Penistone999 10 #1 Posted February 18, 2015 Sheffield council has blown £700K on translation in the last 3 years. Over £555K was spent on translators and over £131K wasted on translating documents into 44 different languages , yes you read it right FORTY FOUR different languages . The full list of languages which documents were translated into is Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cantonese, Chinese, Czech, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Hungarian, Italian, Karen, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Kurdish, Kurdish Sorani, Lingala, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Nepali, Oromo, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Pustu, Roma, Romani Gypsey, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovak Roma, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. Am i the only one who thinks people should have to pass a basic English speaking test before they are allowed into the country, because translating something into 44 languages is a joke ,and an expensive one at that . http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-council-blasted-for-spending-700-000-on-translation-1-7111386 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Dannyno 19 #2 Posted February 18, 2015 No, I think this is a good thing. If it helps people read important documents, is it "wasted"? Passing "basic English" wouldn't necessarily help you with complex official bureaucracy, either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
tinfoilhat 11 #3 Posted February 18, 2015 Sheffield council has blown £700K on translation in the last 3 years. Over £555K was spent on translators and over £131K wasted on translating documents into 44 different languages , yes you read it right FORTY FOUR different languages . The full list of languages which documents were translated into is Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cantonese, Chinese, Czech, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Hungarian, Italian, Karen, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Kurdish, Kurdish Sorani, Lingala, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Nepali, Oromo, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Pustu, Roma, Romani Gypsey, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovak Roma, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. Am i the only one who thinks people should have to pass a basic English speaking test before they are allowed into the country, because translating something into 44 languages is a joke ,and an expensive one at that . http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-council-blasted-for-spending-700-000-on-translation-1-7111386 Do you have a basic grasp of foreign languages when you go on holiday or do you just berate the locals loudly for not speaking English? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Happ Hazzard 10 #4 Posted February 18, 2015 What a waste of taxpayers money. SCC really does treat the Sheffield citizen with utter contempt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Blackbeard 10 #5 Posted February 18, 2015 (edited) Sheffield council has blown £700K on translation in the last 3 years. Over £555K was spent on translators and over £131K wasted on translating documents into 44 different languages , yes you read it right FORTY FOUR different languages . The full list of languages which documents were translated into is Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cantonese, Chinese, Czech, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Hungarian, Italian, Karen, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Kurdish, Kurdish Sorani, Lingala, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Nepali, Oromo, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Pustu, Roma, Romani Gypsey, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovak Roma, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. Am i the only one who thinks people should have to pass a basic English speaking test before they are allowed into the country, because translating something into 44 languages is a joke ,and an expensive one at that . http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-council-blasted-for-spending-700-000-on-translation-1-7111386 Well done to the Star, they must have been reading the forum. http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1365612&highlight=interpreting Or they could have used the link I offered https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/translation_service_39#incoming-562670 https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/dms/scc/management/corporate-communications/documents/legal-justice-rights/equality-diversity/customers/Language-Usage-Report-2013-2014/Language%20Usage%20Report%202013-2014.pdf I am surprised you have forgoton all this, you were part of that thread too. Edited February 18, 2015 by Blackbeard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
tzijlstra 11 #6 Posted February 18, 2015 less than 0.25 million a year on a 1429 million pound budget, damn them for spending 0.017% on being legible! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Happ Hazzard 10 #7 Posted February 18, 2015 250,000 a year is a lot of money to most people. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
ECCOnoob 1,021 #8 Posted February 18, 2015 What a waste of taxpayers money. SCC really does treat the Sheffield citizen with utter contempt. Are all Sheffield Citizens fluent in English as a first language? Do you, of course, speak all world languages and fluently deal with written and spoken information with ease when you go abroad then? No.... Didn't think so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Happ Hazzard 10 #9 Posted February 18, 2015 Are all Sheffield Citizens fluent in English as a first language? Do you, of course, speak all world languages and fluently deal with written and spoken information with ease when you go abroad then? No.... Didn't think so. I wouldn't expect the municipal council in another country to translate for me! If I moved to another country I would learn the language, and pay my own way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Blackbeard 10 #10 Posted February 18, 2015 I wouldn't expect the municipal council in another country to translate for me! If I moved to another country I would learn the language, and pay my own way. Do you ever leave Chesterfield? Even Chesterfield spends money on translation services https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/231983/response/569786/attach/html/3/FOI%201330.doc.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
tzijlstra 11 #11 Posted February 18, 2015 250,000 a year is a lot of money to most people. 1429 million is even more, who knew! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
RonJeremy 10 #12 Posted February 18, 2015 Sheffield council has blown £700K on translation in the last 3 years. Over £555K was spent on translators and over £131K wasted on translating documents into 44 different languages , yes you read it right FORTY FOUR different languages . The full list of languages which documents were translated into is Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cantonese, Chinese, Czech, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Hungarian, Italian, Karen, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Kurdish, Kurdish Sorani, Lingala, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Nepali, Oromo, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Pustu, Roma, Romani Gypsey, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovak Roma, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. Am i the only one who thinks people should have to pass a basic English speaking test before they are allowed into the country, because translating something into 44 languages is a joke ,and an expensive one at that . http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-council-blasted-for-spending-700-000-on-translation-1-7111386 Absolutely ridiculous waste of money - quite right. When I go on holiday to Spain next time I shall demand they provide a translator for me. See how far I get Actually I'm alright in Spain I know "Quattro Cervesa por favour" and "dos cervesa por favor" depending on whom I'm with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
