its key role as a means of

communication with members. It continued

to record key events in the life of the
Institute, including the 2010 centenary
celebrations and paying tribute to one of its
longest-serving contributors, Professor Peter
Newmark, on his death in 2011.
I would like to thank my past and present
Editorial Board colleagues Tony Bell, Anne
Marie Graham, Janet Fraser and Jeremy
Munday for their contributions to this series
of brief overviews of The Linguist in its first
half-century. One element that emerges
strongly is the journals ability to keep up with
changes in the world of linguists and
languages, thanks to the work of the two
editors and successive chairs: Peter MelvilleSmith, Keith Moffitt and Piotr Kuhiwczak.
The current Board is committed to
continuing the trend and in that vein, we
marked the start of our anniversary year
by launching the first online issue of
The Linguist. While a straw poll at this years
Members Day confirmed our instinct that
most members value their paper copy of the
journal, the lower production costs of an
online version open up exciting possibilities
for special issues or compilations of articles
on particular themes, not to mention the
ability to retrieve and share items more easily.
Finally, I hope members will be pleased to
note that we have revived the practice of
producing an annual index for The Linguist
look out for more news early next year.

TL

Karen Stokes is a freelance

translator and visiting university
lecturer in translation. She chairs the
Editorial Board of The Linguist.

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

13

FEATURES

Hard times, soft power

and the role of languages. In the Threlford Memorial
Lecture 2012, Baroness Garden looks at Governments
role in improving languages in UK business and education
When I was eight, my civil servant father took
up an appointment in Paris and I found
myself in a class where teacher and pupils
spoke only French, and I spoke only English.
The lack of communication was frustrating
and disturbing. I learned fast to survive. Our
live-in cook spoke no English. Her mousse
au chocolat was to die for, but her crises de
foie and mauvaise humeur worsened
considerably if she heard us speak English,
so, in the interests of a quiet life, we adopted
a family Franglais.
After 18 months of French immersion, my
parents sent me back to boarding school in
England, where there was another steep
learning curve, in a different world. There was
derision when I bobbed a curtsey and tried
to shake hands with my teachers in the
morning. In the 1950s, the English rarely
shook hands except to seal a deal or if they
were Freemasons.
At mealtime, I was severely rebuked for
putting my clenched fists on the table and
cleaning my plate with a lump of bread
good table manners at my French school. In
history lessons, the towering figure of
Vercingtorix was unknown and, whereas in
Paris, Joan of Arc had been cruelly betrayed
and put to death by the dastardly English, in
Buckinghamshire, the dirty deeds were down
to the dastardly French. All very confusing.
It was an early practical lesson in
international awareness, in understanding
that foreign languages not only involve
different words, they also open doors to a
rich variety of customs, culture, courtesies
and contradictory views of history.
As you will well know, young children are
all the more accepting and tolerant of
diversity. They acquire a new language more

14

The Linguist

MEMBERS DAY

Baroness Garden, with CIOL President

Dr Nicholas Bowen, after delivering the lecture
the capacity of the primary workforce. In
2011, Ofsted reported that teaching was
good in two thirds of the lessons observed at
primary level, and that the level of
achievement was good or outstanding in
60 percent of schools visited.Speaking and
listening were the areas where the greatest
progress was identified.
readily. They absorb learning, have no
hang-ups about making strange noises, can
treat language learning as natural and fun.
Some vowels and consonants are best
acquired while mouths are still forming,
such as the hard French u or guttural r.
And once a second language has been
tackled, many of the intellectual and
psychological barriers to learning others
have been overcome.
In recognition of this, the previous
government emphasised languages at
primary level, but sadly overlooked their
value at secondary level. The consequent
drop in language take-up has been dramatic.
The latest published evidence1 shows that in
2008, 92 percent of primary schools were
offering pupils the opportunity to learn a
language within class time at Key Stage 2
(KS2; ages 7-11). This represented a rise of
eight percentage points from 2007 and
22 percentage points from 2006. This trend is
set to continue, as within a new National
Curriculum, a language will be statutory at
KS2 from 2014.
However, concerns remain about the
sustainability and depth of this provision and

DECEMBER/JANUARY

Secondary concerns
The ending of funding for programmes such
as the primary initial teacher training (ITT)
course in a languages specialism also raises
concerns about workforce capacity. Under
the current National Curriculum, the study of
a modern foreign language (MFL) is statutory
at KS3 (ages 11-14). At KS4 (14-16), there is a
statutory entitlement for every pupilto take a
course in a foreign language leading to a
recognised qualification, if they wish to.
The Department for Education (DfE)
recently announced plans for changes to the
qualifications that pupils take at the end of
KS4. The proposals are for six core academic
subjects, including a language, leading to a
new qualification: the English Baccalaureate.
This may address the key challenges facing
the teaching of modern languages. Take-up
at GCSE has continued to decline since 2004,
when the National Languages Strategy (NLS)
removed the compulsion to study at least
one MFL at KS4. From a high of 79 percent
of pupils taking a GCSE in 2000, last year this
had fallen to 40 percent.
Ofsted expressed concern in its 2011
report about the quality of teaching in

www.iol.org.uk

FEATURES

ISTOCKPHOTO

Many schools have

world maps on the
wall indicating the
countries of origin of
each of their pupils
secondary schools. While overall progress
was deemed to be good or outstanding in
more than half of the lessons observed,
there were weaknesses in many lessons,
and use of the target language was often
limited. Reading was often not taught
beyond exercises in course books or past
exam papers, and insufficient use was made
of authentic material in the target language.
Why, when these days it is so easy to access
material on the internet?

What more can be done?

The Government is fully committed to the
teaching of languages in schools, not only
because it benefits individual social and
economic prospects and the economy more
widely which addresses the hard times in
my title butalso becauselearning a
language improves the mind and helps
pupils to understand the world in which they
live and different international cultures the
value of soft power. The Secretary of State,
Michael Gove, said recently: I am deeply
concerned that fewer and fewer students are
studying languages. It not only breeds
insularity, it means an integral part of the
brains learning capacity rusts unused.
We are encouraged by the recent CfBT
Language Trends Survey,2 which shows
that51 percent of state secondary schools
now have a majority of their pupils taking a
language in Year 10 (ages 14-15), compared
to 36 percent in 2010.The English
Baccalaureate may be helping this trend.
The same survey shows that languages are
compulsory at KS4 in 23 percent of
maintained state schools. Of the remainder,
where languages are optional, the majority
(59 percent) report increases in take-up.

Vol/51 No/6 2012

Until March 2013, there is funding for CfBT

Education Trust to work with 31 teaching
schools (a network of schools helping to train
teachers throughout the secondary system)
to identify problems and issues with the
teaching of languages, and to come up with
their own solutions. These should be
sustainable after the funding ends.
The steer is that the findings of the Ofsted
report should be a key guide to the areas
that the teaching schools consider. The
teaching school alliances involved cover
around 300 schools. For the lifetime of the
project, schools can draw on the expertise of
nine language programme mentors. The
Government will be looking for actions to
implement from their recommendations.
Amid concerns about the UKs language
deficit, it should not be overlooked that we
are a multilingual country. Many schools have
world maps on the wall indicating the
countries of origin of each of their pupils,
along with a list of first languages. It is not
unusual to have more than 40 first languages,
particularly in inner-city schools. Herein lies a
contradiction. If, in their personal lives, large
sections of this country are multilingual, why
is there such a deficit of language skill among
those with English as their first language?
And what about our own language? The
great Miss Buss, who, along with Miss Beale,
revolutionised womens education in the 19th
century, stated: It is almost impossible to
teach English well unless another language is
studied with it, and that other language
should be Latin or French or German.
I was brought up with Munro Leafs
peerless work, Grammar can be Fun. Every
school day in France had sessions of
analyse, where we deconstructed sentences

grammatically. I studied Latin too, so I do find

grammar and the development of language
both fascinating and fun. In teaching foreign
languages it was, and is, impossible to make
headway without tackling these building
bricks of written communication. Yet when I
was teaching French and Spanish some years
ago, pupils constantly asked why nouns and
verbs were only found in foreign languages,
when English managed so well without them.
This blissful ignorance of parts of speech
was brought home to me in a particularly
memorable piece of homework from one of
my brighter pupils, who wrote of her
weekend: Je suis alle lcraser massue
pour vch mes amis. I found the clues in
the smallest of dictionaries: craser = to
squash, massue = club (as in cavemans
club), vch = see (as in episcopal see).
Simple! She had been to the squash club to
see her friends. Her class found themselves
with an intensive lesson on nouns, verbs and
the use of dictionaries knowledge they
were able to apply to English, where formal
grammar can still be woefully neglected.

Turning to Higher Education

I spoke earlier this year at a seminar on the
year abroad. When I read Modern Languages
at Oxford in the 1960s, women made up
around 15 percent of the undergraduate
population and we were particularly
discouraged from spending a year abroad,
lest it interrupt our academic studies and
lead us to poorer degree classifications. The
spoken language was considered peripheral
to mastery of medieval texts, prose and
translation, and analysis of literature.
These days, the spoken language is an
intrinsic part of any modern language

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15

FEATURES

subjects (SIVS), which triggers additional

support to ensure the continued availability of
languages places in Higher Education (HE)
institutions. Would it be asking too much to
aspire to an increase in places available?
For international experience, Erasmus is
the European Unions educational exchange
programme for HE students and staff. Since
its creation in 1987, more than 200,000 UK
students have undertaken a placement
abroad. Traineeships were added to the
traditional study visits in 2007 and have met
with increasing success.
A recent Hefce (Higher Education Funding
Council for England) study showed that
75 percent of Erasmus students obtained a
1st or a 2:1. Six months after graduating,
29 percent of those who had spent a year
abroad earned more than 20,000 a year,
compared to 15 percent of those who didnt
go abroad.
All English students studying abroad are
eligible for a maintenance loan to assist with
their living costs, and the fee-waiver for
students on the Erasmus programme
spending at least 24 weeks abroad will
continue until 2013/14. After that, English
HE institutions will be allowed to charge
year-abroad students a tuition fee of up to
15 percent of the maximum fee.
For the first time, this support extends to
student placements at overseas institutions
outside the Erasmus scheme, both within and
beyond the EU. Knowledge and proficiency in
the languages of the emerging economic
powers will become increasingly sought after.
To that end, the second phase of the UK-India
Education and Research Initiative will receive
2 million of BIS (Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills)
funding. Each year,
200 UK students
go to India to

learn about Indian culture and language on a

three-week Study India programme. In 2010,
1,350 students applied. There is no shortage
of interest.
A similar UK-China Partners in Education
initiative will also receive 2 million funding.
This year it will take more than 400 UK
students to China for three weeks. Students
learn about cultural diversity on trips to
Europe how much wider will contact with
China and India open their eyes.

Moving into work

Languages are an invaluable asset for
employment. When I worked for City &
Guilds I was involved in developing and
promoting vocational qualifications within the
UK and overseas. Skills for construction,
engineering, hairdressing and care may be
transferable to other countries, but even the
most skilled craftsperson or technician will
not be fully employable in a country where
they have no linguistic competence.
City & Guilds was founded in the
19th century to promote the UKs trading
prosperity. Sir Lacon Threlford, the Institutes
founder, was a Liveryman who belonged to
some of those guilds. I am also a Liveryman,
and Past Master of the Worshipful Company
of World Traders. Our members bring
expertise in countries including Ukraine,
China, Malaysia and Sweden, and work
with the Lord Mayor on trade missions
overseas, where language proficiency is an
immense asset.

