Metaglossia: The Translation World

"Interpreting Europe Conference 2025
The Interpreting Europe Conference is the flagship event of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Interpretation.

The Interpreting Europe Conference is the flagship event of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Interpretation.

Join us in Brussels or online on 6-7 February 2025 to connect with fellow professionals, industry experts, academics and students in the field of interpretation, Artificial Intelligence and beyond to engage in discussions on the future of the interpreting profession.

Register now

You will be asked to login or create an account on EU Login in order to access the registration page.

Live streaming will be available: 6 February 2025 | 7 February 2025 ..."

More on
https://commission.europa.eu/ec-events/interpreting-europe-conference-2025-02-06_en

#metaglossia_mundus

Tracing the Evolution of NLP The interaction between AI and language corpora has been ongoing for several decades. Its early beginnings can be traced back to the 1950s-1980s with the advent of rule-...

Read more at: https://organiser.org/2024/12/22/269989/world/will-ai-and-language-corpus-romance-form-an-unholy-alliance-in-the-future/

En l’état du droit, pour les débats au sein des assemblées des collectivités territoriales, il est possible de prévoir une traduction du français vers la langue régionale, mais pas l’inverse. De fait, le cadre juridique sur la place de la langue française laisse place à peu d’exceptions

 

La langue française est celle de la République aux termes de l’article 2 de la Constitution :

« La langue de la République est le français.
« […]»

 

Le recours au français s’impose aux termes de la loi « Toubon » n° 94-665 du 4 août 1994 relative à l’emploi de la langue française, précisant elle-même l’article 2 de la Constitution qui, par certains côtés, réactivait elle-même l’ordonnance de Villers-Cotterêts du 10 aout 1539.

 

Ce qui n’exclut pas les langues régionales, et d’ailleurs l’article 75-1 de la Constitution dispose depuis 2008 que :

« Les langues régionales appartiennent au patrimoine de la France.»

 

 

D’ailleurs, a été adoptée la « Loi Molac » n° 2021-641 du 21 mai 2021 relative à la protection patrimoniale des langues régionales et à leur promotion » :

 

• www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000043524722

L’article 21 de cette loi dispose (depuis la loi Molac précitée)  que  «les dispositions de la présente loi ne font pas obstacle à l’usage des langues régionales et aux actions publiques et privées menées en leur faveur. »

Voir aussi : C. Const., décision 99-412 DC – 15 juin 1999 – Charte européenne des langues régionales ou minoritaires – Non conformité partielle. Voir plus récemment la décision n° 2021-818 DC du 21 mai 2021, avec un important volet sur les langues régionales. Voir :

• Langues régionales : le Conseil constitutionnel plus sensible à la défense de l’exclusivité du français qu’à celle du principe d’égalité en matière de financement scolaire 

 

Cette loi avait donné lieu juste précédemment, au nom de l’article 2 de la Constitution notamment, à une assez large censure opérée par le Conseil constitutionnel (portant notamment sur l’ « enseignement immersif » et sur l’utilisation de signes diacritiques dans les actes de l’état-civil) :

• Décision n° 2021-818 DC du 21 mai 2021 : voir ici cette décision et notre article  

 

Source de l’image : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Langues_de_la_France.svg

A ces règles, n’existent que de rares dérogations historiques. Certains textes peuvent ainsi avoir une valeur juridique quoiqu’écrits en langue régionale ou en langue étrangère, sous de strictes conditions en droit, si ces actes sont antérieurs au rattachement (ou au retour) à la France du territoire considéré avec maintien en vigueur du droit antérieur par la France :

• voir un cas typique en Alsace et en Moselle en application des deux lois du 1er juin 1924 (voir ici et ici), voir : CAA Nancy, 9 juillet 2020, n° 18NC01505; arrêt que nous avons diffusé et commenté ici avec rappel du droit applicable : Alsace-Moselle : quand un texte de droit local, en allemand, remontant à la période 1871-1918, est-il encore applicable ? )


• A comparer avec (certes en sens inverse : différé ou non application du droit français antérieur), à propos du rattachement de la Savoie et de Nice à la France: Cour de cassation, 7 juillet 1862, Ginet et Jacquier (droit de ne pas se voir imposer un jugement antérieur rendu en France et non exécutoire dans le Royaume de Piémont-Sardaigne)

 

Il est toujours loisible de prévoir d’un texte en français qu’il sera traduit (en sus du français donc), comme cela est le cas pour nos cartes nationales d’identité (CE, 22 juillet 2022, n°455477).

C’est ainsi légalement qu’une charte de parc naturel peut inclure quelques passages en provençal traduisant les paragraphes correspondants rédigés en français (Conseil d’État, 31 octobre 2022, n° 444948, aux tables du recueil Lebon).

