Welsh Government's Translation Effort Draws Criticism for Resource Use

A recent translation effort by the Welsh Government has come under scrutiny after 43 civil servants, aided by eight academics, struggled to translate eight English adjectives into Welsh for an environmental questionnaire. The adjectives—pleasant, calm, uneventful, monotonous, annoying, chaotic, eventful, and vibrant—were part of a study examining the impact of noise and soundscapes on well-being. This initiative aligns with the Welsh Government's goals of promoting the Welsh language.

The translation process unfolded in four stages. Initially, ten members of the Welsh Government Translation Service proposed Welsh equivalents for the adjectives. This was followed by a workshop involving 13 civil servants identified as confident Welsh speakers, who aimed to reach consensus on the terms. Five researchers from University College London reviewed the proposed translations, culminating in a final workshop with 30 translators and three Welsh language scholars.

Despite the extensive effort, consensus was achieved for only two terms: "vibrant" was translated as "bywiog," and "monotonous" as "undonog." For "chaotic," the team opted for "caotig," an English loanword, while "annoying" was rendered as "niwsans," a Welsh-sounding adaptation of "nuisance." The terms "eventful" and "uneventful" were deemed "alien" to the Welsh language, highlighting the challenges faced during the translation process.

The initiative has faced significant backlash from political figures and taxpayer advocacy groups. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, criticized the project as a waste of taxpayer money, particularly in light of Wales's economic challenges. He remarked, "If you sat down to write a sketch on government waste, this real-life episode might be deemed too unrealistic," advocating for cuts to such expenditures to provide tax relief for families and businesses.

Ex-Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies echoed these sentiments, labeling the expenditure as "ludicrous." He noted that while waste in the Senedd is not new under the leadership of Plaid Cymru and Labour, this instance stands out as particularly egregious. He emphasized that the resources allocated for translating eight words were excessive, especially considering that all Welsh speakers are bilingual.

In defense of the initiative, a spokeswoman for the Welsh Government clarified that the participation of civil servants was largely informal and voluntary, stating, "We did not fund this research. A small number of staff voluntarily contributed their expertise to an international multilingual research project as part of their usual work." The research was funded by Research England and involved academics from University College London.

Despite the limited success in achieving translations, the 28-page report claims the effort represents a "groundbreaking achievement for sound studies in Wales," while also acknowledging the need for further work due to the challenges encountered in defining the English terms.

The Welsh Government's translation initiative has sparked a debate over resource allocation and the effectiveness of government spending, particularly in the context of promoting the Welsh language. As discussions continue, the implications of this project on future language initiatives and public perception remain to be seen.