Within the City many

businesses require
staff to be multilingual

PICTURES ISTOCKPHOTO

qualification. So there has been progress in

some aspects of language learning. In a
recent House of Lords EU Committee
Report, The Modernisation of Higher
Education in Europe, one recommendation
reads: Universities could also do more to
encourage language skills among their
students through language centres and
extra-curricular courses.
And this is happening. UCL, for example,
says: We believe that knowledge of a
modern foreign language and the
possession of intercultural skills are an
integral part of a 21st-century education.
From this year, they are introducing a foreign
language requirement for UK students. This
could be a GCSE, but there are also options
of doing a UCL language summer school,
taking a language course as part of a degree
or studying for a language certificate at
UCLs Language Centre, where 18 languages
are offered.
Aston University, which prides itself on its
graduate employability, is offering free
language tuition for all eligible first-year feepaying undergraduates. Courses are available
at three levels, with a choice of Arabic, French,
German, Chinese, Portuguese or Spanish.
UCAS figures show that the number of
applications for languages in 2011 far
exceeded the number of places available,
which has remained pretty constant in recent
years. Provisional figures suggest this was
also the case in 2012. Since 2005, modern
foreign languages have been classified as
strategically important and vulnerable

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Within the City many businesses require

staff to be multilingual. A recent CBI survey
reported that 71 percent of employers are
not satisfied with graduate language skills. A
report by the CIHE (Council for Industry and
Higher Education) showed that 60 percent
of the UKs top employers indicate that
experience of international study enhances
employability. Language skills are all the
more valuable if they are linked to
international experience.
We should not take for granted the
dominance of English. Only six percent of the
world population speaks English as a first
language and 75 percent of UK trade takes
place with countries where English is not the
first language. Why should people buy our
goods and services if we do not afford them
the courtesy of engaging in their language?
As Willy Brandt said: If Im selling to you,
I speak your language. If Im buying, dann
mssen Sie Deutsch sprechen.
British employers tend to identify French
and German as key, but as we build up
trading markets beyond Europe and the
Commonwealth, including the BRIC countries
(Brazil, Russia, India and China), language
proficiency will also be required in Spanish
and Portuguese, in Russian and Arabic, in
Mandarin and Cantonese. Some of these we
shall find much more challenging to master
than others.
Some jobs will need specialist language
skills and fluency; many more will call for
conversational ability, to break down barriers,
build friendly relations and generally ease the
way in which business can be conducted. If
we need languages to address the hard
times of the economic situation, so too do
we need them to address what the brilliant
political scientist, Joe Nye, pioneered as the
theory of soft power. He has said:
Effective public diplomacy is a two-way
street that involves listening as well as talking.
Soft power rests on some shared values. That
is why exchanges are often more effective
than mere broadcasting. By definition, soft
power means getting others to want the
same outcomes you want, and that requires
an understanding of how they are hearing
your messages and fine-tuning it accordingly.
It is crucial to understand the target
audience Not only do actions need to
reinforce words, but it is important to
remember that the same words and images
that are most successful in communicating to

Vol/51 No/6 2012

Figures show that the

number of applications
for languages in 2011
far exceeded the
number of places

a domestic audience may have negative

effects on a foreign audience.
It was encouraging to hear the Foreign
Secretary announce a 1 million programme
to improve the language skills of FCO staff
last year, following the much lamented axing
of the Foreign Office Language School in
2007. Recent figures indicate that 90 percent
of the Diplomatic Service has no recognised
language abilities for the country where
they are posted, a situation which is surely
ripe for improvement.
Within the European Union, the UK should
be playing a full role. Yet we find that the
decline in language competences is having a
very damaging impact on our effectiveness.
The EU needs lawyers, scientists, doctors,
security and military experts, as well as those
from business and industry. But where are the
British high-fliers? In last years competitive
recruitment drive for EU jobs in Brussels, only
seven of the 308 successful candidates were
British graduates. Only 1.5 percent of the
51,000 applicants were British. Our influence
and interests cannot be adequately
addressed if we have so few of our nationals
at the heart of decision-making decisions
which affect us all in everyday life.
This shortfall may be due, in part, to a lack
of enthusiasm about careers with the EU,
partly because the European fast-stream calls

for exams to be taken in a second language,

usually French or German. That assessment
involves translating into and out of the
second language. The practice of prose, as
well as translation, has declined significantly
both at school and university levels. Our
candidates find themselves disadvantaged by
lack of proficiency in this use of language.
I am told that another handicap is the poor
grammar of many British candidates, who
find themselves out-performed by candidates
from other English-speaking countries, where
the structures of language are still taught.
Bring back Munro Leaf!
This languages deficit is of concern in
international institutions, such as the EU and
the United Nations, where business can be
seriously hampered by inadequate numbers
or standards of interpreters.
Modern foreign languages are a key
component in enriching lives and promoting
good international relations. Tolstoy once
said: Tout comprendre, cest tout pardonner.
We may not forgive everything, but if we
understand a little better, we condemn a little
less. Developing that understanding depends
on communication, on familiarity with
languages which leads to respect for the
customs and cultures of different peoples.
Academia and industry have incentives
and provision to help in remedying the UKs
language deficit. The Chartered Institute has,
for more than a century, promoted language
solutions to create a more peaceful and
prosperous world. If we all work together, the
UK will have the will and the means to equip
the country with the language skills to face
up to hard times and to exert soft power.
This is an edited version of the Threlford
Memorial Lecture, given on 6 October 2012.
Notes
1 Primary Modern Foreign Languages:
Longitudinal survey of implementation of
national entitlement to language learning at Key
Stage 2 Final Report, July 2009, National
Foundation for Education Research and
Department for Children, Schools and Families
(www.education.gov.uk/publications/
eOrderingDownload/DCSF-RR127.pdf)
2 Language Learning in Secondary Schools in
England: Findings from the 2011 Language
Trends Survey, March 2012, CfBT Education
Trust (www.cfbt.com/evidenceforeducation/
pdf/Language%20Trends%20Report.pdf)

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A star rises in the East

Mary-Jess Leaverland shot to stardom after winning the
Chinese X-Factor. Miranda Moore asks about her
passion for Mandarin and how it has helped her career
Mary-Jess Leaverland is working on her new
album. Since winning the Chinese version of
The X-Factor in 2009, the singer has been
busy making a name for herself as a classicalpop crossover artist. But despite recording
the theme tune to popular UK costume
drama Downtown Abbey, performing the
traditional Abide With Me at the FA Cup final
in May, and countless radio and TV
appearances, she has yet to reach the level of
stardom that has made the likes of Katherine
Jenkins and label-mate Russell Watson
household names in the UK, at least.
But were here, at her agents offices in
Soho, to talk about languages and their
influence on her life, and Mary-Jess is happy
to oblige without so much as a passing
plug for the forthcoming release. And what
an impact language has had on her career!
The 22-year-old soprano says she cant
remember a time when she didnt want to be
a recording artist both her mother and
grandmother were singers but it wasnt until
she went to Nanjing, as part of a degree in
Music and Chinese at the University of
Sheffield, that she got her break.
When she entered Min Xing Chang Fan
Tian (I Want to Sing to the Stars), during the
first semester of a year abroad in Jiangsu
Province, she could never have imagined that
millions of viewers would text-vote her to
victory. There was a lot of piecing things
together, she tells me. I didnt know much
about the show. I didnt know how many
people were watching. As the contests first
foreign winner, Mary-Jess gained instant
fame, with huge media interest throughout
the country, giving her a taste of celebrity.
She returned early to the UK, signed a
recording contract with Decca Records and

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The Linguist

began co-writing an Eastern-influenced debut

album, Shine. Tracks include the self-penned
single Glorious and Yue Guang Ai Ren, from
the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,
sung in English and Mandarin. On the cover,
Mary-Jess holds a Chinese parasol; the music
incorporates the Chinese harp, Mongolian
horse-hair fiddle and Chinese flute, which she
recorded in Beijing with traditional musicians.
This unusual journey into the music industry
seems even more unlikely when you learn that
it all began with a mean languages teacher
who put Mary-Jess off French at the age of 12
and wouldnt let her swap to Spanish. Despite
her pleas, promises to work hard and even

DECEMBER/JANUARY

tears, he refused on the grounds that she

wasnt in the top set in French. So I said,
Fine, Ill learn Chinese instead, she laughs.
She fell instantly in love with the language.
Adversity, it seems, only makes Mary-Jess
more determined. When it looked as if she
would have to give up Chinese they moved
to Stroud and she had no way of getting
home from after-school class she started
staying at her dads house one day a week. I
absolutely loved it. There was nothing that
was going to stop me, says Mary-Jess, who
talks in superlatives the words absolutely
and amazing peppering the conversation.
Her enthusiasm for music, Mandarin and
food (surprising, given her tiny frame) are
infectious. China is absolutely amazing. If you
get to go, definitely go, she says. Her first
experience of the country was on an exchange
trip to Xiamen, aged 15. Even then, her
singing was the subject of press interest, with
her amateur performances making headlines
in the local papers. It was the first time I
thought Oooh, singing in China, that would
be great! she laughs.
After GCSEs, she hit a common obstacle:
there were no A-level courses in her area. But
Mary-Jess was resolute. I just thought, Ill do
it at university. It did work out really well, she
laughs at the understatement.
Conquering China is now a big part of the
dream. Im hoping that Ill be able to do two
albums really, in that Id do a fully Chinese
album for the Chinese market and an English
album for the English and American markets,
she explains. It would be a great research
project. There are so many treasures in
Chinese music, it would be great if I could
delve into that. Theyve got all these different
proverbs and they use them in their songs.

www.iol.org.uk

FEATURES

She threw herself into

a hectic live TV studio,
where she was
dependent on her
language skills
INSPIRED BY CHINA

Recent photo shoots (above and left), and

the cover artwork for debut album Shine
It is clear that one of the things Mary-Jess
absolutely loves is learning itself. At university,
she did a lot of research for her performance
modules and its been a good habit to adopt.
I looked at o babbino mio caro and you look
up all the meanings of the words and look at
all these different performances of it.
Naturally inquisitive, she is soon asking me
about the structure of Spanish a language
she is still determined to learn gender and
verb endings (two things she is grateful
Chinese doesnt have), cultural differences and
misunderstandings. She is less keen to discuss
her own experiences of cultural differences in
China, if only because she is refreshingly aware
of the limits of her cultural understanding of a
nation that covers 9.6 million sq km and has
a population of more than 1.3 billion.
As a joint honours student she missed out
on cultural lessons, she points out, and
although she has been on several trips to
China, she has spent less than a year there in
total. Ive got a lot of learning to do where
thats concerned. Even growing up here and
being English, I dont know everything about
our culture, and Chinese culture and Chinese
history is so much bigger.
When I ask if learning another language
has changed her perception of her own
culture, Mary-Jess does venture an answer:
The way they think about things is different
to the way we think about things. Just a small
example of that is the way they write an
address: they put the bigger things first.
Because theyre part of a community, that is
how they see things. Whereas we are this is