Donc, à titre d’illustrations :

• en marchés publics sera irrégulière une offre dont une pièce n’est pas traduite en français (sauf sans doute si cette pièce est un doublon : CE, 29 juin 2012, Société Signature, req. n°357617 ; TA Marseille, 20 octobre 2016, Société Unowhy, req. °1607877).


• Voir ici les nombreuses jurisprudences relatives à l’emploi, légal ou non selon les cas, de termes étrangers — en général en langue anglaise — sans traduction (légal dans certains cas d’usage à l’étranger ou d’absence de traduction)


• Voir aussi sur les clauses dites « Molière » (souvent illégales) et les « clauses dites d’interprétariat » (souvent légales) dans les marchés publics : CE, ord., 4 décembre 2017, n°413366  ]

Voir aussi ma courte vidéo faite en mars 2022 à ce sujet (4 mn 11) : https://youtu.be/8ddUF0y8gj8

Avec in fine une règle simple :

• « Les documents administratifs doivent […] être rédigés en langue française.»
  (Conseil d’État, 31 octobre 2022, n° 444948, aux tables du recueil Lebon).

 

La langue de notre pays est ainsi officiellement le français et que les langues régionales peuvent s’y ajouter, mais pas substituer le français (d’autant que la France a signé mais n’ a pas ratifié la Charte européenne des langues régionales ou minoritaires — CELRM — dont voici le texte complet).

C’est ainsi qu’est illégal le fait de prévoir que la langue corse peut remplacer le français dans les débats d’une assemblée délibérante locale, ou de prévoir que le catalan peut être utilisé à la place du français même avec traduction en français.

En l’espèce :

• Sous le titre « Usage du bilinguisme », l’article 16 du règlement intérieur du conseil exécutif prévoyait que « Les membres du Conseil exécutif de Corse et les agents du Secrétariat général du Conseil exécutif utilisent les langues corse et française dans leurs échanges oraux, électroniques, et dans les actes résultant de leurs travaux. » L’article 1er du règlement intérieur de l’Assemblée de Corse allait dans le même sens.


• Les conseils municipaux d’Elne, d’Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda, de Tarerach, de Saint-André et de Port-Vendres ont modifié leur règlement intérieur pour permettre aux conseillers municipaux de présenter les délibérations et de débattre en catalan avec une traduction en français. Ces dispositions prévoyaient que : « Le rapporteur pourra présenter la délibération en langue catalane mais il devra toujours l’accompagner de la traduction en français. De même, les interventions des conseillers municipaux pourront se faire en langue catalane mais elles devront toujours être accompagnées de la traduction en français ».

"...The goal of Lener’s translations is to create the first dictionaries and reference grammar for the languages.. The languaged are largely undescribed and undocumented because linguists have been unable to travel to the region where they’re spoken, due to the difficult geography and ongoing political tensions. But the internet has changed everything.

Now, Lener and his colleagues can send lists of English words to language consultants in Nigeria who translate them, pronounce them in their native language, and send back recordings using WhatsApp. In other cases, the consultants record a story that the Syracuse University researchers translate into English.

“Having them give these oral histories is a great way to really hear how the language is spoken in a natural, relaxed setting,” Lener says. “When you hear this language, you’re reminded this is a part of somebody’s culture, this is how somebody interacts with other people in their daily life, this is the language that somebody was sung to in when they were a child.”

Lener’s current research centers on Jhar, one of the Jarawan languages. He estimates that 20,000 people speak it in Nigeria, a country that features more than 500 languages. But aside from the cultural value, people may ask: Why study it? “Every single different language adds a piece to our understanding of how humans process ideas and create coherent thoughts and express very complex feelings about the world and judgments about what’s going on,” Lener says. Studying the language also may shed light on migration patterns in Africa, he says, and helps affirm to native speakers that their language is important..."

'SAVEZ-VOUS QUELLE LANGUE EST LA DEUXIÈME PLUS PARLÉE EN FRANCE APRÈS LE FRANÇAIS ?
18 DÉCEMBRE 2024 PAR GASPARD COHEN
La France est un pays riche en diversité linguistique, influencée par son histoire et ses nombreuses régions. Si le français est sans conteste la langue officielle et la plus parlée, d’autres langues coexistent au quotidien, qu’elles soient d’origine étrangère ou régionale. Mais quelle est la deuxième langue la plus parlée en France après le français ? Vous pourriez être surpris.

L’ARABE : LA DEUXIÈME LANGUE LA PLUS PARLÉE EN FRANCE
Parmi les langues étrangères, l’arabe se distingue comme la langue la plus utilisée en France après le français. On estime que plus de 4 millions de personnes la parlent régulièrement, que ce soit à la maison ou dans des contextes communautaires. Cette présence linguistique trouve ses racines dans l’histoire, notamment à travers la colonisation française en Afrique du Nord et les vagues successives d’immigration venues de pays comme l’Algérie, le Maroc et la Tunisie.

