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
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@Linguist_CIOL JUNE/JULY The Linguist 11 FEATURES Q How does the embassy promote Slovak culture and language in the UK? A We are very active in the field of cultural diplomacy. Our last event, 'Diplomats Read Poetry' on 27 February, commemorated International Mother Language Day. We introduced the publication of a short poem by the Slovak author Jozef Leikert and its translation into 33 languages. The book, An Eternity of Roots, is published by Jantar (@JantarBooks). During this event, ambassadors from several countries read the poem in their mother tongues and paid tribute to multilingualism. Q What is your favourite Slovak word? A Zmrzlina ('ice cream'). It is enjoyable listening to foreigners trying to pronounce a word with five consecutive consonants. Q What language outreach do you do with children and young people in the UK? A We cooperate with the Association of Czech and Slovak Schools in the UK, which is currently active in 16 cities, and with Slovak communities. The association's primary focus is to teach children of Slovak origin their mother tongue, so we provide new books in Slovak. We have also given valuable literary gifts to the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, so that these publications can be available to students and researchers who are interested in Slovakia and its history. Q What one book would you recommend? A The Bloody Sonnets (Krvavé sonety) – a masterpiece of the greatest Slovakian poet, Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav, who is also known for translating works of Shakespeare. He wrote the sonnets in 1914 as a reflection of the horrors of the Great War, and they are one of the most influential anti-war appeals composed at the start of the war. When I The Slovak Ambassador to the UK, HE L'ubomír Rehák, talks to Romana Sustar about Slovak culture and language in the UK read the recent translation by John Minahane, an Irishman living in Slovakia, I decided to support this English edition personally, as the poems are almost entirely unknown in the English-speaking world. Q What would you transfer from British culture to Slovak culture? A I appreciate how proudly people in Britain stick to traditions and heritage. The Slovak character lacks that a bit. We may be shy to express positive feelings about our country and history as a consequence of globalisation. HE L'ubomír Rehák graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He has been Ambassador to the UK since 2015. Twitter @RehakLubomir and @SLOVAKIAinUK. Council member Romana Sustar MCIL CL is a multilingual digital marketing manager, language tutor and reporter. Twitter @RomanaSustar The UK is the seventh major trade partner of the Slovak Republic. The British Jaguar Land Rover company is one of the most significant foreign direct investments in Slovakia, with one in seven cars made in Slovakia sold to drivers in the UK. In 1971, the embassy building (then the Embassy of Czechoslovakia), which was designed in the Brutalist style, won the RIBA Award for best building in the UK. FACT FILE: SLOVAKIA CULTURAL DIPLOMACY (L-r) HE L'ubomír Rehák; the award-winning embassy building; and the ambassador visits the Slovak School in Manchester Embassy insights