General Chat

Here's one for Just John and Welsh speakers !........

Welsh-speaking cyclists have been left baffled - and possibly concerned for their health - after a bizarre translation mix-up.

For instead of a road sign telling them to dismount, the Welsh translation informs them that 'bladder disease has returned'.

The temporary sign, placed in front of the roadworks at Barons Court roundabout between Penarth and Cardiff, correctly says 'cyclists dismount' in English, but says 'llid y bledren dymchwelyd' in Welsh.

Owain Sgiv, an officer for the Welsh language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, explained: 'Roughly translated, llid y bledren dymchwelyd means bladder disease has returned.

'But I have to stress that the order in which the words have been placed means the sentence makes no sense whatsoever.

'It certainly does not mean anything like cyclists dismount.'

LOLOLOLOL Made me laugh, did that :-D

Sounds like a piece of Wenglish translation.

Talk tidy!

PS: Using a mobile while cycling should lead to some sort of financial pain for the lycra miscreant.

Brenda
That's terrible. You'd have thought there might have been some Welsh speakers in the relevant office.
Some junior using a computer translator I suspect. :-0 :-0 :-0
Let's hope the cyclists could speak English as well.

'The ideal condition of any language is one that allows communication without ambiguity or confusion'.

Given the lamentations from the corporate and state sectors deploring our poor record in acquiring foreign languages, Welsh included, it would be interesting to hear how many of these recent European election candidates would be capable of conducting business abroad at any level in languages other than English.

That is really funny, Brenda. Have never heard of llid y bledrin but appears they had selected English word "cystitis" instead of "cyclists". Llid of the bladder is a well know phrase, particularly after a few pints of Brains (Wrexham Lager round your way, Brenda :-D ;-))

What has really suprised me is that the Welsh expert has confused Dymchwelyd with Dychwelyd. Quite different verbs - first means "overthrow", second means "return".

So dymchelyd no so daft in this context.

"Seiclwyr - paid a seiclo ar unwaith" would be my translation. "Cyclists - stop cycling at once". Too simple possibly.

maybe it was directed at those with uncomfortable bicycle seats.

;-)

Safety signs like this are hardly an excuse for someone to try to win the literature prize in Eisteddfod.

Danger - perygl. and Araf - slow are signs everywhere. And most people know what they mean (except Michael McIntyre - who thought it said "slow arabs"). And "cyclists dismount" is clear. Something like "no cycling - dim seiclo" would be simple for a bi-lingual safety sign. Keep the Welsh and English prose to explain parking charges, please.

Wedi stopio nawr. Roger, over and out. :-D ;-)

I'm visiting someone in Llandough Hospital this week - shall drive past there to have a look :-D :-D :-D :-D this is not the first time they have made a mega gaffe with translations

You'll have to drive really fast, AnnC - faster than speed of light. This sign was removed in 2006. Suspect it was put there just for the photo and a bit of publicity for Welsh language.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/4794753.stm

The best one ever was when someone wanted a sign to be translated and the lady wrote on the original in Welsh "will translate it when I am back in the office". They copied that underneath the English which read "Danger - bull in field"

remember that one - brill!!!!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/funniest-most-bizarre-downright-inept-1799191

Only £4.95 to buy a book of them.

Suspect a lot of them have been set up. I do see some strange Welsh in supermarkets, but my thoughts are "how nice they have made the effort" as they don't have to. Councils do have to and have no excuse these days for making silly language mistakes - they employ quite a lot of Welsh speakers.

In fact, major reason for having Welsh for the young is that you get a better job and you have more money in your purse.