L’influence de l’arabe sur la langue française est également notable. Près de 3 000 mots utilisés en français, comme « alcool », « hammam », « tambour » ou encore « kiffer », proviennent de l’arabe. Cette interaction linguistique remonte au moins au VIIIe siècle, ce qui témoigne de liens anciens et profonds entre ces deux cultures.

LES LANGUES RÉGIONALES LES PLUS PARLÉES EN FRANCE

Outre les langues étrangères, la France est également un terreau fertile pour les langues régionales, qui reflètent la richesse de son patrimoine culturel. Selon le rapport Cerquiglini de 1999, 75 langues régionales sont encore utilisées sur le territoire..."

https://lnkd.in/e6paGKi4

#metaglossia_mundus

"... Pope Francis met on Monday with several members of the World Methodist Council, an association of around 80 Churches throughout the world which represent some 80 million faithful.

In his address, the Pope thanked God that Catholics and Methodists have overcome our estrangement and sought to dialogue “in reciprocal knowledge, understanding, and love” for the past 60 years.

“Opening ourselves to one another has brought us closer and made us realize that reconciliation is a task of the heart,” he said. “When the Heart of the Lord Jesus touches our hearts, He transforms us.”

Pope Francis invited Methodists and Catholics to seek to unite our “differing minds and wills” under the guidance of the Holy Spirit..."

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-12/pope-francis-world-methodist-council-audience.html
#metaglossia_mundus

Organisations are placing increasing emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as part of their focus on social responsibility within their environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies. Understanding the terminology and its implications is critical if targeted action is to be successful. Dr Sue Shortland explains.

Sue Shortland

17 DECEMBER 2024

Equalities legislation

Today’s focus on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) has its roots in equalities legislation. In the UK, for example, discrimination on grounds of sex and race took effect in the mid-1970s. In the USA, civil rights legislation was introduced in the 1960s.The Equalities Act 2010 in the UK lists nine protected characteristics: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation. In essence, the legislation prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of these protected characteristics.The Equality and Human Rights Commission defines direct discrimination as: “when you are treated worse than another person or other people because: you have a protected characteristic; someone thinks you have that protected characteristic (known as discrimination by perception); you are connected to someone with that protected characteristic (known as discrimination by association)”. It defines indirect discrimination as “when there is a policy that applies in the same way for everybody but disadvantages a group of people who share a protected characteristic, and you are disadvantaged as part of this group.” 

Equal chance

Equalities legislation sets the legal framework for providing the same to everyone – everyone has an equal chance of success. Just like throwing a dice, there is an equal chance of any of the faces coming up on top. With respect to employment this means that anyone holding any of these protected characteristics should have an equal chance or opportunity to access and progress within the workforce.The key problem though with the equal chance agenda is that individuals do not start from a level playing field. In other words the dice is weighted in favour of the majority group. In employment, this group usually comprises white, heterosexual, males. This means that equal opportunity to gain employment and career progression is hampered by individuals’ protected characteristics (and others not covered by legislation) as well as individuals’ social backgrounds and other personal circumstances.

Equity versus equality: equal access and equal share

This is where the notion of equity comes in as this goes beyond the notion of equal chance to encompass both equal access and equal share. Equity refers to fairness and justice and thus differs from equality. If the equity agenda is to be pursued, over and above the baseline equality agenda, organisations must recognise that individuals all start from different places and adjustments will be needed to address these imbalances.For example, if women are to have equal access to - and an equal share of - leadership positions, and when those positions are awarded based on global experience, women’s under-representation in expatriation can act as a barrier to entering senior management and gaining their fair share of leadership roles.To help to facilitate equal access of minority groups to leadership roles, positive action may be required such as ensuring that minorities are made aware of positions that are available and are encouraged to apply.Open and transparent recruitment and selection procedures can also help to widen access for minority groups. These include advertising all positions and adopting structured interviews using diverse panels. By contrast, closed and opaque processes might, for example, rely on word of mouth and unstructured one-on-one interviews.Minority groups have fewer networks and role models than the white, heterosexual male majority. Organisational support for networks and role models for minorities can help to widen leadership access and other career opportunities.Equal access goes only part way towards achieving equity. The question then becomes equal access to what? If minority groups cannot achieve an equal share of leadership positions despite accessing them, then true equity has not been achieved. This is where interventions become paramount to ensure there is a culture of true equity. Allies can support progression of minorities. Coaches, mentors and sponsors can also play a valuable role here. Top management support is critical to fostering a culture of equity that pervades the whole organisation.

 

Positive action

Positive action is not the same as positive discrimination. Positive action concerns taking steps to enable or encourage those sharing protected characteristics to minimise the disadvantage linked to that characteristic. An example would be offering confidence building courses to women seeking to enter management.By contrast, positive discrimination refers to action that favours someone holding a protected characteristic by treating them differently in a positive way (discriminating in their favour).  An example would be if a woman does not hold the skills required but is given a leadership role to improve diversity statistics (increasing the percentage of women in leadership).

