A blog about translation, writing and language in all its glorious aspects
For Christmas 2010, my son bought me Michael Quinion’s book Why is Q Always Followed by U?. It’s not the sort of book you’d read in one sitting, but it’s ideal for dipping into on short train or bus journeys or in dentists’ waiting rooms when the other patients have nabbed the only 2 interesting …
Continue reading “Faffing around: frequently added frequentatives”
As you’ll know if you’ve visited this blog in the last month or so, the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at Glasgow University is threatened by drastic funding cuts. There’s been a temporary reprieve, in that the decision has been postponed until after the Scottish elections. Michael Russel, the Scottish Education Minister, called for a moratorium on …
Continue reading “Saving Modern Languages at the University of Glasgow”
We’re delighted to correct our previous post on Itchy Coo press: happily, they are not closing down. Here’s their comment in full, to put the record straight: The story [published in Scotland on Sunday] is not accurate. Itchy Coo is NOT closing, and the books will continue to be available as long as folk continue …
Continue reading “Correction to our post on Itchy Coo press”
The Institute of Translation and Interpreting, in association with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation (DGT), is hosting a full day’s conference in early April for both freelance translators and translation companies interested in bidding for DGT translation contracts. The aim is to demystify the tendering process (which seems daunting but is by no means the …
Continue reading “Linguists for the EU: the market ain’t working”
Tuesday’s post (15 March) was inspired by Newcastle University’s study of Japanese- and English-speakers’ perceptions of the word “blue”. From an English-Italian translation perspective, “blue” is an interesting word, and something of a false friend. The Italian “blu” refers to dark or navy blue, while “azzurro” is used for other shades of the colour. And …
One of the messages I try to convey to school pupils when I talk to them about language learning is that languages are relevant and might actually help them in later life. So I was delighted to read about a study (by Panos Athanasopoulos of Newcastle University, and others) on how language affects the way we see …
Continue reading “Yet another business case for teaching the language love”
More gloomy language news. First, from the BBC: Three of the BBC language services are going off air later, as a result of cuts to the World Service budget. The BBC Serbian and Latin American services end more than 70 years of broadcasting on radio, but the Latin American service continues online. The Portuguese for Africa …
Staff at the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Glasgow have organised a petition to Help Save Modern Languages at the University of Glasgow, which are under threat from proposed spending cuts. If you care about languages and their importance for our economy, our culture and our young people, please sign the petition. As well …
Glasgow University’s senior management group has drawn up plans to scrap or merge a raft of courses as part of moves to save £20 million over the next three years. The proposals, which will be put out to consultation, include drastic cuts to Modern Languages and — disgracefully — to evening and weekend classes, which …
Itchy Coo Press, the Scots language publisher specialising in children’s books, has announced that it’s closing down. Creative Scotland, “into which the Scottish Arts Council was merged last year”, has decided to withdraw their subsidy. There’s a full report in today’s Scotland on Sunday (20 February 2011). Matthew Fitt and James Robertson, who run Itchy …
Continue reading “Funding cuts and language (1): Itchy Coo Press closing down”