Vol/51 No/6 2012

me and then everything else is over there,

because Im more important.
Mary-Jess isnt making any judgements.
She revels in the best of Chinese, British and
any other cultures she encounters. She
laughed when an Italian friend told her,
sternly, that under no circumstances should
she snap spaghetti into the pan but she
hasnt done it since. Theres nothing like
Chinese food, she says, yet her face lights up
when she talks about good old shepherds
pie and quintessentially English cups of tea.
She admits to feeling homesick while away,
but always told myself to make the most of
every opportunity, so in times of feeling culture
shocked, I concentrated on that.
She certainly took her chances, and ran with
them. In applying for Min Xing Chang Fan
Tian, she threw herself into a situation that
was completely alien: a hectic live TV studio
where she was dependent on her developing
language skills. It was probably the most
scary thing Ive ever done, she says. Ironically,
the one person she couldnt understand was
the stage director. I never had a clue what he
was saying. He was the one person that I
really should have understood, she laughs.
Being in the studio every day was a great
learning curve for my Chinese. Her listening
skills shot up, although her writing skills

suffered. Between morning lessons,

rehearsals at the studio, the live
evening show and a few hours sleep,
there was little time for homework, so
she took shortcuts to pass end-ofmodule exams.
She also had to find time to learn
the songs; those in Chinese were
harder. In English, the vowel sounds
compared to Chinese are very open, so
its quite similar to Italian in that way,
whereas in Chinese all the pronunciation is
at the front of the mouth. So its very different
singing in Chinese, but I do love the
challenge, she says.
Im quite often asked how do they use
the tones when theyre singing, and they
dont. That is one advantage of singing, but
she still worries about getting the tones right
when she speaks. The sounds are so alien
they are really different it takes quite a
while to get used to pronouncing them. But
youve got to try, havent you? Youve got to
speak it as much as you can and just laugh
when you make a mistake.
I think its always the same, if you go to a
new place and you speak some of the
language, you get more involved and you
see so much more, she adds. Im really
hoping that one day Ill be able to do a
massive tour of China, see everything and
meet all the people. Itd be so interesting to
go round in a big circle or maybe a spiral
and see all the different dialects and all the
different ways of pronunciation and the way
the language changed. Its the most
incredible language, honestly, you have to
learn it. Such is Mary-Jesss enthusiasm that,
by the time the hours up, I am seriously
considering it.

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A successful start
How can you make a name for yourself as a trusted
translator or interpreter? Marta Stelmaszak shares
her experiences of getting established in the field
Wouldnt it be interesting to follow a translator
or interpreter and see how they got started,
established a business and developed their
dream career? Wouldnt it be useful to have a
look at a professional timeline of events and
milestones? Im somewhere in the middle of
this process, as Im still working on establishing
myself as a language professional, but I hope
the lessons I have learnt so far might be of
use both to newcomers and to more
experienced linguists.
September 2009: Joining the industry
Milestone: Obtaining the DPSI
When I moved to the UK, I found translation
work through my existing contacts, but I
struggled to find local clients. I started with
thorough research, reading as much as
possible about the industry. I ordered copies
of The Entrepreneurial Linguist, A Practical
Guide for Translators and The Prosperous
Translator in order to learn the basics of being
a freelance translator. I also started reading
professional blogs, including Translation
Times, About Translation and Musings from
an Overworked Translator. These taught me
the practicalities, from issuing invoices through
chasing up late payments to detecting scams.
It was important to get the more formal side
of being a translator and interpreter right too. I
joined the Chartered Institute of Linguists
(CIOL) and other relevant bodies. Obtaining
the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting
(DPSI) created plenty of opportunities.
Im glad I did my homework at this stage
and devoted so much time to learning about
the industry. I wish there had been mentoring
schemes at that time, or that I had been bold
enough to ask one of my more experienced
colleagues for background information. Youd

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being an entrepreneur (yes, I believe every

freelancer is one), and the structure of my
business started to emerge. The best piece
of advice I was given at this stage was to see
myself as a business and to take care of every
aspect, from marketing and production to
supply chain management (making sure Im
never out of ink, picking the best internet
provider for my needs, etc).

be surprised how many interpreters and

translators are willing to share their knowledge.
February 2010: Setting up a business
Milestone: Attending a business workshop
Realising that you have to set up a formal
business entity can be pretty scary,
especially if youre used to working for a
company. Suddenly youre faced with all
the complexities of national insurance
contributions, income tax, self-assessments
and VAT. For me it was a real challenge.
The best thing I did was to attend a few
business workshops. Much to my surprise, my
local council offered them to start-ups for free.
HMRC also organises free tax-related events.
At an event in North London, I met bakers,
hairdressers, accountants and shop-owners all
setting up their own businesses. Thats how I
made my first contacts! One future restaurant
owner realised that a portion of her clients
were Polish and we made a deal that I would
translate a menu.
Learning the basics of managing my own
business was certainly a milestone in my
career. I started feeling less anxious about

DECEMBER/JANUARY

November 2010: Branding

Milestone: Hiring a marketing consultant
I was quite satisfied with the direction my
business was moving in, but I didnt want to
be too dependent on translation agencies. I
was keen to explore the direct-client market. I
approached a friend who works in marketing
and asked for some advice.
I had no idea about branding, unique
selling points and positioning. My business
cards were awful (homemade, too few
details, Word Art-style design). Apart from
getting my business stationery right and
defining the added value of my services,
I started reading Smashing Magazine (an
online publication for web designers),
Copyblogger and the blog of marketing
guru Seth Godin. I also bought Essentials of
Marketing, Cross-Cultural Marketing and
When Cultures Collide. I even drafted my
own marketing strategy! At that time, I
didnt think I needed one. A business name?
A logo? I was rather sceptical.
Those doubts turned out to be misplaced.
The sooner you start building your brand, so
that it is recognised and valued for quality,
the sooner you can start to attract more
business. Defining my brand helped me to
get a clear idea about my services and
enabled me to pitch them to more clients.

www.iol.org.uk

FEATURES

THE RIGHT IMPRESSION

Getting the branding and logo

right for Martas business (left) has
helped to boost her career, as has
participation at CIOL events ( far left)

Besides, I was proud of my new business

cards and I gave them to everyone. It soon
paid back.
June 2011: Launching a website
Milestone: Hiring professional web designers
With the help of my marketing consultant
and a web development team, I finally had a
professionally designed logo, business cards
to go with it, letterhead, compliments slips,
and my own digital marketing platform (yes,
a website). The team I worked with made
sure I was able to edit the text by myself and
add or swap pages. With the little bit of
copywriting knowledge I had, I wrote my first
web copy. It turned out to be an SEO (search
engine optimisation) disaster. I did my
homework again and attended a few
webinars on writing for the web.
The benefits of having my own website
(wantwords.co.uk) were apparent from day
one. I felt more responsible for my business,
I had space to present my qualifications and
add elements from my portfolio. I was visible
online to clients from all over the world. A
professional Facebook page, Twitter account
(@mstelmaszak) and LinkedIn profile followed.
September 2011: Sharing experience
Milestone: Writing an e-book
As soon as I had my website, I started writing
a blog (see wantwords.co.uk or google
Business School for Translators). Wanting to
go further, I started writing an e-book, How
to Write a Translators CV. Within 24 hours of
publishing it, the book had become the most
frequently shared document on Twitter. To
date, it has been downloaded 10,000 times.
I didnt earn anything directly from writing
the e-book, but I still think the returns were

Vol/51 No/6 2012

great. My website jumped up in Google, I

gained more followers on Twitter and
Facebook, and colleagues started to
recognise my name. I received an email from
a client who had seen the e-book and
wanted me to do some work. In the book I
offered a free CV assessment. I made a lot of
contacts that way. Many returned the favour
by referring me to a few of their clients. I was
invited to run a webinar on the topic and the
fee for that partly offset the cost of spending
so many unpaid hours writing the book.

The benefits of having

my own website were
apparent from day one.
I was visible to clients
all over the world
November 2011: Attending events
Milestone: Interpreting for the Media event
I was attending a healthy number of online
events, talks and presentations, but I decided
it was time to move to face-to-face meetings.
One of the first events I went to was the
extremely popular Interpreting for the
Media event, organised by the CIOLs
Interpreting Division. I went there not
knowing anyone and left with a few new
colleagues and a bunch of business cards.
I had never considered myself to be a
chatty networker, but there I was, enjoying
the atmosphere and exchanging ideas with
like-minded people. I joined the division and

InterpNet, and I would recommend that all

interpreters do the same. In addition to
events for linguists, I also go to events in my
areas of specialisation marketing, business
and law but it is important to be selective.
I try to make sure that every event I attend is
likely to bring me some business, not just
more and more business cards.
April 2012: Becoming involved
Milestone: Joining the ID Committee
I had some knowledge of social media and
innovation from a number of courses I had
attended, so I contacted the Interpreting
Division and suggested running a session on
using social media in the languages industry.
Not only did I get to do a presentation, but
I was also asked to join the divisions
Management Committee. There were a few
new responsibilities, but the feeling of
becoming involved in the profession was
immensely rewarding.
October 2012: Being active
Milestone: Language Show Live
One thing leads to another, and I was asked
to write a few articles and talk at some
events. More than 200 people attended each
of the two short presentations I gave at the
Language Show Live, one on behalf of the
CIOL. I also developed my blog, added
online workshops and short videos, and
started guest posting. It all resulted in
more referrals.
As we approach 2013, I should be listening
to my business tutor and writing up a
business plan for the coming year. Im not. In
the end, Im a translator and interpreter, not a
ninja entrepreneur.
www.wantwords.co.uk

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FEATURES

In 7 years, the linguistic environment in Scotland has

changed dramatically. Georgina Collins and
Fiona Dunn look at the implications for linguists
rossing the border from England into
Scotland, you notice a slowly
changing landscape, but you also
become aware that you are moving into a new
and very distinct linguistic environment. Filte
gu Alba (Welcome to Scotland) is clearly
written on the image of the Saltire (Saint
Andrews Cross) the first of many reminders
of Scotlands unique cultural and linguistic
heritage, as you travel across the country.
Many of these reminders are remarkably
new. The linguistic environment in Scotland
today is very different to that of just a few
years ago, demonstrating how quickly cultural
change can be generated. In 2005, the Gaelic
Language (Scotland) Act sparked an exciting
period of philological transformation, giving
official recognition to a language that has
been an integral part of its history for centuries
but was banished, in favour of English, in the
School Establishment Act of 1616.
This renewed focus on Gaelic has had a
huge impact on society, including business
and education. Led by Brd na Gidhlig (the
national development agency for Gaelic), the
plan to develop awareness and use of Gaelic
in Scottish society has led to an increasing
demand for Gaelic translators, as more and
more texts need to be translated into the
local language. The implications for Scottish
linguists are significant, and serve as a
reminder that skills in a local language, such
as Gaelic, can provide the translator with a
unique and desirable portfolio.
But what is Scottish Gaelic? Unlike English,
which is Germanic, it is a Celtic language and
therefore on a different branch of the protoindo-European family. Although it has

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The Linguist

developed its own unique identity and

linguistic features, it shares its roots with Irish
Gaelic and Manx (spoken on the Isle of Man).
In the 2001 census, more than 90,000 people
in Scotland were shown to have some Gaelic
language ability, with 60,000 able to speak
it. This figure is much higher worldwide.
The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005
made Gaelic an official language of
Scotland, granting it equal respect with
English. Since then, the presence of Gaelic
has been increasingly visible throughout
Scotland. It is used to debate some issues
in the Scottish Parliament and is gradually
becoming an integral part of Scottish public
life through the development and
implementation of Gaelic Language Plans in
public bodies.

