The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/1149191
@Linguist_CIOL 'I Regret Not Learning My Mum's First Language. Britain Needs Those Ties', 27/5/19 I feel I have lost not just my mother, but half my heritage, too. You can never understand a country if you don't speak the language. Without my mother, I will only ever be a tourist in the country that moulded her, that shaped her thinking, and her politics, and mine… We need that richness more than ever, as we face the prospect of a political landscape dominated by Little Englanders literally screaming to turn the clock back. What the papers say… The National Education Union (NEU) has branded government cuts to education "shameful" after a school in Dorchester began crowdfunding for an A-level languages assistant. According to Head Mike Foley, an 8% funding gap means Thomas Hardye School can no longer afford the £9,000 pa post, prompting NEU General Secretary Mary Bousted to tell the government to "face up to the crisis they have created and give schools and colleges the money they need". The DfE (Department for Education) responded that it had put "a number of measures in place to support schools and pupils" with languages. The latest from the languages world A £100 million cut to English classes for migrants to the UK has left refugees at risk of isolation, loneliness and unemployment, according to a new report. The analysis by Refugee Action revealed a 60% reduction in spending on ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes since 2008, with funding falling from £212.3 million to just £105 million last year. Two-thirds of the refugees surveyed by the charity said that they did not have sufficient English language skills to secure work. Its Chief Executive, Stephen Hale, said: "Refugees are acutely aware learning English is critical for integration. Politicians keep telling us how strongly they agree. But where's the action? The steep cuts in funding for English language classes means we're letting refugees down, denying people the chance to become an active part of our society and fulfil their potential." According to ESOL providers, the average wait time for classes is six months or more. The DfE (Department for Education) is due to publish a new national strategy for ESOL this autumn. A spokesperson said: "We invested close to £100m through the Adult Education Budget in 2016/17 to support 114,100 adult learners to improve their levels of English through fully and part-funded ESOL courses." NEWS & EDITORIAL AUGUST/SEPTEMBER The Linguist 5 Brexit is responsible for a rise in the number of Britons taking the official Spanish language exam for immigration purposes, according to the issuing body. A Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language is a requirement for Spanish citizenship. Entries grew 21% (from 227 to 400) between 2015 and 2018, according to data from the Instituto Cervantes. Its London Director, Ignacio Peyró Jiménez, said: "Certainly this is related to Brexit and the desire to keep a European passport." He added that the October deadline for Sephardic Jews to gain Spanish citizenship is also a contributing factor. 'What Doing Journalism in a Foreign Language Taught Me About Human Nature', 31/5/19 I got my start on a breaking news desk, meaning the words had to come fast, and they had to be the right ones… [But] when you live your life in a foreign language, you absolutely will make mistakes… You will call a coworker 'reactive' when you mean they're 'responsive'. You will interview people – politicians, celebrities, artists – and they will use words you don't know. You will either get it from context, or you will nod and [later] frantically Google approximate spellings. 'Roma Translator Boosts Pupils' Learning and Health at 38-Language School', 13/6/19 About 85 of the 420 pupils at St Matthew's Primary School in Ipswich have a Roma background… Many Roma parents had initially been reluctant to attend events such as parents' evening but Mr Sandu, who joined in September 2017, has helped to ease their concerns. Most children joining the school have had no formal education before, and parents feared their children's shortcomings would be made public. Schools turn to crowdfunding Brexit boosts Spanish exam £100m cuts 'isolate' refugees © SHUTTERSTOCK