SCC Blasted For Spending £700K On Translation In 3 Years

[Anna B 1,401]

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

 

I thought the government had passed a law saying everyone had to learn English if they wanted to live here? Or was it just more cheap talk?

 

Where's the incentive to learn, if everything is translated?

 

In times of austerity and penny pinching surely it's an expense we can't afford. Can't people ask a friend to translate for them? As for translating council documents etc, I can't understand them in English, never mind any other language.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

Straw man alert. You can't compare visiting somewhere for a holiday, to actually living there.

 

Actually this was part of the quote that the poster was replying to:

 

Am i the only one who thinks people should have to pass a basic English speaking test before they are allowed into the country

 

The thing is, with even a basic understanding of English it may be appropriate for translation services to be required.

[tinfoilhat 11]

Straw man alert. You can't compare visiting somewhere for a holiday, to actually living there.

 

So the leaflets etc are purely used for people who live here. Not students, not tourists.

 

Love to see a bit of evidence of that.

 

---------- Post added 18-02-2015 at 23:29 ----------

 

I thought the government had passed a law saying everyone had to learn English if they wanted to live here? Or was it just more cheap talk?

 

Where's the incentive to learn, if everything is translated?

 

In times of austerity and penny pinching surely it's an expense we can't afford. Can't people ask a friend to translate for them? As for translating council documents etc, I can't understand them in English, never mind any other language.

 

What if they're already here? And the Eu lot we can't turf out even if we wanted to!

[Anna B 1,401]

So the leaflets etc are purely used for people who live here. Not students, not tourists.

 

Love to see a bit of evidence of that.

 

---------- Post added 18-02-2015 at 23:29 ----------

 

 

What if they're already here? And the Eu lot we can't turf out even if we wanted to!

 

If they're already here and intending to stay, don't you think they have a duty to learn English?

[tinfoilhat 11]

If they're already here and intending to stay, don't you think they have a duty to learn English?

 

Should they? Why wouldn't they when it makes their life easier? No idea. Duty when they're already here? Not sure.

 

But we could chuck em all out. Let's hope the likes of France and Spain don't do the same thing as we'd be swamped with permatanned old people.

[convert 10]

Should they? Why wouldn't they when it makes their life easier? No idea. Duty when they're already here? Not sure.

 

But we could chuck em all out. Let's hope the likes of France and Spain don't do the same thing as we'd be swamped with permatanned old people.

 

You mean countries that, in which, a large proportion of the native population already speak English?

 

Mainly because it is the international business language of choice.

 

PS nice attempt to divert the straw man comment; translation services aren't just used for leaflets.

[Dannyno 19]

I think it's a good thing if people speak English. It's empowering and it's part of living in Britain.

 

But what the anti-translators are not thinking about - and they are not thinking about a lot - is the reality of learning a language. You don't go from knowing no English to speaking English like it's your first language.

 

And while you are learning it's actually going to be helpful to have support, and I don't think we should leave people who don't have English as a first language to struggle unnecessarily when we can spend a small amount to help them.

 

What sort of things are translated? Specialist services for new immigrants, perhaps? Information about where to learn English? Health information?

 

Translation of official publications doesn't discourage learning English - in fact it can help people who are learning English.

 

And it can also help integrate people with English as a second language into the community by helping them access information and services and community resources, to participate in democracy, and to understand rules and standards.

 

There is guidance out there for local authorities on translation.

 

See for example: http://resources.cohesioninstitute.org.uk/Publications/Documents/Document/Default.aspx?recordId=60

 

The advice is not to translate everything automatically, because that could be counter-productive. But it makes sense to translate some things.

 

From the above document:

 

there will always be some circumstances in which translation is appropriate – for example, to enable particular individuals to access essential services like healthcare or participate in local democracy. That is why local authorities are responsible for making the decisions which reflect the needs of their community.

[top4718 838]

Why don't the people who want to learn the language be asked to pay a small donation towards the use of a translator?

[RonJeremy 10]

Why don't the people who want to learn the language be asked to pay a small donation towards the use of a translator?

 

Or they could pay for all of it.

 

Or they could use google translate like the rest of us do

[spilldig 185]

What a waste of taxpayers money. SCC really does treat the Sheffield citizen with utter contempt.

Precisely.They should be cutting council tax and rates, not increasing them.

[truman 10]

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?

 

I would assume that the people the council aim the translation at won't be on holiday..they'll be living here..

 

---------- Post added 19-02-2015 at 11:01 ----------

 

So the leaflets etc are purely used for people who live here. Not students, not tourists.

 

 

If students are studying here then you'd expect them to understand English ...in fact I'm fairly certain that the unis do ask for proof of it..

 

From the Sheffield University website..

 

"If you want to study at the University of Sheffield, you must be able show that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course."

 

From Hallam...

 

 

"Courses at NQF Level 6 and above (includes BA, BSc, MA, MSc, MPhil, PhD)

We consider the following English language qualifications for courses at degree level (NQF Level 6) or above requiring

 

an IELTS 6.0 or equivalent entry requirement"

Edited February 19, 2015 by truman

[tinfoilhat 11]

You mean countries that, in which, a large proportion of the native population already speak English?

 

Mainly because it is the international business language of choice.

 

PS nice attempt to divert the straw man comment; translation services aren't just used for leaflets.

 

I never said they were just for leaflets.

 

---------- Post added 19-02-2015 at 13:06 ----------

 

I would assume that the people the council aim the translation at won't be on holiday..they'll be living here..

 

---------- Post added 19-02-2015 at 11:01 ----------

 

 

If students are studying here then you'd expect them to understand English ...in fact I'm fairly certain that the unis do ask for proof of it..

 

From the Sheffield University website..

 

"If you want to study at the University of Sheffield, you must be able show that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course."

 

From Hallam...

 

 

"Courses at NQF Level 6 and above (includes BA, BSc, MA, MSc, MPhil, PhD)

We consider the following English language qualifications for courses at degree level (NQF Level 6) or above requiring

 

an IELTS 6.0 or equivalent entry requirement"

 

Then they aren't for students then!