OUTER HEBRIDES

Calanais Standing Stones (top) and the

reconstructed Blackhouse village (inset) on
the Isle of Lewis, where around 70% of the
population said they spoke Gaelic in 2001

Cultural significance
So why spend so much time and money on
promoting a language that is currently spoken
by only a small proportion of the population?
The primary reasons must be culture and
identity: it is a language unique to the Scots
and therefore an integral part of Scottish
heritage. Speaking Gaelic is about embracing
your Scottish roots. Through the language you
can gain a deeper understanding of traditional
Gaelic tales, such as Diarmad and Grinne, as
well as music and other forms of literature.
Gaelic is also very rich in vocabulary to
describe Scotlands diverse landscape, with
more than 80 words for hills and mountains,
where English would need more extensive
explanations. Gaelic words have become part
of the English language and infiltrate everyday
conversations within and beyond Scotland.

DECEMBER/JANUARY

Note, the words trousers (from triubhas via

trews), gob (meaning beak/bill) and
shindig (snteag, meaning to skip/jump
around). The increased focus on Scottish
Gaelic is now about normalising the use of
Gaelic within a contemporary setting, rather
than returning to a Gaelic of the past.
This improved awareness of the language
can be seen in the media, with the launch of
BBC Alba in 2008; a proliferation of new
websites and online learning environments,
such as Learngaelic.net; and Gaelic language
publications, including bilingual Gaelic
learners magazine Cothrom. This renewed
appreciation for the language has seen a
surge in demand for native and non-native
Gaelic speakers, translators and teachers.

www.iol.org.uk

PICTURES: VISITSCOTLAND/SCOTTISHVIEWPOINT

Gaelic renaissance

FEATURES
Gilbert MacMillan, a Gaelic language
teacher at the University of Glasgow, also
works as a translator and professional Gaelic
singer. There has been a huge demand for his
translation services since the 2005 Act, and he
has carried out translation work for a variety of
organisations, including the Princes Trust, the
Highland Council, the Gaelic Books Council
and Strlann Niseanta na Gidhlig, which
coordinates the supply of Gaelic educational
resources in Scotland.
MacMillan has also noticed a particular
need for literature translated from English
into Gaelic in order to broaden the Gaelic
literary corpus, and has worked, for example,
on childrens translations of Romeo and Juliet
and Dracula for the online Scottish book
store, Giglets.

Getting an education
The creation of learning materials for
students of Gaelic is a developing market.
The language is used extensively in Scottish
education, with more than 100 schools now
teaching Gaelic as a second language, often
through the medium of Gaelic. While
general, Gaelic-medium education was
established as far back as the 1980s, more
recently the country has seen the opening of
stand-alone Gaelic-medium schools. There is
now one in Glasgow, one in Inverness, and
further establishments are expected to open
soon in Edinburgh, Fort William and Portree.
Katherine Forsyth, a lecturer at the
University of Glasgow, sent her children to
Glasgows Gaelic-medium school, Sgoil
Ghidhlig Ghlaschu, because she wanted
them to gain an appreciation of the richness of
Gaelic culture. She has been impressed with
the language provision at the school, which
embraces diversity and has strong links with
the citys Bangladeshi community. Dr Forsyth

is learning Gaelic herself and, with the widelycited benefits of bilingualism in mind, she
says it was a question of why not? when it
came to sending her children to Gaelic school.
Following the success of Gaelic education
programmes further afield, with the
introduction of Gaelic courses at Harvard, for
instance, Scottish Higher Education institutions
now are launching Gaelic language initiatives.
The main aims of the programme at the
University of Glasgow are to promote
awareness of the language across the campus,
to develop Gaelic degree programmes, and
to work alongside related courses, such as the
MSc in Translation Studies, to provide students
with the linguistic skills they need to improve
their employability. One of the most important
aspects is to work with individuals who are
fluent in Gaelic, in order to increase their
confidence in using the language and to
highlight the career opportunities available
to them as young Gaelic speakers.

Job opportunities
There are growing chances of employment in
the field of Gaelic translation. At present, there
are approximately 20 individuals across
Scotland involved in professional Gaelic
translation work. Although few will be
earning a full-time salary from this and most
will combine it with other jobs, the pool of
talent is small and the opportunities can be
immense. Scottish translator Michael Bauer, for
example, is leading a small team translating
much of Microsofts software into Gaelic.
Much of the translation work is from English
into Gaelic and very rarely the other way
around. (MacMillan, a native speaker of Gaelic,
has also been asked to translate from Spanish.)
Because there are so few translators, not all
of them are native Gaelic speakers, which can
make for a more challenging translation

process, the results of which would be

interesting to study in more depth.
For translators wishing to add another
language to their portfolio of skills, learning
Gaelic to a high standard could provide a
fascinating challenge and be a way of
standing out from the pack professionally.
According to MacMillan, the translation work is
very varied and may include websites,
educational resources, codes of conduct,
advertising materials and dictionaries. He
believes that the demand for Gaelic material
will continue to grow as the number of
people able to read and speak it increases.
Evidence of this can already be seen, as
public bodies in Scotland are obliged to make
provision for Gaelic within their organisations
under the terms and conditions of the 2005
Act. This has opened up further opportunities
to use the language in planning and policy, as
well as creating jobs that focus on improving
awareness of Gaelic language and culture.
This has had a profound effect on the
Gaelic-speaking population of Scotland. It
appears that there is a growing linguistic
confidence building among Gaelic-speakers
as a result of the investment and
commitment being demonstrated by the
Scottish Government. Such commitment is
evidence of the value and contribution that
Gaelic language and culture has to make to
the multicultural landscape of Scotland.
In the lead up to the vote for Scottish
independence in 2014, this increased focus
on Scottish Gaelic, as part of Scotlands
unique and individual cultural identity, may
play a strategic role in reinforcing both
historical and contemporary difference and
diversity across the British Isles.
For details of courses and initiatives at
the University of Glasgow, email
georgina.collins@glasgow.ac.uk.

LEARNING RESOURCES

ANDREW COWAN/SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

Learngaelic.net Online search engine for

Gaelic courses and information.
Cl Gidhlig Runs Gaelic courses at a
variety of levels, including awareness
classes and taster sessions.
bbc.co.uk/alba/foghlam/learngaelic
Portal for speakers and learners of Gaelic.
gaelic4parents.com Interactive site for
Gaelic-speaking children and their parents.
foramnagaidhlig.net Open forum for
discussing Gaelic language issues.
ON THE PAGE: Launch of the

Scottish Gaelic Thesaurus in 2011

Vol/51 No/6 2012

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

23

FEATURES

Stuff and nonsense

Pilar Orero marks the bicentenary of Edward Lears
birth with a look at the translation of his poems
dward Lear has been translated into
most languages, but how does the
translator render nonsense words
such as ombliferous, scroobious,
borascible and umbrageous? Or even, for
that matter, comprehensible but modified
words, such as sarpint (which, as Lears
original illustration makes clear, means
serpent)? Lears use of onomatopoeia, of the
type found in nursery rhymes, sets another
challenge try rendering dum diddle,
spickle-speckled, Tick-a-Tick, Tick-a-Tick or
daffy-down-dillies.
Translators use three main strategies:
ignoring the nonsense words to render a
meaningful text; creating new words; or
modifying words, usually to rhyme. In this
Spanish translation, the Moppsikon Floppsikon
bear becomes the invented Timpiri Tampi:
There was an old person of Ware,
Who rode on the back of a bear:
When they askd, Does it trot?
he said Certainly not!
Hes a Moppsikon Floppsikon bear!

During his life, Edward Lear was better

known for his illustrations than his poetry, and
he made a living out of selling his pictures
and books of landscapes. His drawings
create a visual counterpoint to the
verse, which he felt accentuated the
meaning. Reproducing these
illustrations with the translated text can pose
interesting challenges. There may be objects,
such as port, tincture of Senna (to rhyme
with Vienna) and gooseberry fool, that are
impossible to render in Spanish, hence the
translation strategy of omission. Illustrations
also limit the translators creative freedom: in
one limerick Leopoldo Panero renders
spade as espada (sword), which enables
him to maintain the metre and rhyme, but is
problematic when you consider the illustration:

Erase un viejo de Tomelloso

Que galopaba en la grupa de un oso;
Cuando le preguntaron: Pero es que
trota?,
Respondi jovial: Como una marmota!,
Este es un Timpiri Tampi y no un oso!
In another example, the translator modifies
nonsense words in order to render the rhyme:
There was an Old Man of the Isles,
Whose face was pervaded with smiles:
He sang high dum diddle,
and played on the fiddle,
That amiable Man of the Isles.

Translation strategies may differ depending

on the intended audience, for example
whether the text is to be read by adults or
children. In three consecutive decades, three
translations of the following limerick were
published in Spanish, revealing different
approaches to translating Lear:
There was an old person of Crowle,
Who lived in the nest of an owl;
When they screamed in the nest,
he screamed out with the rest,
That depressing old person of Crowle.
The first, published in the 1970s by an
independent publishing house specialising in
marginal poets, respects neither the rhyme nor
the rhythm of the original. This fact is more
marked since it is a bilingual edition, making
comparison unavoidable. The overall result
may be considered as Paneros personal

Erase un viejo de Medelln

Cuya cara era toda un mohn;
Cantaba: Din din dirn don
Y tocaba el violn,
Aquel Viejo amable de Medelln.

24

The Linguist

DECEMBER/JANUARY

interpretation of the original text:

Hubo una vez un viejo en Crowle
Que decidi vivir en el nido de un buho;
Cuando chillaban todos en el nido
El lo haca tan bien como los dems
Aquel viejo deprimente de Crowle.
The second translation, by Cristbal Serra
and Eduardo Jord, appeared in the publisher
Tusquets series Marginales:
Hubo en Crowle un anciano algo tontuelo
que viva en el nido de un mochuelo;
cuando los mochuelitos
emitan sus gritos,
igual que ellos gritaba el muy tontuelo.
This edition is monolingual, yet special
attention is paid to metre and rhyme. The last
translation, by Santerbs, changes the location
from Crowle in England to Gante in Belgium:
Haba un vejete de Gante
Que conviva con una nidada ululante.
Cuando algareaba el nido vocinglero
Lanzaba un graznido lastimero,
Aquel deprimente vejete de Gante.
This edition is for children, which is
surprising as the register is quite hard for
them. Nevertheless special effort has been
made to annotate cultural and historical data.
These very different approaches to translating
nonsense all share an interest in creativity and
delight in a master of nonsense literature.