Diversity and inclusion

This brings us on to consider diversity and inclusion and actions to promote an equal share agenda.Diversity concerns celebrating difference. A diverse workforce brings a range of skills and talents to an organisation. The business case for diversity is well known. Diverse workers bring new ideas, reflect diverse customer profiles, and are known to help improve financial performance. However, pursuing diversity means embracing a wide range of individuals with differing characteristics and this can result in conflict. If such conflict is constructive it can have positive outcomes but manging such conflict can be time consuming and difficult. The argument though is that the longer term outcome is better for business.One of the problems though is that the business case for diversity can prove to be fickle. In tight labour markets, employers can clearly see the need to draw from a wider and more diverse talent pool. When the labour market is plentiful, it becomes easier to fall back on traditional profiles and remove support measures that enable and encourage minorities. So, for example, in tight labour markets employers might fund workplace nurseries or childcare provision to encourage women (who typically carry out the majority of childcare) to work. If the labour market is plentiful, such schemes might be closed down due to their cost.A further issue to consider is that diversity can end up becoming a numbers game. Organisations record their diversity profiles and this can look very good on paper. However, if the various minorities do not get equal access to - and an equal share of - the better career opportunities, but remain in the lower end of the hierarchy, then only lip service is paid to equity.Inclusion is needed for diversity actions to be effective. By this we mean that minorities are included within the group or organisational structure. In essence, they have voice. They are listened to and any barriers they may face are identified and addressed. Unless someone has experienced disadvantage, prejudice and/or discrimination, they cannot truly understand what the barriers to progression are. Organisations therefore need robust engagement and voice processes for inclusion to take place and efforts to widen diversity to become meaningful.

Intersectionality

This leads us to consider the role of intersectionality in EDI strategies. Intersectionality refers to each individual’s unique combinations of discrimination and privilege. Each and every individual brings with them a range of personal characteristics and a unique social and political identity. Some facets of this unique profile can be linked to protected characteristics specified in legislation; others are not addressed by law (such as obesity and class). Some of these confer privilege, others disadvantage and the context in which this is assessed can vary. For example, would a white, gay, man experience greater privilege or disadvantage than a black, straight, man?There can be competing claims flowing from the intersectionality of overlapping protected characteristics. This can result in employers finding it difficult to reconcile and manage the boundaries between, for example, religion and belief and other equality protected characteristics. For instance, certain religions may consider homosexuality immoral, resulting in conflict between these equality strands.Intersectionality refers to the interconnected nature of difference categories. In essence, the point is that it is not possible to categorise individuals under a single banner heading because everyone will be unique. This reinforces the need for inclusive voice mechanisms that truly hear what individuals’ circumstances are and respond to them, such that the playing field can be made as fair and just as possible. In this way everyone can reach their full potential through an equal share of career opportunities and seniority to the benefit of individuals, organisations and societies.

"...This year, the list includes works from authors across several African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Namibia, Rwanda, Sudan, Libya, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa. Notable titles include Half Portraits Underwater by Kenya’sDennis Mugaa, Pemi Aguda’s groundbreaking short story collection Ghostroots, which has beenlonglisted for the 2024 National Book Prize, and South African comedian Trevor Noah’s debut novel, Into the Cut Grass.

 

Other highlights include Hisham Matar’s Booker Prize-nominated novel about friendship and exile, My Friends, and Angolan novelist Ondjaki's speculative fiction masterpiece, Our Beautiful Darkness.

 

In herintroduction, Brittle Paper’s Editor-in-Chief,Ainehi Edoro, remarked on how challenging it was to curate this year’s list because of the sheer volume of excellent books coming out of the continent. “Fiction remains dominant, but poetry had a strong showing. The visual culture around books is at an all-time high, as is evident in the stunning book covers. Contemporary African writing is still fiercely Pan-African,” she added.

 

Brittle Paper’s 100 Notable African Books of 2024tells us everything we need to know about today’s African literary scene: it only keeps improving. From debut authors to seasoned favorites across different genres and themes, the list reminds us of the power of African storytelling to captivate minds and inspire readers everywhere.

 

Check out Brittle Paper’s 100 Notable Books of 2024 here."

 

https://lnkd.in/e-Uu3PiY

#metaglossia_mundus

"Large Language Models (LLMs) have achieved remarkable advancements in natural language processing (NLP), enabling applications in text generation, summarization, and question-answering. However, their reliance on token-level processing—predicting one word at a time—presents challenges. This approach contrasts with human communication, which often operates at higher levels of abstraction, such as sentences or ideas.

