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/1257392
30 The Linguist Vol/59 No/3 2020 thelinguist.uberflip.com OPINION & COMMENT I was amused to read 'When Subtitles Go Wrong' (TL59,2). I remember going to see a film at the Arts Cinema in Cambridge – one of those nouvelle vague productions. I can't remember the title but one scene has imprinted itself on my memory: a young man brings his latest amorous conquest back to his house and snuggles up to her on the settee in front of an empty hearth. "Tu veux que je te chauffe?" he whispers seductively in her ear, putting his arm around her. "Do you want me to light the fire?" came the English subtitle. The audience burst out laughing. Of course, you might argue that the subtitle was actually a masterpiece of culturally appropriate translation. Peter Butler FCIL Subtitle humour children spend time speaking with my mum on their own via videocall. My daughter has even managed to play hide and seek with her, as I go round the house holding the telephone – hilarious but effective. This is something we can hopefully continue when things return to 'normal'. One key approach to raising bilingual children is for the parent who speaks the common language to support the other languages spoken in the family. Society also has a major role to play in developing bilingualism and multilingualism. It would make sense if schools taught the foreign languages that already populate their classrooms. International days at school are useful where children from other countries, or with parents of different nationalities, share their language and culture. In addition, schools and libraries should have more foreign literature for children, and organise reading lessons in different languages. There is so much talk about multilingualism today. Perhaps a small change in attitude towards other languages could help integrate them into society. Vanessa Manoli, Career Affiliate Editor comments: We would like to hear about any work- or language-related practices readers have adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dedication to quality MAINTAINING STANDARDS IN CIOLQ EXAMS IS A TEAM EFFORT, EXPLAINS ASSESSMENT OFFICER HOLLY AMBROSE-WILSON I joined CIOL Qualifications (CIOLQ) in February 2019, having worked within administration for a number of years. In 2018, I completed a degree in Creative Writing and English, which I accomplished in the evenings while working in a variety of sectors, including architecture, education and law. After a year and a half working in education administration at a busy secondary school, I was looking for a new challenge and applied for the position of Assessment Officer in CIOLQ's Live Assessment team. I was drawn to the role, as linguistics and the study of language has always been an area that has interested me. The first thing that struck me when I joined CIOL was how welcoming the team was. From sweet treats in the kitchen to pulling off a full week of examinations, everyone was in it together. I have grown to both support and depend on my colleagues, and I have learnt some valuable lessons from each and every one. I have worked on a number of examinations since joining CIOL. The work ranges from the recruitment of examiners to the quality assurance of candidate feedback. Having the opportunity to help to run and build on these exams has been a particular highlight so far. The first exam I worked on was the Diploma in Translation (DipTrans), and in November 2019 I began managing the examiner recruitment, marking and results period. This is a professional qualification set at level 7 (Master's level), making it CIOLQ's highest-level qualification. It can offer a wider range of career opportunities to professional translators and is a fascinating examination to be involved with. I have seen first-hand the dedication and work the examiners and moderators put into maintaining the high standard of this qualification. This ensures that the DipTrans is the benchmark for professional translators, not just nationally but internationally. I wrote this piece after wrapping up the 2020 marking period for the DipTrans and I cannot offer sufficient thanks to the examiners and moderators who helped us to achieve this. Having their support and expertise, even in these uncertain and difficult times, shows just how dedicated these language professionals are, and how important CIOL's qualifications are to the wider community of linguists.