TL

A Lecturer at the Universitat

Autnoma de Barcelona, Dr Pilar
Orero is an Editorial Board member of
The Journal of Specialised Translation.

www.iol.org.uk

OPINION & COMMENT

TERESA TINSLEY

First steps
Follow our new columnist on her
first year in the translation industry
JULIA GRAHAM
eachers on my Masters in Translation
course at the University of Westminster
warned us that we would need one to
two years to set ourselves up as translators
and be able to make a viable living. Yet I was
eased into a false sense of security by the
number of emails I received through my
university from translation agencies and
companies who had vacancies they were
looking to fill. Moreover, at careers events for
translation and interpreting students, the
guest speakers always spoke of the great
demand for German<>English translation, a
set in my combination.
I loved hearing about the day-to-day
running of a translation company and the
aspects of having your own one-man (or onewoman!) show. I diligently scribbled down
everything I heard in my little notebook and,
in idle moments, would think of how I would
design my own business cards.
Once my MA project (extended translation
plus annotations) was submitted, I began to
look for freelance opportunities. The reality
didnt meet my romanticised expectations. As
someone newly qualified, my first instinct was
to try the boards on ProZ.com that list
translation projects. I attended one of their
free webinars on making the most of your
profile to attract work and was doing all I
could to be proactive, but there seemed to
be so many stumbling blocks.
First of all, the section on computer
assisted translation (CAT) tools tripped me up.
Having funded myself through my Masters by
working five evenings a week in a call centre
and with a hefty overdraft, I was in no financial
state to be spending on software or a new,
compatible laptop. My balance sheet was far

Vol/51 No/6 2012

from balanced, as my economics lecturer

stressed it must be.
Of course, the problem with software is
not just in acquiring it, it is also in learning
how to use it. I was having problems getting
my elderly Macbook to talk to free-trial
Parallels Desktop, Trados and MemoQ
software. And having devoured as many
reviews as I could about Mac compatible
software, I was still somewhat wary of
Wordfast, with many people voicing their
concerns over its reliability. The iPhone 5 has
just been released, our phones can now talk
to us, write our emails and text messages,
and yet there still seems to be a lack of CAT
tools available for Mac users.
I decided a different approach was
needed. I like working under pressure and I
am aware that there is not always enough
time to go back over translations ten times in
order to polish them to perfection, but I
wasnt prepared to accept some of the
unreasonable deadlines and remuneration on
sites listing translation projects. I agree that I
shouldnt be paid as much as someone who
has been working in the industry for a
number of years and who is therefore more
able than me, but I do not want to support
anything that diminishes the skill, quality or
importance of the industry. I left that nave
person back in the classroom with her
business card and logo doodles.
So, for now, I am sending off CVs and job
applications for in-house translation positions.
It does take some skill rummaging through
the good and the impossible offers. Not
surprisingly, the vacancy for the person who
can translate German > English, English >
German, French > German and German >
French is still unfilled Meanwhile, to keep
my mind in translation mode, I am reading
anything technical I can lay my hands on,
such as the fire installation guide that our
builder left behind.

Unlike in the period of my last review,

when A-level results dominated press
coverage of language issues, there have
been no big language stories over the last
couple of months, but rather a range of
topics and titbits that have caught the eye
of journalists.
Perhaps the one that has sparked the
most interest is the Twitter map of
London, showing that people in the capital
are tweeting in 66 languages with
Spanish the most popular language after
English. This sits uneasily besides the news
that the exam board OCR is planning to
withdraw Asset Languages exams in 20 of
its 25 languages leaving only French,
German, Italian, Mandarin and Spanish.
This was covered not only in the TES
(Language Woes Deepen) but also by the
New Statesman, with Rowenna Davis
asking Why is the Government Ripping
into Language Learning? (13/9/12).
The NS also published a wry piece about
how Nick Clegg had left his Number 10
minder uncomprehending in a corner,
while he held a meeting with European
Council President Herman van Rompuy
entirely in Dutch.
The Financial Times contributed a couple
of solid pieces about the advantages of
languages in business: Tim Smedleys article
on 25 October included some excellent
quotes from the British Chambers Adam
Marshall, while, in September, Michael
Skapinker argued that employers should
pay a premium for foreign language skills in
order to encourage more Brits to learn
them. Meanwhile, we learnt from The
Telegraph that the worlds biggest social
network for language learning busuu.com
will be moving its HQ from Madrid to
London, following investment by Brent
Hoberman, co-founder of Lastminute.com.
And two prominent people have
been reported as going multilingual:
The Washington Post reported that Arabic
is to be added to the languages of the
Popes weekly message and, nearer to
home, we learnt from The Sun that Kelly
Brook has been learning French for her
forthcoming film Leon droticisme
Languages are so versatile, arent they?
Teresa Tinsley is Director of Alcantara
Communications; www.alcantaracoms.com.

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

25

OPINION & COMMENT

Why kids need Classics

CIOL member Rosemary Emmett discusses the rise
of Latin and Ancient Greek in state primary schools
At a time when cuts are being made to
modern language courses, the news seems
surprising, yet classical languages are
returning to the schools curriculum. Latin,
Greek and Classical Studies have always
been part of the syllabus in independent
schools, but in recent years the Cambridge
Schools Classics Programme has done a lot
to promote the subjects in state schools.
The Cambridge Latin Series, which is the
most widely-used Latin text in schools, now
has an online version, and other Latin courses
have been written for use at Key Stage 2
(ages 7-11). Their authors are teachers of
Latin and Greek, who strongly feel that a
knowledge of one or both languages can be
of great benefit for modern language
learning, and for life in general. Written by
Classics teacher Barbara Bell, the Minimus
Primary Latin Course has sold 130,000 copies
since it was published in 1999, and has been
taken up by primary schools in the USA and
Italy.
Some state primary Latin classes were
offered during out-of-school hours, but this is
changing, with Latin being incorporated into
English literacy classes in the curriculum from
Year 4. Most courses are now taught by
volunteers, including former teachers,
university students and new graduates.
The Iris Project was set up in 2006 to
promote the Classics in state schools. The
educational charitys current focus is on
schools in deprived urban areas, and it is
running Boris Johnsons Love Latin Scheme,
which recruits volunteers to teach Latin and
ancient culture in such schools. The London
Mayor is a passionate advocate for Latin (it
delivers lasting value) and all things classical.
In 2012, students from Swansea Universitys
Department of History and Classics began
teaching the Iris course to pupils in Years 5
and 6. A mixture of teaching methods is used
to engage children, with games, songs,
crafts, drama and bingo, as well as grammar

26

The Linguist

exercises. When I teach the course, I find the

childrens excitement towards Latin and the
classical world very uplifting. They are
communicative, engrossed and keen for
more, and love discovering the Latin roots of
English words. The fact that the word mater
comes down to us in maternity recently
caused an eight-year-old pupil to remark
Latin is an amazing language!.
Pupils not only acquire the languages, but
also develop broader language-learning skills.
According to Iriss Founding Director, Lorna
Robinson: As Latin word-roots of English are
discussed and learned, the children grow in
confidence as they understand what they hear
and read, and then are able to express
themselves in speech and writing.
The teaching of Ancient Greek is a newer
venture; Iris set up its programme in 2010.
Again, it is taught by volunteers and
graduates. Iris introduces Greek into the
curriculum in Year 6, when children are
excited by the challenge of learning a new
alphabet. At this stage, the language
successfully connects with other aspects of
the school curriculum, ranging from history
and geography, drama, art and sport,

DECEMBER/JANUARY

WINNING FORMULA

Pupils have a Latin lesson at the Emirates

stadium, home to Arsenal FC
through to the sciences of physics, chemistry
and biology, says Dr Robinson.
Although the volunteering aspect is going
well, sustained teaching of the Classics in the
curriculum will need more trained teachers.
As is the case with modern languages, this
means a recognition of the value of such
programmes by the Ministry of Education.
There seems to be a growing acceptance
of the importance of classical languages, with
frequent conferences and other networking
opportunities, including the annual London
Classics Festival in February. Via Finlands
national Yleisradio radio station, it is possible
to hear up-to-the-minute international news
in Latin from anywhere in the world. The
Classics might not (yet) be totally mainstream,
but they are well on their way.
Useful resources
www.irisonline.org.uk
www.minimus-etc.co.uk
http://yle.fi/radio1/tiede/nuntii_latini.

www.iol.org.uk

OPINION & COMMENT

Email linguist.editor@gmail.com with your views

Globalisation
challenge

History is full of languages that slowly

withered and died, but only one has an
official date of death: 31 October 1980. Even
more remarkable, the language only had a
lifespan of some 20 years. That language
was the RLI taal (RLI = Rhodesian Light
Infantry; taal = language, tongue), and it
evolved as a military patois.
Early in 1960, the Federation of Rhodesia
and Nyasaland in Central Africa created a
commando-style regiment, which morphed
into the RLI. Besides locals, recruits came
from South Africa, the UK, the
Commonwealth and beyond. In some ways
it resembled the French Foreign Legion,
where few questions were asked about the
often chequered past of new recruits.
The official language was English but it
rapidly adopted many words and phrases
from Afrikaans, spoken by many South African
recruits. It also imported words from Chishona
the language of the majority African tribe in
the country plus English Cockney and some
entirely new words. Being a language of
frontline soldiers, it was replete with sexual,
scatological and other derogatory terms for
senior officers and non-members of the unit.
In 1965, Rhodesias declaration of
independence from Britain brought about an
influx of new recruits, including Vietnam vets
from the USA, who added new elements to
the language. In the early 1970s, there was a
widespread insurgency, led by Robert
Mugabe. The RLI led the counter insurgency
operations and, as other units entered the

Vol/51 No/6 2012

fray, the new language spread.

A ceasefire in 1979 led to the
establishment of Zimbabwe. The RLI was
disbanded in October 1980. Its members
moved on to other armies, clandestine units,
mercenary activities or civilian life. The
language was dead, except for occasional
encounters between members scattered
throughout the world.
To the best of my knowledge, no dictionary
or lexicon of RLI taal was ever created.
Instead, for further details consult The Saints:
The story of the RLI (Binda, A and Cocks, C,
30 Degrees South, Johannesburg). Here are
some of the more printable words and their
sources:
Babalas (Afrikaans) - drunk or hung over
China (Cockney) - friend
Chibuli (apocryphally Arabic) - beer
Floppy (RLI) - deceased insurgent
Gomo (Chishona) - hill, mountain
Lekker glide (Afrikaans) - good trip
Lemon (RLI) - Failed operation
Lighty (Afrikaans) - youngster
Shateen (Chishona) - bush, countryside
Skate (RLI) - rogue, untrustworthy
Tick taxi (RLI) - dog
The standard ending for any sentence was
ek s (literally I say) similar to the
Canadian hey suffix. As in: A floppy
grazed by a flat dog, ek s (An insurgent
eaten by a crocodile) or Catch me a glide
to Burg, ou china, ek s (Give me a lift to
town, old friend).
Wm G Eaton ACIL

DECEMBER/JANUARY

ISTOCKPHOTO

The day the language died

One of the most significant challenges of

globalisation is finding ways to promote the
diverse languages and cultures of people
from around the world. As the linguist David
Crystal suggests, languages are made
prestigious through culture (cinema, music,
literature), the political and economic power
of the country, and its technological
advances. It is the culture connected to a
language that gives it meaning and value.
The possibilities of connecting to a
persons culture are endless. One can look at
beliefs, inventions, architecture and currency.
Cultures can be shared through literature,
music, celebrations and food from around the
world. It is through this sharing that value is
given to cultures and people develop a sense
of pride in their language.
Furthermore, the educational value of a
persons mother tongue should not be
overlooked. As Jim Cummins, an expert in
this field, concludes, the development of
competence in the native language is
transferable to the second language. He
also emphasises the fragility of childrens
mother tongues, which are easily lost in the
early years of school. It is important that
parents are encouraged to maintain the
mother tongue at home. By comparing the
syntax of the mother tongue to the new
language a real comprehension of the
grammar is understood.
A persons identity is conveyed in their
language, which is a manifestation and
product of a culture. Showing respect for a
persons language and culture is valuing who
they are and where they come from. This, in
turns, increases their confidence and
motivation the keys to success.
Anita Bamberger MCIL