 

Token-level modeling also struggles with tasks requiring long-context understanding and may produce outputs with inconsistencies. Moreover, extending these models to multilingual and multimodal applications is computationally expensive and data-intensive. To address these issues, researchers at Meta AI have proposed a new approach: Large Concept Models (LCMs)..."

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.marktechpost.com/2024/12/15/meta-ai-proposes-large-concept-models-lcms-a-semantic-leap-beyond-token-based-language-modeling/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoUMTI1MDU2NDI2OTg5NDkwNjQzOTAyGjJkZDhkNTMxMTVhZjAwNzY6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AOvVaw0R5jupdAQXtDGCXutgHrjE
#metaglossia_mundus

 

Learn vocabulary while you work, study and live your life. WordzBrowser is an innovative translation browser with an AI language learning engine allowing you to learn new words as you surf the web.

Love Lost in Translation Sparks Free Language Learning Innovation

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Wordz Browser

Dec 15, 2024, 19:10 ET



Wordz Browser Team Roy and Esseniya Daya

Cross-cultural romance leads to innovative browser that teaches personally relevant vocabulary in 100+ languages while reading online.

TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- When software entrepreneur Roy Daya fell for psychologist Esseniya, he found himself lost in the complex Russian terminology of her psychology research papers. Meanwhile, Esseniya struggled to follow Roy's passionate discussions about technology and startups in Hebrew and English. Their solution to this romance-meets-professional challenge launches globally today as Wordz Browser - a free mobile app (for both iOS and Android) that helps anyone learn personally relevant vocabulary while browsing topics they care about in their native language.

"I wanted to truly understand Esseniya's world of psychology, but found myself stumbling over specialized Russian terms in her research papers," explains Roy. "At the same time, Esseniya was trying to engage with my startup and technology discussions in Hebrew and English. We were both passionate about our fields and about each other, but language barriers were keeping parts of our professional worlds separate."

"Traditional courses teach standardized vocabulary, but real-world interests and needs are highly individual. This tool lets people naturally acquire vocabulary in their specific areas of interest." says Roy Daya, Co-Founder and CEO of WordzBrowser.

Their love story sparked an idea: what if they could learn vocabulary naturally, simply by reading about each other's interests? Today, that solution is available to everyone as Wordz Browser - a tool that subtly teaches you words in any of over 100 languages while you read websites in your native language.

"We realized this wasn't just about us," says Esseniya. "Everyone has their own unique interests and needs when learning a language. Whether you're trying to understand your partner's professional world like we were, following specific hobbies, or developing professional skills, traditional language courses rarely teach the vocabulary you personally need."

Early users from a testing community of 259 people have found diverse applications:

- A gaming enthusiast learned Japanese gaming terminology while reading reviews

- A home cook mastered Italian cooking vocabulary through food blogs

- A resort worker picked up guest service terms in five languages

- A tech support agent learned product terminology in multiple languages

- A medical researcher accessed journal articles in German

"What makes this approach unique is its personalization," says Roy Daya, Co-Founder and CEO of WordzBrowser. "Traditional courses teach standardized vocabulary, but real-world interests and needs are highly individual. This tool lets people naturally acquire vocabulary in their specific areas of interest."

Key Features:

- Works in the background while you read

- No interruptions or clicking required

- Learns what vocabulary matters to you

- Processes everything privately on your device

- Free access to curated content

- Available in over 100 languages

The free browser includes access to a growing collection of content across various interests and topics, with premium options available for unlimited web access. All learning happens privately on users' devices, with no storage of browsing history.

The story of Wordz Browser continues to reflect its origins. "Every time I understand more of Esseniya's research papers, or she gets excited about a tech concept she's read about, we're reminded of why we created this," says Roy. "Language learning is personal - it's about connecting with the things and people you care about."

About Wordz Browser:

Founded by Roy and Esseniya Daya, Wordz Browser helps people learn languages through their everyday reading. The platform supports over 100 languages and processes all learning privately on users' devices. For more information, visit wordzbrowser.com.

As part of its mission to connect people and improve lives, Wordz Browser donates a portion of its revenues to train emotional support llamas worldwide. These llamas bring comfort and therapeutic support to communities in need, from children in hospitals to individuals coping with mental health challenges. "The idea is simple," says Esseniya. "Just like language connects people, these llamas create connections and bring warmth to those who need it most."

Wordz Browser is also available for organizations or communities seeking custom landing pages featuring specialized, curated lists of links tailored to their company, industry, branding, or other themes. See Wordz Browser for groups for more information.

Media Contact

Roy Daya, Wordz Browser, 1 6722226072, royd@wordzbrowser.com, wordzbrowser.com
https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/love-lost-in-translation-sparks-free-language-learning-innovation-302332061.html&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoUMTYzNDU0MjEyMjUzMTM0NzMzODQyGjVhZTk5NTE3ZDNhZGFhMDA6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AOvVaw2T-lSGDxvXPmjVd-jx7M0I

“Tariff,” Donald Trump has said many times, “is the most beautiful word in the dictionary.”

