The Linguist

My 15-year-old comes home grumbling that his Spanish has been marked 'incorrect' again. This time he used playera (Mex) instead of camiseta (Sp; 'T-shirt'). Teaching a specific form of the language may have merit but a well-used word being marked 'wrong' grates. With students actively discouraged from using language that is not on the GCSE word list, it is interesting to read James Milton's analysis of the links between vocabulary and fluency, and what that means for the GCSE (p.20). My own journey to learning Spanish began with The Linguist: working with inspiring linguists made me determined to open my world by gaining proficiency in another language. Of course, I continue to work with language professionals online, but it was energising to meet again in person at Conference (see p.28 for an overview). It was good to see the Civil Service Languages Network pick up a well-deserved award, too, having developed the unprecedented scheme in a remarkably short space of time (p.14). The war in Ukraine is still at the front of our minds, and I am pleased to be able to publish articles by R B Lemberg (p.7) and Kateryna Taran (p.10) about the translation work they are doing to help them deal with what is happening in their birth country. While R B turned to poetry, and the multiple challenges involved in translating war poems during the conflict, Kate is focused on the complex organisational task of finding urgent language service providers to support refugees. We are also printing in the Ukrainian language for the first time, as member Natalia Racheyskova writes about her life with languages (p.32). Miranda Moore 4 The Linguist Vol/61 No/3 2022 thelinguist.uberflip.com NEWS & EDITORIAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S NOTES 'Universal understanding' says it in the fewest words, but the next simplest encapsulation of the purpose and mission of the Chartered Institute of Linguists is our first Royal Charter object: To contribute towards international goodwill by encouraging the effective study and practice of languages. It is beguilingly simple; but some important elements in advancing this purpose – like strategic and policy change – take long-term engagement with stakeholders, government and politics. This is why we continue to invest time and effort in our relations with government and policy-makers, sharing with them what our members and Council tell us about the context and realities of linguistic life. This is patient work, which proceeds through a judicious balance of listening, explaining, understanding and influencing – and sometimes more firmly asserting and advocating for specific improvements and change. Similarly, the deep study of languages, understanding what works in pedagogy, learning and assessment, and advancing the effective practice of languages through research, scholarship and the education system is the work of a lifetime. There are few more skilled exponents of these long-term endeavours than our President and Vice Presidents (see ciol.org.uk/representation). President Richard Hardie is connected, respected and ever- present in our strategy, succession planning and longer-term thinking on partners, competitors, stakeholders and wider relationships. Vice-President David Crystal, among his myriad contributions to language and language lovers, gives his name to a CIOL Award that recognises outstanding achievement and contribution to the furtherance of languages. For this issue, I had the good fortune to talk to 2022 David Crystal Award winner Bishop Nick Baines, who speaks passionately about the transformational value of languages in his personal, professional and spiritual life (p.26). You will also find a shortened version of Vice-President Baroness Jean Coussins' powerful speech to CIOL Conference (p.30). Combining a breadth of vision, depth of evidence and force of argument, which speak to her highly informed and influential role as co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages, she pulls no punches. But she also reminds and reassures us of the enormous value of the skills, intercultural competence and excellence in languages that the CIOL community brings together. And so to our newest Vice-President, Bernardette Holmes, who is an acknowledged expert in languages education. As a teacher, adviser, inspector, teacher trainer, researcher, curriculum and policy developer, and author, she has made major contributions to languages education in this country and beyond. She has helped to shape languages policy at national level over many years, and continues to work closely with the Department for Education on curriculum reform and assessment for modern languages. Bernardette's longstanding contribution to CIOL is well known to our many stakeholders, not least in her role as ETB Chair, overseeing the successful transformation of CIOL Qualifications over the last two years. Our President and Vice-Presidents have unmatched knowledge, networks, research, writing, policy-making and influencing skills. Their generosity in lending their support to CIOL advances our purpose. Best of all, they are genuinely nice people to work with – we are fortunate to have them as part of CIOL. John Worne EDITOR'S LETTER Share your views: linguist.editor@ciol.org.uk © RICHARD WASHBROOKE

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