The Linguist

27

INSTITUTE MATTERS

A day to remember
Join James Farmer at Members Day 2012
n Saturday 6 October, 117
members, guests and Institute staff
gathered in lovely autumn sunshine
at the impressive Royal Aeronautical Society
at Hyde Park Corner for Members Day 2012.
Arriving early allowed me to wander through
the delightful rooms with their chandeliers
and portraits. Meanwhile, Soheila Dayani,
Jack Sellen, Paul Whitehouse and Sarah
Heaps were working their magic on all the
necessary on-the-day arrangements.
As in previous years, delegates had the
opportunity to attend two out of four
seminars. I attended For Your Ears Only:
Language at GCHQ. Lindsay gave us a
fascinating insight into the current work of the
government intelligence centre. In a
forthcoming recruitment exercise they will be
seeking skills in Korean, Mandarin and various
lesser-known tongues. It was encouraging to
hear that there is no age barrier Lindsay
herself joined at the age of 54.
Translator Marta Stelmaszak delivered an
instructive session, Using Social Media in the
Languages Industry. She dealt with LinkedIn,
Facebook and Twitter, all of which she uses
regularly. It was clear from the audience
reaction that many were unaware how useful
these social media are; doubtless, several will
now dip their toes in the water. There were
also seminars on Ethical Dilemmas for
Interpreters and Drawing Up a Plan for
Continuing Professional Development.
A tempting hot buffet lunch was served in a
stylish room with a gold-embellished ceiling,

28

The Linguist

but many of us couldnt resist sitting on the

outside terrace, which overlooks Park Lane.
The afternoon session opened with Keith
Moffitt, Chair of Council, providing a review of
the previous year and the Institutes future
plans. Alexandra Jones had left the post of
Chief Executive in December 2011, and Hilary
Maxwell-Hyslop (Director of Examinations)
and Alan Peacock (Director of Membership)
had been appointed Joint Acting Chief
Executive Officers. Keith had taken over from
Tony Bell as Chair of Council. He thanked
Tony for all he had done and welcomed his
remaining on Council as Treasurer. Tessa
Brewer had stood down as President and had
been replaced by Nick Bowen.
Membership numbers had been
maintained, despite economic uncertainty.
The new database, introduced in 2011,
enables communication by bulk email,
including details of events, renewals and news
items, saving postage costs. There had been
a successful first joint event with the Institute
of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and the
European Union, a seminar on Clear Writing.
Keith also mentioned the Institutes enhanced
commitment to CPD, with the number and
scope of workshops being increased.
The decision had been taken to leave
Saxon House, which is no longer fit for
purpose. Keith talked about the Ministry of
Justice Framework Agreement and took on
board comments from the floor. He added
that The Linguist is now available online, and
there was some discussion as to whether it

DECEMBER/JANUARY

NETWORKING

Delegates talk over lunch

should continue to be available as hard copy.
Tony Bell conducted a straw poll, which
concluded, overwhelmingly, that it should.
Keith introduced the 2012 Threlford
Memorial Lecturer, Baroness Garden of
Frognal, a Liberal Democrat peer who is
Government spokesperson in the House of
Lords for DCMS (Media, Olympics, Sport), BIS
(Higher Education) and DfE (Education). Her
subject was Of Hard Times, Soft Power And
the Role of Languages.
An accomplished and entertaining speaker,
she spoke encouragingly about the issue of
language learning in schools. She told us of
her three years attending school in Paris when
her parents moved there. Shaking hands with
the teachers each morning went down less
well when she returned to school in the UK!
She touched on her experience in the
Worshipful Company of World Traders, of
which she was Master from 2008 to 2009.
Finally, she briefed us on the MoJ issue and
sympathetically fielded audience questions.
(For an edited version, see pages 14-17.)
The day concluded with a drinks reception.
As ever, Members Day was instructive,
entertaining and enjoyable. It provided an
excellent networking opportunity and the
chance to catch up with old friends and make
new ones. My gratitude and praise go to all
those at Saxon House who worked so hard to
make the event possible.

www.iol.org.uk

INSTITUTE MATTERS

COUNCIL
NEWS

Vol/51 No/6 2012

SIR JOHN SOANES MUSEUM

WHAT IS SPECIFIC
TO TRANSLATION
NW
OF CRIME
Saturday 19 January
Manchester YHA,
11.30am-1.15pm

TRUSTEES

OF

Talk by Dr Karen Seago

(12-1.15pm), followed by
lunch in the YHA canteen.
Manchester YHA, Potato
Wharf, Manchester, M3
4NB. Suggested donation:
15; 10 NW Society
members. To attend or for
details, email katrin.hiietam
@ee-translations.com.

COURTESY OF THE

Much of the meeting of Council on 22 September

2012 was devoted to the decision to move out of
Saxon House, which is the main subject in my
Chairs notes on page 4. The proposal to sell
Saxon House and move into modern, serviced
accommodation for the immediate future was the
subject of long and detailed discussions. Council
was particularly concerned that the move should
not adversely affect the service we provide to our
members or the morale of our staff, and was
clear that we must protect the proceeds from the
sale of our premises, a topic which Council will
return to at future meetings.
Another subject to which we once again
devoted a considerable amount of time was the
Ministry of Justice contract, also referred to in
my notes. Under our regular finance item,
Council was pleased, given the challenges of the
previous 12 months, to learn that the CIOL
group was on track to make a small surplus for
the year. The meeting also approved the CIOL
budget for 2012/13.
Council discussed our relationship with the
Speak to the future campaign, and agreed we
would continue to support it.
The meeting received the usual comprehensive
reports from our Joint Acting Chief Executives,
Alan Peacock and Hilary Maxwell-Hyslop,
including encouraging news about membership
renewals, despite the harsh economic climate.
Alan reported that our Professional Development
Officer, Jack Sellen, had drawn up a very
successful series of CPD workshops, and income
from this activity was growing. Hilary briefed
Council on arrangements for the Institutes
participation at the Language Show that would
be taking place at Olympia in late October, a
regular date in our calendar of events.
Our final item was the reports we receive from
Councils various sub-committees. Because of the
need to devote so much of the meeting to the
accommodation project, items on proposed rule
changes and proposed amendments to our
disciplinary procedures were deferred.

January

BY

In our regular update on

developments at Saxon
House, Chair of Council
Keith Moffitt reports
on the September meeting

DIVISIONS & SOCIETIES

Open house

February

ARABIC LITERARY
TRANSLATION
TD
EVENING
Friday 1 February
Members of the London Society met for a guided tour Over-Seas House, London

THE LONDON SOCIETY EXPLORES THE

WONDERS OF THE SOANES MUSEUM

of the Sir John Soanes Museum in August. John Soane

was an English architect, born in 1753, who designed
this house to live in, but also as a setting for his
collection of antiquities and works of art. He was
constantly adding to and rearranging his collections,
and eventually he established the house as a museum
to which amateurs and students should have access.
The spectacular restoration of Soanes first house, at
12 Lincolns Inn Fields, reveals an elegant, neoclassical
townhouse, built in 1792 as a family home. At the time,
this was not a nice part of London, but the location
was very convenient for him.
The museums collections contain many important
works, including Hogarths A Rakes Progress and An
Election, Canalettos Riva degli Schiavoni, Looking
West, the alabaster sarcophagus of Seti I, 30,000
architectural drawings, 6,857 historical volumes, 252
historical architectural models, and valuable examples
of furniture and decorative arts.
After the tour, the group went to the Ship Tavern for
lunch. The pub is hidden away and has a fascinating
history, which dates back to 1549. During the reign of
Henry VIII, outlawed Catholic priests would conduct
mass from behind the bar. Some were discovered
hiding in the cellar and executed on the spot. Many
people claim the place is haunted.
Rannheid Sharma MCIL

DECEMBER/JANUARY

Readings in Arabic and

English, and discussion
with the authors of recent
Arabic literary works, with
translator Peter Clark.
Over-Seas House,
St Jamess Street, London
SW1A 1LR. For details,
see www.iol.org.uk.

KEY
DIVISIONS
Business, Professions
& Government: BPG
EDU
Education:
ID
Interpreting:
TD
Translating:
SOCIETIES
CAM
Cambridge:
GER
German:
HK
Hong Kong:
LINC
Lincolnshire:
LON
London:
NW
North West:
SCOT
Scottish:
SP
Spanish:

The Linguist

29

INSTITUTE MATTERS

ADMISSIONS
March 2013
GERMAN SOCIETY
GER
AGM
Saturday 2 March
Braunschweig/Brunswick
For details, email
translations@gmatthey.de.

MARKETING FOR
TRANSLATORS &
NETWORKING LUNCH
Saturday 2 March LINC
Wig & Mitre, midday-4pm
Talk by Karen Stokes FCIL
CL (Translator), followed
by lunch.
Steep Hill Room, Wig &
Mitre, 30 Steep Hill, Lincoln
LN2 1TL. For details or to
attend, call Candia Hillier
on +44 (0)1522 526 695 by
23 February.
To receive news about the
society, email candia@
chezhillier.freeserve.co.uk.

Michael Harrington
Michael
Harrington has
been working
as a translator
for SMS Siemag AG since
1992, and was previously a
freelance interpreter and
translator. He joined the
Institute in 1979, and was
Chairman of the German
Society from 2003 to 2012.
Brooke Townsley
Brooke Townsley is a Senior
Lecturer in Public Service
Interpreting and Translating
at Middlesex University, and
has taught at other London
universities. A partner in the
EU-funded Qualitas project,

ridgway@talktalk.net
ID IoL.Interpreting.
Division@googlemail.com
TD Karen Stokes,
translatingdivision@
gmail.com
CAM Leslie Ray,
leslie.ray@btinternet.com
GER Gabriele Matthey,
translations@gmatthey.de
HK Francis Lee,
francisleekc@iolhks.hk
LINC Candia Hillier,
candia@chezhillier.
freeserve.co.uk
LON Rannheid Sharma,
RSharma105@aol.com
NW Katrin Hiietam,
katrinhiietam@hotmail.com
SCOT Anne Withers,
amwithers@msn.com
SP Martin Caine,
martincaine2008@
gmail.com

Students:
Sally Cowan
Anna Romeo
Martine Yeo
Associates:
Ciaran Acford
Gillian Bowen
Marina Collini-Clark
Joanna Dornbierer-Stuart
Marketa Green
Waseem Javed
Athanasia Manitara
Maria Marcinkova
Mark Mason
Mohamed Shalluf
Galina Sparks
Ann Thomson
Carmen Twerdy
Members:
Lotte May Beedell
Jennifer Billinge
Juraj Bobula
Delphine Bonnet
Hsin-Jung Chung
Clare Cole
Sara Maria Silva Cruz
Frank Dalton
Michael Davies
Domitilo de Pablo Yage
Barbara Dresner
Brian Gaffney
Anastasios Ghikas

The Linguist

DECEMBER/JANUARY

CONTACT DETAILS
BPG Judith Ridgway,

30

CONTRIBUTORS

Meet the Fellows

he has been Chair of the
National Register of Public
Service Interpreters and a
CIOL Vice-Chair of Council.
Paul Hughes
Trained at the
Defence School
of Languages,
Paul Hughes
worked as a Military
Linguist/Interpreter (Arabic,
Russian, Pashto) in the Royal
Air Force. He has spoken to
more than 20,000
secondary pupils about his
linguistic experiences, and
now works for the leading
independent forensic
collision research company
in the UK, GBB (UK) Ltd.
Leonore Haaijman
Piotr Jankiewicz
Anna Lucca
Helen Massy-Beresford
Jacqueline Mathewes
Arthur Miller
Maria Jose Molinari
Althea Muirhead
Rebekah Rhodes
Franca Simpson
David Swain
Philippa Ungar
Juan Uslar Gathmann
Luciana Vilela Rodrigues
Rachael Walker
Helene Walters
Phillip Wigan
Weilin Xu
John Yates
Sandra Young
Anna Zatorska-Batt
Ruo Yu Zhao
Upgrades:
Christopher Collister
Grace Qiuming Liao
Alessandra Mendes
Readmissions:
Ziya Michael Dikbas
Ting Ting Maggie Hui
George Mansi
Cristina Marinetti