While there are many political positions that the incoming president seems to have adopted later on in life, as the Guardian US business editor, Dominic Rushe, explains, his commitment to tariffs is long and deeply held.

Dominic Rushe explains why the president-elect wants to impose tariffs on imports, and the risks it poses to the economy. Senior China correspondent Amy Hawkins talks through the potential of a wider retaliatory trade war with China.

By Susie Dent
Angry about the decline of the English language? So were people in the 1700s

Language can be a brat sometimes

December 15, 2024 7:00 am (Updated 1:29 pm)

I’m well accustomed to being a party pooper. No book signing, speaking event, or Countdown studio day goes by without my hearing either a quiet quibble or loud lament about the state of our language. My inbox is similarly full of grievances, from the invasion of American English and ruination of grammar by social media to specific horrors such as “I should of said” or “I was sat”. The overwhelming sense is that English is plummeting to its inevitable destruction, and that none of us are doing anything about it. Which means that the job of a lexicographer sometimes feels like being a traffic warden: never the bringer of good news. Except that instead of issuing penalties for language violation, we apparently let everyone do what they fancy and stand by as the house of letters falls down.

Those who are mightily unhappy at the state of our language have had some impressive voices in their camp. In 1712, the author of Gulliver’s Travels Jonathan Swift appealed to the Earl of Oxford for some form of linguistic law before it was too late. “My Lord; I do here in the Name of all the Learned and Polite Persons of the Nation, complain ….. that our Language is extremely imperfect; that its daily Improvements are by no means in proportion to its daily Corruptions; and the Pretenders to polish and refine it, have chiefly multiplied Abuses and Absurdities; and, that in many Instances, it offends against every Part of Grammar.”

It’s not hard to understand why people still feel this way. Language change inspires regular foofaraws, whether it be the addition of the very non-literal sense of “literally” in the dictionary (cue people literally fuming) to the apparent invasion of Parliament by Americanisms, which according to some has gotten a whole lot worse.

Add that to the insistence of Gen Z on flipping the existing meanings of words that have been with us for centuries, and you can see why some hearts are sinking. 2024 saw a whole new side to the word “brat”, while the expression “very demure, very mindful” sashayed from satire to style mantra within a matter of days.

Of course, slang is expressly designed to go over the heads of everyone else. That is its very intention, just as it was with criminal slang in the Middle Ages. But that doesn’t stop today’s older generations decrying such newfangledness at the expense of “proper” English.

Their disappointment only deepens when they hear dictionary-makers explain that their role is to describe language rather than prescribe it. Samuel Johnson, maker of one of the most important dictionaries in history, might have got away with rude pronouncements on anything foreign (including the Scots), but today’s documenters cannot.

Despite that, and in the absence of linguistic government, dictionaries remain in the eyes of most the only referees: if it is not in the lexicon then a word doesn’t properly exist.

Lexicographers will of course patiently set out our stall: that there never has been a golden age of English; that Shakespeare and Keats were equally derided for their verbal concoctions; and that new technology is routinely condemned for its improverishment of language. When challenged on the importance of rules, we will respond with “what rules?”. The only one in English that all of us regularly trot out is “I before e except after c”, yet as Stephen Fry in an episode of QI pointed out years ago, for every one word that conforms to the rule, there are 21 that don’t.

As for the infestation of Americanisms in Parliament, the majority of those objected to were “ours” long before they travelled across the Atlantic. “Gotten” can be found in a 16th-century translation of the Bible.

On top of all this, our vocabulary has never been reassuringly stable. Many of our words have undergone extraordinary changes of meaning: “silly” once meant “blissful”, “nice” meant “foolish”, and “travel” began with an instrument of torture.

And yet the resistance to change is all too familiar to lexicographers these days. In the eyes of many, we are liberal, let-it-all-hang-out proponents of any addition to our mother tongue, no matter how daft. But we also know that change is essential if the language we chart is to survive. Popular opinion sways us not by its outrage, but by the fact that it is ultimately the only authority that counts. English has always been an entirely democratic enterprise.

So you won’t be seeing any penalty notices for grammatical infringements any time soon, but nor will you be watching chaos unfold. Language can be a brat sometimes – wild, unapologetic, and resolutely self-serving – but we party poopers wouldn’t have it any other way.

Susie Dent is a lexicographer and etymologist. She has appeared in Dictionary Corner on Countdown since 1992

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://inews.co.uk/opinion/the-truth-about-the-english-language-leaves-people-fuming-literally-3423627&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoTMTM3NjUwNzE5NzE5ODg5MTQwMTIaODhkNDgyMDhiMTNlOTM1ZDpjb206ZW46VVM&usg=AOvVaw3yeLQKm5OcZelZuIxPH1BR

"The College of Liberal Art’s translation studies minor allows students to heighten their language proficiency in professional and community settings.

