And the latest from the Labour Party...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8676752.stm

General Election 2010 - Aftermath

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8675913.stm

So, the drama plays on. Though as we were to find out the Government would actually be made up of Liberal Democrats and Conservatives with David Cameron as Prime Minister...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8676607.stm

And of course for us at home - the first female Secretary of State for Wales:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8677418.stm

General Election 2010

Oops - I've been rather neglectful of this blog recently. Excuses of work and other things, perhaps. But when we've had the most historic General Election for years (according to the pundits at least), and me, fairly interested in political science (friends know I distinguish this from politics...) then I should provide some stats.

So here you go:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/region/10.stm

Work, Play, Election

At last, we know about the General Election:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8604770.stm

Otherwise, we spent the Easter weekend over in North Wales - a good time was had by all and now I'm back at work with a 6 262 English > Welsh translation for IPSOS Mori

March - the work full (fool) month!

No IPSOS Mori yet - that is due on Monday. But a new proofreading job of a Welsh translation for ConstructionSkills and a new MS from University of Wales Press - this time a Welsh language book. Hey ho - keeps me occupied.

Politics

Not really surprising is it? I mean where is that place called Wales again?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8587536.stm

New work

Seems this week starts in the same way as last one ended! :) Old friends from IPSOS Mori want a questionnaire on lifestyle in Wales to be translated for Friday and the previously technical translation that I had turn down from Glasgow will come back to me on Wednesday for proofreading thereof. Yet another agency has recruited me to increase their pool of Welsh language translators - with perhaps some work for UNESCO in the pipeline (they also have clients in high places in HMG, so that might be something to look forward to as well...)

I have heard no more about this so-called highly secretive election communications. If anything comes about tomorrow, I suspect I will have to reluctantly turn it down.

For tonight though - nos da, good night, bonne nuit.

Rugby

So it's all over - the 6 nations - for another year: France's Grand Slam felicitations les bleus, but no Triple Crown for Ireland (I think I pre-empted this another post, so commiserations to my Irish friends and sorry). At least Wales finished on a high note: 33-10 against Italy.

Team P W D L F A PTS
1 France 5 5 0 0 135 69 10
2 Ireland 5 3 0 2 106 95 6
3 England 5 2 1 2 88 76 5
4 Wales 5 2 0 3 113 117 4
5 Scotland 5 1 1 3 83 100 3
6 Italy 5 1 0 4 69 137 2

Source Language Word count for translations this week

9 116 words :)

And so it goes on...

Yesterday was another wshirlwind of a day professionally - as was today. Perhaps, I can have some sort of respite from people wanting my services over the weekend. In any case, I have to play the dutiful husband to the most impressive performer witin St Alban's Bach Choir tomorrow evening...

Now, as for my calling. Two agencies wanted to know my going rates for translation (they both received all relevant information of all my professional linguistic skills, together with a CV and reference to this and my other web sites on the Chartered Institute of Linguists' site and on Linked In.) One even sent me a translation document to peruse but I thought it too technical so had to refuse it, which I did earlier this morning. However, she promised to keep my details on file in Glasgow and maybe something else will come of it - such as proofreading the final translation and actually getting some translating work I can do later on. The other in London just wants my details for the moment, but there are indications that something is in the wind to translate English > Welsh. For good measure, I have provided them both with links to the recent legislative moves (Welsh Language Measure) in the National Assembly.

The joint Invoice for the Baptist Minister translation (Welsh > English) went in today. It was joint in that late yesterday afternoon, another ttranslation (English > Welsh) came in to do for 11.30 on a study into boys between 6 and 18 suffering from Haemophilia A. All this was quite technical, and I did a lot of phoning around hospitals to see if they could help with the technical bits. Ultimately, this proved fruitless although useful contacts were made.

