News

AMs encouraged to use resources to facilitate the use of Welsh

Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru has sent a message to all members of the National Assembly encouraging them to take advantage of the resources and facilities available to them in the Assembly to ensure that the Welsh language is used naturally and frequently in the Siambr and in committee.

Evidence to the Working Group on the Welsh Language

Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru has presented evidence to the Working Group on the Welsh Language in Local Government Administration and Economic Development, chaired by Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM, and which was established by the Minister for Public Services in December 2015. Information about the Working Group can be found on the Welsh Government's website.

The Association’s evidence – which is only available in Welsh – concentrates on the important role of translation and interpreting in the development and strengthening of the Welsh language in Local Government administration and the implementation of the Welsh language Standards. Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru has made the following recommendations:

• Translation and interpreting could lead the way as authorities seek ways of working together effectively.
• There should be strong translation and interpreting units in all authorities.
• The translation and interpreting unit should be part of the Chief Executive’s department.
• Each authority should know the linguistic skills of all its staff and should undertake a comprehensive and thorough assessment to ascertain this.
• The translation and interpreting unit should have a definite staffing structure.
• Authorities should ensure that they provide plenty of CPD opportunities for translators and interpreters.
• All authorities should make the best use of technology and the sharing of resources.
• Interpreting equipment should be available in all authorities.
• Each new authority should acknowledge Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru’s professional standards.

Wil Petherbridge Memorial Prize 2015

There was a warm welcome at the Wales Council for Voluntary Action office in Aberystwyth on Tuesday morning, 8 March 2016, when we held a delightful and informal ceremony to present the Wil Petherbridge Memorial Prize to Rhodri Owain, the WCVA translator. The prize was presented to him by Sandra Petherbridge and Mary Jones.

Translation Challenge 2016

Translation Challenge returns in 2016, and once again Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru has commissioned and sponsored the Bardic Staff which will be presented to the Welsh language winner.

This year’s challenge will be to translate the poem ‘El Conejo y la Chistera’ by the Mexican poet, Pedro Serrano, from Spanish into Welsh or English. The Welsh language judge is Ned Thomas, and Prof. Richard Gwyn will be the English language judge. The winning Welsh Translation will be published in O’r Pedwar Gwynt, and the English winner will be published in Poetry Wales.

The winners in both languages will receive a prize of £250. The Welsh language winner will also be presented with the Bardic Staff. Cymdeithas Cyfieiethwyr Cymru is pleased to sponsor this unique prize for the fourth time, and in so doing to acknowledge the craftmanship of Elis Gwyn who has carved the staff from a piece of wood from the Llanystumdwy area.

Translation Challenge is organised by Wales PEN Cymru and Wales Literature Exchange, Aberystwyth university, in partnership with Swansea University.

Translation Membership Examinations - 16 April 2016

Thursday, 24 March 2016, by 1.00pm at the latest, is the closing date to register for the next Translation Membership Examinations, for Full and Basic membership, which will be held on Saturday, 16 April 2016, in Aberystwyth, Cardiff and Glynllifon (near Caernarfon).

The fees remain the same as in 2015. The fee for sitting one paper will be £90 for members of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru and £105 for everyone else; and the fee for sitting both papers will be £150 for members of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru and £180 for everyone else.

A worthwhile prize: Heledd spends the day at the Senedd

Heledd Fflur Hughes recently had a day to remember as she spent it with the Welsh Assembly's Translation and Recording Sevice. Heledd's prize was for winning the translation competition for 19-25 year olds at the Urdd Eisteddfod in 2015. She was given the opportunity to try out different aspects of the work involved with the Service and during her visit she met Carwyn Jones, First Minister.

The Urdd's competition is held in partnership with Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru and will be held again in 2016.