The program, which is housed in the Clorinda Donato Center for Global Romance Languages and Translation Studies on campus, was named after program director and Italian and French professor,  Clorinda Donato....

“A translation studies minor informs students about the increasingly wide ranging field of translation studies and interpreting, two aspects of the same area which is translating or interpreting messages, texts, video, film from one language to another or multiple languages,” Donato said.

The center advises that a student already has proficiency in the language they choose to apply for translation specialization.

The required classes for the minor are:

An elective in a language (3 units) or a score of 4 or 5 on an AP Language Exam or by taking a language proficiency exam in an elected language.
TRST 201 – Meaning in Transit: An Introduction to Translation Studies
TRST 301 – Translation: Ethics, Theory, and Practice
TRST 401 – Translation Workshop
An elective in the student’s major (3 units)
The first two courses, Translation Studies 201 and 301, give students a theoretical foundation, while Translation Studies 401 is a workshop that gives students technological and technical tools. Audiovisual, subtitling and computer assistant tools with translation memory are also introduced in the class.

If a student has fulfilled the language requirement/elective but wants to learn another language, it is highly encouraged as translators are often asked to work in another language besides their two studied primary languages.

“We recommend that student’s learn in language families because you can learn more quickly,” Donato said.

She said that the more languages a person knows the better because a person’s ability to learn and make connections heightens...

#metaglossia_mundus

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/news/interpreting-paris-olympics-once-lifetime-opportunity&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoUMTAzODA2MjgyNDU1NTcxMjQ0MTcyGmM3NjY4NmEyYzBlYjVmYzI6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AOvVaw22dTGmmUI5B-ck5J2g7dmX

Excerpts: "...The country has 12 official languages: Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu and, since 2023, South African Sign Language or SASL.

Most South Africans speak at least two languages, making it one of the most multilingual nations in the world.

For centuries South Africa’s official languages were European – Dutch, English and Afrikaans. 

African languages, spoken by at least 80% of the people, were ignored. But, in 1996 a new constitution gave official protection to all of the country’s major languages...."

"...Pretoria is the administrative capital, where the president and government departments are based. 

Cape Town, on the southwest coast, is the legislative capital and home to Parliament.

And, Bloemfontein, in the centre of the country, is the judicial capital, hosting the Supreme Court of Appeal.

 

This unusual setup dates back to 1910 when the Union of South Africa was formed..."

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1987715/africa-richest-country-south-africa

"Alison Hird - Sun, 8 December 2024 at 5:59 pm GMT+1
The Académie Française, founded in the 17th century under Louis XIV, views itself as the guardian of the French language – but a group of linguists says the words the institution chooses to protect or refuses to admit to its prestigious dictionary reveal an ideological bias.

What's in a word? In France, plenty.

So much so that since 1635 the Académie Française has been solemnly watching over the purity and eloquence of the language, and deliberating which words can or cannot be admitted to its official dictionary.

First published in 1694, there have been around two editions per century ever since. The ninth edition, published in mid-November, is the fruit of nearly four decades of painstaking deliberation by the academy's language commission.

Its ten members meet every Thursday to work their way through the alphabet, at the rate of around one letter every 18 months.

"You ensure that language is used properly," President Emmanuel Macron told the members of the academy – known as immortels – as he was ceremoniously handed a copy of the dictionary on 14 November. "The pace at which you produce your dictionary prevents you from giving in to the temptations of fads and trends. You strike a subtle balance in being of your time without giving in to your era."

Moncomble says this means it lacks legitimacy in compiling a dictionary, but the academy defends its methodology."

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/war-words-highlights-opposing-visions-165920471.html
#metaglossia_mundus

"The Words of the Year 2024—'brain rot', 'demure', 'manifest', 'polarisation', and 'brat'—capture the cultural shifts, technological anxieties, and evolving societal values that have shaped our collective consciousness.

Written By: Roshni Chakrabarty

Language doesn't just describe life; it reflects its essence. Each year, leading dictionaries unveil their Words of the Year—terms that encapsulate the cultural mood and societal shifts.

For 2024, selections like 'brain rot', 'demure', 'manifest', 'polarisation', and 'brat' offer a window into our collective consciousness, highlighting the anxieties, aspirations, and technological advancements that have shaped our world..."

#metaglossia_mundus

https://www.semafor.com/article/11/27/2024/orange-partners-with-meta-and-openai-for-african-languages-ai-models

THE NEWS
LAGOS — French telecoms company Orange plans to partner with Meta and OpenAI to develop new artificial intelligence models trained on African languages.