Ian Andersen
Ian Andersen is External
Communications Adviser at the
European Commissions
Directorate General for
Interpretation, where he has
worked in various roles since 1986. See p.12

Georgina Collins
Dr Georgina Collins is a Lecturer
in Translation Studies at the
University of Glasgow and a
freelance translator. The Other
Half of History is her anthology of
Francophone African womens poetry. See p.22

Baroness (Sue) Garden

Baroness Garden of Frognal is
the Liberal Democrat
spokesperson in the House of
Lords, for Culture, Media and
Sport; Business, Innovation and
Skills; and Education. See p.14

Bernardette Holmes
Bernardette Holmes, from the
University of Cambridge
Language Centre, leads Speak to
the future Working Group 3, and
is past President of ALL. See p.6

Marta Stelmaszak
Marta Stelmaszak ACIL is a
freelance interpreter and
translator, specialising in law, IT,
marketing and business. She is
a member of the Interpreting
Divisions Management Committee. See p.20

Jonathan Stockwell
A translator for many years,
Jonathan Stockwell is now a
web-editor at the European
Commissions DirectorateGeneral for Translation, where he
is part of a team working to make EU websites
concise, clear, useable and relevant. See p.8

www.iol.org.uk

ANNUAL REVIEW

Annual review 2011-2012

OVERVIEW
This review covers the period 1 September 2011 to 31 August 2012.
Following the organisational restructure of the companies during the
previous year, we have taken the opportunity this year to evaluate
and rationalise our internal operational structure; we have appointed
a dedicated Office Manager and a Professional Development and
Membership Services Officer, and we have carried out an audit of our
IT systems. We are also undertaking a major review of the location
and accommodation of the Institute (CIOL and the IoL Educational
Trust IoLET), giving consideration to future accommodation
requirements and protection of the Institutes assets.
The Institutes two operating entities the CIOL and IoLET both
returned a modest surplus for the financial year and we continue to
focus attention on replenishing our reserves. Continuing global
economic uncertainty has led to a slight dip in membership numbers
and has also impacted on the number of candidates taking the
Diploma in Translation (DipTrans) and the Diploma in Public Service
Interpreting (DPSI), the two major examinations offered by IoLET.

Membership
During the year under review we
welcomed 433 new members
and re-instated 42 former
members. The MCIL category is
the most popular grade, and the
trend of Associates upgrading to
full Membership has continued.
The membership team
continued to invite new holders
of the DipTrans and the DPSI to
apply for membership, with a
gratifyingly positive response.
As usual, the Institute had a
stand at the Language Show,
which was held at the Olympia
Exhibition Centre in London, in
October. The event was very
busy and more than 300 people
visited the Institutes stand,
where members of staff,
members of Council and other
volunteers were on hand to give
information and advice.
In July, the Chartered Institute
(CIOL) and the IoL Educational
Trust (IoLET) exhibited jointly at
the LLAS Language Futures:
Languages in Higher Education
conference at the University of

Vol/51 No/6 2012

Edinburgh. Around 100

delegates lecturers in Higher
Education attended this event.
In addition, both Membership
and IoLET staff have visited a
number of UK universities and
colleges throughout the year,
promoting the benefits of
membership and examinations
to language students.
Membership figures
(as at end of August 2012;
August 2011 in brackets)
Honorary Fellows
49 (48)
Honorary Members
3 (3)
Fellows
328 (339)
Members
4,185 (4,282)
Associates
1,367 (1,497)
Affiliates
23 (32)
Registered Students
104 (80)
TOTAL
6,059 (6,281)
Members Day
The Institutes Members Day was
held on 17 September at the
University of Durham. The event
was very well received, and
attendees appreciated that the
Institute had held the event

We continue to forge links with other language organisations and

groups, and held a joint event with the Institute of Translation and
Interpreting (ITI) and the European Commission in July. The Institute
has also been closely involved in discussions arising from the
framework agreement for the provision of interpreters in the
criminal justice system, which came into force early in 2012.
Regular readers of The Linguist will be aware that our journal
celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012 with a series of five articles,
one for each decade, and the launch of the publication online.
Alexandra Jones left the post of Chief Executive at the end of
December 2011 and, in January 2012, Hilary Maxwell-Hyslop (Director
of Examinations) and Alan Peacock (Director of Membership) were
appointed as Joint Acting Chief Executive Officers.
Tony Bell resigned as Chair of Council in February 2012, and
Keith Moffitt was elected as his successor. At the AGM in March,
Dr Nicholas Bowen was elected President, succeeding Lady (Tessa)
Brewer, who had served as our President since 2008.

outside London again. Members

had the opportunity to attend
two seminars during the morning
session. In the afternoon, the
Threlford Memorial Lecture was
delivered by Richard Hardie, Vice
Chair of UBS Ltd, on the subject
of Businesses, Languages and
the State. The day ended with a
reception, at which members
could enjoy spectacular views of
Durhams cathedral and castle
from the balcony of the Calman
Learning Centre.

Rates & Salaries Survey

In 2010, a Working Group was
set up by the CIOL and the ITI
to carry out a joint Rates and
Salaries Survey for translators
and interpreters. After a great
deal of preparatory work, the
online survey went live in August
2011; by the closing date in
October 2011, more than 1,750
submissions had been received.
Following close analysis and
consolidation of the data, the
Master Report was published in
March by both institutes. A

summary was published on the

websites of the CIOL and ITI, as
well as in The Linguist and the
ITI Bulletin. Thanks are due to
the members of the Working
Group, who gave many hours of
their time in the production of
the survey.

Divisions and societies

In September 2011, the Business
Professions and Government
(BPG) Division organised a tour
of the Houses of Parliament,
followed, in November 2011, by
a visit to Rolls-Royce in Derby. In
April 2012 the division
sponsored a training course in
Cross-Cultural Competence,
and, in May, its members visited
the Charterhouse for a musical
tour, with entertainment from
the Thomas Sutton Singers.
The Interpreting Division
hosted an event entitled
Interpreting in the Media in
November 2011. Guest
speakers covered issues such as
the demands of short-notice live
media work, pre-assignment

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

31

ANNUAL REVIEW

briefing and research. In March

2012, the division provided a
two-session workshop on
marketing strategy: the use of
social media in the languages
industry, and how to improve
marketing skills.
The Translating Divisions
Translators Pack Live!
professional development event
was held in November, aimed at
new translators starting up in
business. Topics included
continuing professional
development (CPD), web
resources, the translators office,
and working with agencies and
direct clients. In July 2012, the
division joined forces with the ITI
and the European Commission
in London to host an event at
Europe House on Clear Writing.
It included presentations on the
EU Clear Writing Campaign,
plain English and writing for
web users.
In May, the Spanish Society
celebrated its 25th anniversary
with a meeting and lunch in
Madrid, attended by 27
members and the Institutes
Membership Services Officer.
Also in May, the Joint Acting
Chief Executive Officer, Alan
Peacock, and the Chair of the
Editorial Board, Karen Stokes,
visited the Lincolnshire Society for
its AGM, and Mr Peacock
attended the Spring Conference
of the Hong Kong Society.
Stuart Poole stood down as
Chair of the Scottish Society and
Ann Withers was elected as the
new Chair. The Institutes other
societies German, Scottish,
North West, London and
Cambridge continued to host
professional events throughout
the year.

Chartered Linguist
Scheme
At its meeting on 31 March
2012, Council decided to
undertake a review of the rules
and admissions criteria of the

32

The Linguist

Chartered Linguist scheme. This

is being carried out by a small
working group, chaired by Keith
Moffitt, which includes
representatives from the ITI and
the International Association of
Conference Interpreters (AIIC).
The working group aims to
make recommendations to
Council in 2013.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

interpreting contract
The MoJ framework agreement
for the provision of interpreters
in the criminal justice system,
which came into force in January
2012, was the focus of
considerable controversy and
media attention during the year.
Tony Bell and Keith Moffitt both
wrote to MoJ ministers and
senior officials on several
occasions, raising concerns
about the new arrangements.
Mr Moffitt sat as an observer on
the steering committee of the
Professional Interpreters for
Justice Campaign, alongside
representatives from six other
organisations representing
public service interpreters, and
the professions regulatory body,
the National Register of Public
Service Interpreters Ltd (NRPSI).
This situation has led to an
investigation by the National
Audit Office (NAO), and
inquiries by the Public Accounts
Committee and the Justice
Select Committee, to which the
Institute submitted evidence.

Professional
development
and training
The range of continuing
professional development
workshops offered by the
Institute has continued to
expand over the year. The
majority of workshops are
non-language specific and do
not carry any pre-requisite
other than a fluent level of
English and the other

DECEMBER/JANUARY

language(s), both spoken and

written. Courses range from
those aimed at people new to
the profession, through to
practical workshops on business
practice and technology.
We are also aiming to branch
into new areas, such as
audiovisual translation, literary
translation, games localisation
and voiceover; and to offer
structured workshop series on
specific topics, such as Working
Successfully as a Freelance
Translator. Future plans include
partnerships with university
language departments to
facilitate student engagement.

IoL Educational Trust

The IoLET has had a challenging
year with a fall in enrolments in
its two main qualifications: the
Diploma in Public Service
Interpreting (DPSI) and the
Diploma in Translation
(DipTrans). However, new
centres are still coming forward
for both examinations, and the
challenge is to ensure that we
identify all potential candidates
and continue to offer the
qualifications to the highest
possible standards.
In the spring, we had to
prepare for our submission to
our external Regulator, Ofqual
(Office of Qualifications and
Examinations Regulation). This
involved the IoLET Board
confirming that we met all the
criteria necessary for continued
recognition as an Awarding
Organisation. It was a lengthy
but worthwhile exercise that
provides reassurance for all
stakeholders that our
qualifications are independently
monitored and are of the
standard and level they claim to
be. However, self-assessment is
a key part of ensuring that we
maintain our standards, and so
we continue to review our own
documentation, procedures and
processes on an on-going basis.