Note: Do not phone central NHS Direct number from England if wanting the Welsh service - all nations are apart and consequently you will only get Galw Iechyd Cymru if you are phoning from Wales. Likewise, NHS Direct (England) fields English enquiries. I attempted to be transferred but with little joy. England did phone me back to say that they had tried, and also said there was only 1 Welsh speaker (a treatment nurse) available on the Galw Iechyd Cymru telephone line service. That is she was not available as she was doing her professional job of caring for the sick and fielding questions from potential patients. It seems incredible that she was the onlu one at her post for Galw Iechyd Cymru hotline - the NHS website for Wales is a very extensive and bilingual one. It would be highly surprising if all that resource is being fronted by one harrassed nurse somewhere in the depths o Ysbyty Gwynedd.

Any medical personnel (ideally Welsh speakers) care to provide comments on this and/or to help me out in the future?

By the way, many thanks to the Haemophilia Unit of Ysbyty Gwynedd of fielding my questions and helping as best they could this morning. I know you guys work very hard and professionally - Diolch yn fawr.

And, just as you think you can clock off, there are more rumours of a political party wanting some translation work English > Welsh. No further details as yet - they're being deliberately hush hush, but as political anoraks will tell you, the date of the General Election has yet to be fixed yet either...

Work!

Is this all I do at the moment? No complaints, mind. Another 817 words of translation for tomorrow lunchtime, but Welsh > English this time regarding an oration made by one Welsh Baptist Minister at the funeral of his brother who was also a WBM. Well, keep those wheels rolling...

St Patrick

Hail to Patrick (of British - but definitely NOT Irish descent)! But greetings to my Irish cousins all the same - wherever in the world you are.

situation du gallois

Il y a bcp des nouvelles par rapport a la situation du gallois en ce moment et surtout au cause du loi propose a l'Assemblee Nationale a Cardiff. (A voir les autres blogs ici et les liens du web en anglais et en gallois). Je m'excuse mais je suis assez occupe avec des traductions (anglais > gallois) pour l'instant pour ecrire bcp sur ce sujet cher a mon coeur pour mes amis francophones... Ils comprennent aussi pourquoi ce blog a une manque d'accents pour l'instant aussi, et surtout les fautes grammaticales. Desole.

Neanmoins, ici une autre lien (en anglais) pour que les francophones peut voir que la langue perd son terrain dans 'Y Fro Gymraeg' les lieux ou elle etait la plus forte auparavant. C'est pour ca je suis le fonctionnaire europenne et de la langue francaise de Cymuned - www.cymuned.org

Le lien : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8571164.stm

work (again!)

Another translation for Monday : Health Professions Council Standards of Proficiency for Practictioner Psychologists, 6 533 words English > Welsh.

Gwaith a rygbi

Diolch i Sabine am ychwaneg o waith golygu. Pob lwc gyda'r cynnwys.

Siom eto i Gymru yn erbyn y Gwyddelod yn y 6 gwlad. Maen nhw bellach yn mynd a'r Goron Driphlyg ar ol b uddugoliaeth o 27-12 ym Mharc Croke.

I'r afon y rhed y dwr...

Ydy wir, dyma ragor o waith :) 13 o eiriau o'r Saesneg i'w cyfieithu i'r Gymraeg ar gyfer un o'r asiantaethau dw i'n gweithio iddyn nhw'n barod. Wel, pam lai - mae pob chwechyn yn cyfrif...

More gets more...

New smaller pieces of work this week: Translation of a brochure for the Human Tissue Authority - English > Welsh and proofreading a translation French > English (2 760 words)

The biggie also continues...