Orange, a major mobile network and internet provider in French-speaking Africa, said the project will create models that allow customers “to communicate naturally in their local languages” with its sales and support teams. The company said it will offer the developed models for third-party health and education uses through a free license.

Wolof and Pulaar — two languages spoken by about 22 million people in and around Senegal and Gambia in West Africa — will be the first to be considered for the project, Orange said on Tuesday. The company’s long-term goal is to expand AI’s capacity in local languages spoken where it operates in Africa and the Middle East.

The partnership is due to begin next year.

Alexander’s View

Room For Disagreement
KNOW MORE
Orange’s project will look to “fine-tune” existing models by OpenAI and Meta.

OpenAI’s ‘Whisper’ automatic speech-to-text model was rolled out in 2022. About a third of the audio dataset it was trained on consisted of non-English data, according to OpenAI. Meta’s ‘Llama’ text model powers the AI chatbots found in the company’s apps, including Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

Orange hopes that adapting these large language models will enhance access for “illiterate populations, who are currently unable to benefit from the potential of artificial intelligence.”

ALEXANDER’S VIEW
Orange’s project comes amidst rising interest in making AI tools available to African audiences. Multiple efforts are underway but it may not be an easy undertaking for a diverse continent in which more than 3,000 languages are spoken.

In August, South African startup Lelapa rolled out a multilingual large language model. The company’s InkubaLM is designed to translate and transcribe African languages, beginning with Swahili, Yoruba, IsiXhosa, Hausa, and isiZulu. Kenya-based Jacaranda Health, which is tailored towards caring for expectant mothers, also recently updated its LLM in the same languages. Five years ago, two Nigerian software developers made an original attempt at creating a model that translated pidgin English spoken in the country.

In Africa, telecom companies are among the largest companies and maybe the largest platforms through which consumers interact with each other, making them effective vehicles for mainstreaming AI use. Orange’s announcement that this project is aimed at improving customer satisfaction clearly shows there is a financial incentive for the undertaking. But there is a potentially wider social benefit in their intention to freely license the models for public health and education.

Africa’s biggest AI success story so far is a commercial one, following last year’s $680 million acquisition of Tunisian AI startup InstaDeep by German company BioNTech. Maybe Orange’s LLM project will be a major step towards creating “a blueprint for how AI can be used to benefit those currently excluded,” as the company says.

ROOM FOR DISAGREEMENT
Orange has not disclosed its planned approach to a crucial aspect of creating an LLM — how it will collect the volumes of African language data required to train the new models.

OpenAI’s use of Kenyan contractors to train ChatGPT, its flagship product, has become infamous for what workers have described as exploitative, low pay work that was often toxic.

Google has announced the addition of 15 more African languages to Voice Search, Gboard talk-to-type, and Translate dictation, allowing approximately 300 million more Africans to interact with the web using their voices.
Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Nigerian pidgin Chichewa, Kikuyu, Oromo, Rundi, Shona, Somali, Tigrinya, and Twi are the latest languages added to Voice Search and Gboard's talk-to-type features. On Translate, voice input is now available in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Chichewa, Oromo, Rundi, Shona, Somali, South Ndebele, Swati, Tigrinya, Tswana and Twi.
Google already supports typing with custom keyboards in Gboard for around 200 African languages and automatic translation in Translate for over 60 languages spoken in Africa.
The tech company confirmed that Gboard and Voice Search now support 12 more languages, bringing the total to 25. Translate adds 13 new languages, bringing the total to 22.
Google attributes this result to advances in AI, specifically multilingual speech recognition, which translates speech into text. The AI model learns languages in ways a child would, associating speech sounds with sequences of characters in written form.
Speech recognition models are trained on data from multiple languages to transcribe speech into text in any of those languages.
Similarly, the company announced a $5.8 million commitment by Google.org

 

to support AI skilling and education across sub-Saharan Africa. The funds will be used to provide foundational AI and cybersecurity skills to workers and students and support nonprofit leaders and the public sector in developing these skills.
According to the company, recipients of the funding include the Data Scientists Network Foundation, which will receive a $1.5 million grant to create a programme that trains unemployed and at-risk Nigerians in digital and technology training, with the long-term goal of developing advanced data and AI skills.
Raspberry Pi Foundation will also collaborate with Young Scientists Kenya and Data Scientists Network Foundation to provide AI literacy education to Kenyan and Nigerian youth.
“This new funding builds on the $20 million of Google.org

 

support for organisations helping Africans develop digital skills from Google's economic opportunity initiative, ” Google added.

Deaf patients are paying hundreds of dollars for in-person interpreters at GP appointments, even though spoken language interpreters are free, a review has found.

Currently, the government only covers the cost of Auslan interpreters for over-65s.

 

Deaf patients aged 65 or younger pay on average $245 for interpreting services, the review finds. Deaf patients are paying hundreds of dollars for in-person interpreters at GP appointments, even though spoken language interpreters are free, a review