Special Projects
IoLET continued its collaboration
with external organisations and
universities, offering exemptions
and joint certifications of
language-based assessments. It
is currently working on ways to
make its qualifications more
accessible to individuals already
studying interpreting or
translation in universities, in
order to facilitate the process
leading to exemptions.
Certificate in Bilingual Skills
(CBS)
All three pathways were offered
in a combined total of 25
languages this year. Italian,
Polish and Spanish, closely
followed by French, were the
most popular languages. For the
first time, we also offered a CBS
in Swahili.
Both our CBS variants, the
Public Services and the
Sports & Leisure pathways,
are enjoying continued interest,
and the Metropolitan Police
commissioned a second
tailor-made CBS Police for
their officers, entering 113
candidates for 18 languages, a
20 percent increase.
Discussions are in progress
with both the education and the
health sectors to see how a
school-specific or NHS-related
CBS could be best employed.
The CBS Handbook for Tutors,
providing guidance on running
CBS courses, is now available on
the CIOL website. Successful
holders of the qualification can
apply for Student Membership
of the CIOL.
Diploma in Public Service
Interpreting (DPSI)
A total of 886 candidates
registered for the June session
of the DPSI this year. The
take-up of languages in 2012
was similar to 2011, with 42
languages. The most recent
language to be introduced to

www.iol.org.uk

ANNUAL REVIEW

the DPSI is Korean, in 2011. The

largest candidate group for the
June session was once again
Polish, followed this time by
Russian, then Urdu, Spanish
and Arabic. From the three
pathways of Law, Health and
Local Government, the Legal
pathway (both English and
Scottish) still attracts the largest
number of entries.
Public Service Translation
Unit pilot
As a result of emerging interest
in a higher level public service
translation module, IoLET has
decided to run a pilot to
introduce a potential Public
Service Translation Unit. The
format and level will be the
same as for DipTrans units (level
7) and the topics will be
available for the following
options: Law (English/Scottish),
Health and Local Government.
The unit may be of particular
interest to holders of the DPSI
who want to gain a unit credit for
a higher level translation
qualification, to DipTrans holders
themselves, as well as to new
candidates who are interested in
adding one of the public service
specialisms to their qualifications.
Initially, the pilot will be
offered for the out-of-English
paper only. We are currently in
the process of identifying
examination centres familiar with
the DipTrans and/or DPSI willing
to run a pilot.
Diploma in Translation
(DipTrans)
1,047 candidates sat the 2012
DipTrans examination (1,157 in
2011) in 38 countries (47 in
2011). 617 candidates sat the
examination for language
combinations from English (722
in 2011). Other languages into
English combinations had 430
candidates (435 in 2011).There
was a total of 44 language
combinations, which is a

Vol/51 No/6 2012

decrease from the 50 language

combinations offered in 2011.
61 percent of candidates sat in
the UK, 39 percent overseas (in
38 countries).
New language combinations
for 2012 included English into
and out of Hebrew, Czech into
English, and English into Tamil.
Small Entry languages out of
English included Bulgarian, Dari,
Farsi, Japanese, Kurdish-Sorani,
Latvian, Lithuanian, Nepalese,
Panjabi, Romanian, Serbian,
Slovak, Tamil, Turkish and Urdu.
Small Entry languages into
English included Dutch,
Japanese, Norwegian,
Portuguese, Russian, Swedish
and Turkish.
We also had a small
candidature for language
combinations other than English,
namely French into German,
French into Spanish, German into
French and Spanish into German.
The top five language
combinations in 2012 were
French into English, Spanish into
English, English into Greek,
English into Spanish, and English
into German.
International Diploma in
Bilingual Communication (IDBC)
The IoL Educational Trust will run
the International Diploma in
Bilingual Communication in
Hong Kong until 2014.
Metropolitan Police Test
(Met Test)
In 2011-12, the Met Test
changed from being run three
times a year to twice a year.
There is now a Summer
(May/June) and a Winter
(November) session. We have
begun work to make the Met
Test into an Ofqual accredited
qualification, which we hope will
add value and secure its future.
We assessed in 30 languages
during November 2011 and 26
in May 2012. Polish continues to
be the most popular language,

with Romanian close behind.

Lithuanian is growing as a
language; fewer candidates are
applying for Kurdish (Sorani)
than in previous sessions. Small
Entry languages in the last year
included Dutch, Nepalese,
Serbian, Tamil, Thai and Ukrainian.
Continuation Courses
We moderated and certificated
Continuation Courses in three
languages French, German
and Spanish in five schools.
The courses are for pupils in
Year 11 (ages 15-16), most of
whom have sat a language
GCSE a year early. The courses
are designed to bridge the gap
between GCSE and A-level/
International Baccalaureate;
widen the pupils knowledge of
the language they are studying;
increase their awareness of the
culture of the countries it is
spoken in; and encourage able
linguists to continue further
study in that language.
Customised Assessments for
Business/Education (CASB/E)
We continue to offer in-business
language assessments at levels 1,
2 and 3. The most popular
language is French, followed by
Spanish. Clients include LOral,
QBE Insurance and Amlin plc.
External representation
We continue to attend many
events in connection with
language teaching, translation
and interpreting. We are
involved with Speak to the future
the campaign for languages,
which highlights the importance
of languages, language learning
and professional language
activities for the UK; and with
Language Rich Europe, a
networking project that brings
together 1,200 policy makers
and practitioners from across
Europe, to discuss and develop
better policies and practices for
multilingualism.

The IoLET has contributed a

chapter to the EU Framework
Project for Implementing EU
Common Standards in Legal
Interpreting and Translation,
Building Mutual Trust 1, and is a
partner in the follow-up project,
Building Mutual Trust 2. It is also
a member of the Advisory Board
of the TransCert project
consortium, an EU project
looking at voluntary certification
for translators in the EU.
IoLET prizes
The annual prize-giving
ceremony was held in London,
in November 2011. Prizes
were given for excellent
performance, by candidates
and centres, in IoLET
examinations. The Threlford
Memorial Cup was awarded
to Italian in Italy, for fostering
the study of languages and
working to emphasise the
importance of cultural
knowledge. The David Crystal
Award was won by Professor
Erik Hertog for his work across
Europe in developing the
provision of professional
language training.
The Institute paid tribute to
the work of its divisions
Translating, Interpreting, and
Business, Professions and
Government which are crucial
tothe delivery of professional
services to our members.Their
success depends on the energy
and commitment of enthusiastic
and dedicated volunteers.
Future plans
As well as plans outlined above,
IoLET will be introducing online
enrolment and payment for our
examinations. We are in
discussion with various
organisations about the
production of new Units for the
Qualifications Credit Framework
(QCF), some of which lend
themselves to electronic
assessment delivery.

DECEMBER/JANUARY

The Linguist

33

ANNUAL REVIEW

The Linguist
2012 was an important year for
The Linguist as it celebrated its
50th anniversary. Starting in
issue TL51,2, a regular feature,
50 Years in Print, marked the
occasion with a decade-bydecade overview of the journal.
Fittingly, the online edition
was also launched in 2012.
From issue TL51,1, each
issue has been available at
www.iol.org.uk/TheLinguist.html
two weeks after publication. This
delay is to ensure that CIOL
members and TL subscribers are
always first to read the magazine.
After much consultation and
research, the Board agreed that
free access, on a trial basis, would
be the most effective and costefficient way of publicising the
new online edition, and would be
a valuable tool for promoting the
CIOL and its membership.
There were several changes to
the Editorial Board, with Alan
Peacock replacing Alexandra
Jones when he took over as
Joint Acting Chief Executive
Officer in January 2012. Keith
Moffitt, a former chair of the
Board, re-joined after taking
over from Tony Bell as Chair of
Council in February. Christine
Pocock also left the Board, after
serving on it for more than 10
years. Theo Merz returned
following a year abroad as part
of his degree, and Marketing,
Communications and PR
Manager, Sarah Heaps, joined as
an ex-officio member in March.
The decision to revive the
representation of the CIOL
Communications Department on
the Editorial Board expresses the
Boards concern that The Linguist
should reflect the needs and aims
of the CIOL, and fulfil its function
both as a promotional tool and
as a means of communication
between the Institute and
members, while continuing to
deliver useful, insightful and
inspiring articles for its readers.

34

The Linguist

The three-article special

focuses continued, with a Tribute
to Professor Peter Newmark in
TL50,5; and a look at Creative
Translation in TL51,4, including
articles on transcreation, games
localisation and subtitling.
Many regular items continued,
including Global Insights: PSI,
looking at public service
interpreting around the world;
Trade Secrets, a Q&A with
businesses about their
languages needs; the Council
News reports; and Inside
Parliament, looking at the work
of the All-Party Parliamentary
Group on Modern Languages.
The Linguist kept readers
informed of developments
affecting linguists, with a new
section providing updates on
the Speak to the future
campaign; an update from Tony
Bell on the MoJs interpreting
arrangements (TL50,6); and
articles about changes to
education policy, including A
Degree Dearer by UCML Chair
Jim Coleman, on the impact of
the fees increases on university
languages departments. A
summary of the joint CIOL/ITI
2011 Rates and Salaries Survey
appeared in TL51,2 under the
header Your Rates Revealed.
An edited version of the
Threlford Memorial Lecture,
delivered in 2011 by Richard
Hardie, ran, as usual, in the last
issue of the calendar year. Other
notable articles included Let the
Games Begin (TL51,2), looking
at the languages provision at the
Olympics; Out! in any
Language (TL51,3), revealing
the use of language in Tahrir
Square; and Ticket to Europe
(TL51,4), with information from
the DG Interpretation on how to
pass the EU accreditation test.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM of the CIOL was
held on Saturday 10 March 2012
at the Novotel City South,

DECEMBER/JANUARY

53-61 Southwark Bridge Road,

London SE1.
Lady (Tessa) Brewer had
decided to step down after
serving as President for five years.
A brief statement by Lady Brewer
was read out and the Chair of the
meeting, Keith Moffitt, recorded
the Institutes gratitude to Lady
Brewer for her dedicated
support and advice. Dr Nicholas
Bowen was elected as President
for the forthcoming year.
Professor Tim Connell,
Ann Corsellis, Baroness Jean
Coussins, Professor David
Crystal, Richard Hardie and
Dr John Mitchell were elected
Vice-Presidents.
The number of candidates
for election to Council did
not exceed the number of
vacancies. Tony Bell, Professor
Heather Fulford and Christine
Pocock were declared to be reelected. Brooke Townsley and
Ana Iaria had resigned from
Council in the course of the year.
Karen Stokes had been
appointed as a member of
Council in February 2012, as
permitted under the By-Laws.
The AGM approved new
membership subscriptions, with
effect from September 2012.
The meeting also re-appointed
Haines Watts as auditors.

Council
Tony Bell resigned as Chair of
Council in February, and Keith
Moffitt was elected as his
successor. Mr Moffitt was
confirmed in the post of Chair of
Council at its April 2012
meeting, at which Christine
Pocock was elected Vice-Chair,
and Mr Bell was elected
Honorary Treasurer. Karen Stokes
was appointed as a member by
decision of Council in February,
and was re-appointed in April.
The Chairs and members of
committees were appointed or
re-appointed for the ensuing
year: the Applications

Committee, Chartered Linguist

Admissions Committee and
Appeals Committee, Equality
and Diversity Committee, the
Disciplinary Committees and the
Editorial Board of The Linguist.
The following served as
members of Council in the
period of this report:
Lady (Tessa) Brewer (President,
ex-officio, retired March 2012)
Dr Nicholas Bowen (President,
ex-officio, from March 2012)
Mr Tony Bell (Chair until February
2012; Honorary Treasurer from
April 2012)
Mr Keith Moffitt (Vice-Chair until
February 2012; Chair thereafter)
Mrs Christine Pocock (Vice-Chair
from April 2012)
Mr W Brooke Townsley (ViceChair, resigned November 2011)
Mrs Jan Cambridge
Mr Michael Cunningham
Professor Heather Fulford
Dr Marie-Marthe Gervais-le Garff
Mrs Ana Luiza Iaria (resigned
March 2012)
Ms Madeleine Lee
Dr Guillermo Makin
Mrs Judith Ridgway
Mr Paul Shipman (Honorary
Treasurer until April 2012)
Ms Karen Stokes (appointed
February 2012)
The Institute was once again
very well served both by many
members and Fellows, and by
persons from outside the
Institute, who generously gave
of their time in serving on the
various committees and boards.
Council very much appreciates
the time and effort those in
voluntary roles devote to the
Institute and its affairs, and
equally wishes to thank staff
members for their dedication to
the Institute and hard work on
its behalf.
Keith Moffitt (Chair of Council)
Alan Peacock (Joint Acting
Chief Executive Officer)
Hilary Maxwell-Hyslop (Joint
Acting Chief Executive Officer)

www.iol.org.uk

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