Mesur yr Iaith Gymraeg 2010

Digwyddiadau cynhyrfus yng Nghymru:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/welsh/hi/newsid_8540000/newsid_8548200/8548281.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/welsh/hi/newsid_8550000/newsid_8550200/8550201.stm

http://www.cynulliadcymru.org/bus-home/bus-guide-docs-pub/bus-business-documents/bus-business-documents-doc-laid.htm?act=dis&id=170452&ds=3/2010

http://www.cynulliadcymru.org/bus-home/bus-guide-docs-pub/bus-business-documents/bus-business-documents-doc-laid.htm?act=dis&id=170454&ds=3/2010

Welsh Language Measure

Seems things are getting even more interesting with regard to the 'old language' at home:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8548279.stm

http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-guide-docs-pub/bus-business-documents/bus-business-documents-doc-laid.htm?act=dis&id=170452&ds=3/2010

http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-guide-docs-pub/bus-business-documents/bus-business-documents-doc-laid.htm?act=dis&id=170454&ds=3/2010

01 03 2010

Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus - Happy St David's Day - Bonne Fete Nationale!

Y diweddaraf o fyd gwleidyddiaeth and the latest from the world of politics:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/welsh/hi/newsid_8540000/newsid_8540500/8540551.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8541797.stm

Rugby et Gwynfor

Félicitations à l'équipe française de rugby pour leur victoire 26-20 contre les gallois à Caerdydd vendredi dernier. Je donne mes souhaits aussi à mes amis en France.

Par contre, une autre nouvelle intéressante par rapport à un de nos héros gallois pour vous de lire et de savoir plus au sujet du mon pays :

New work

Latest translation project: 133 638 words for the Human Resources computer of the National Assembly for Wales from English into Welsh.

To be completed by my birthday, 17 May 2010.

What fun!

Work!

Two pieces of work this week successfully completed.

Over 2 700 word English > Welsh translation for UWIC and others where a conference on Higher Education is taking place shortly. Then a proofreading of a Welsh language web site which will feature an online questionnaire for Headteachers. All very promising stuff and grist to the mill - hope everyone enjoyed and will appreciate my efforts.

Going to the in-laws tomorrow and then a couple of days yn yr hen wlad.

Well, well...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8517826.stm

Vive Sir Humphey (after all!)

Mae pethau'n symud yn eu blaenau yn yr hen wlad mi gredaf....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/welsh/hi/newsid_8520000/newsid_8520400/8520469.stm

Things seem to be moving on apace in the old country...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8501388.stm

Rugby

Yeah, all right, I'm not a rugby nut, nor did I make any comment on last week's defeat against England, but apparently this was an excellent match:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8508259.stm

I'm back!

Well, I've been rather neglectful of this site for some time, so I should really get back to activating it. A lot of things have happened professionally and socially since my last posting, but I would be here for ages if I were to list them all. And of course all this waffling on about the past probably is irrelevant to the here and now.

Anyway, I'm back - and in more ways than one. I've just had a very successful Expolangues www.expolangues.fr having once more represented the home country in France - this time for the 8th time in all. I did nothing but speak French and Welsh (a little English too) for the last week or so in Paris and was delighted to have 9 students in my annual lesson. Networking seemed to go very well too with the red dragon flag on my back always eliciting a good response and the inevitable questions. In fact, y ddraig goch was even seen on the boulevards and avenues of the French capital and au Metro prompting some to identify me as Bulgarian! Obviously much needs still to be done by the Embassy to educate these people.

Old friends were also met and both Miri and I were wined and dined and generally well conversed with - although she only joined me on the Saturday and we came back on the Sunday.

Lo and behold on my return I saw that I had lost the oportunity to translate a piece into Welsh and proofread another translator's Welsh translation. Yet, all is not lost as another translation quickly followed and next week promises to be even busier. Crossed fingers that some of the Expolangues contacts will come up trumps with other projects - more info. when things become more certain.

Things are definitely warming up politically too at home. A new First Minister, a vote enabling the National Assembly to seek a date for a Referendum on transfering yet more powers from Westminster to Cardiff, and new legislation from the National Assembly itself to provide more rights for Welsh language users and for mental patients. What with a UK General Election due sometime before the beginning of May, we are living in very interesting times.

In the meantime, dear readers (hopefully you are in the plural), I promise to be a bit more faithful to this blog from now on and keep you informed in your chosen language of events both personal and of a national (i.e. Welsh) important.