The Linguist

Whenever I research our end- of-year languages quiz (p.24) there are many more potential stories for the education section than any other. Despite decreasing take-up in schools and the closure of university departments, it is heartening to take stock of all the work being done to promote and strengthen languages education in the UK. And although it may feel futile at times, without these initiatives the situation would surely be bleaker. Indeed, there are signs that the tide is turning. Among the stories that didn't make it into the quiz was the news that GCSE entries in languages were up this year compared to in 2023; the House of Lords approved recommendations to explore 'innovative ways' to boost language learning, including in teacher recruitment; and the British Council will continue to offer £27,000 teacher training scholarships in languages. On page 22, Eleni Pavlopoulos, who has volunteered on our Editorial Board for six years, gives an overview of the state of education in British schools and argues that there is now a unique opportunity for positive change. Elsewhere in this issue are insightful articles about the challenges of translating colonial records that use offensive language (p.18); the many considerations involved in translating the Qur'an (p.9); and the complexities of working with museums, where historical understanding may differ between speakers of different languages (p.14). If you have any comments do get in touch. We're on LinkedIn (search CIOL) and Bluesky @ciol-linguists.bsky.social and @mooreedits.bsky.social. Miranda Moore 4 The Linguist Vol/63 No/4 ciol.org.uk/thelinguist NEWS & EDITORIAL CHAIR OF COUNCIL'S NOTES All organisations are in a state of change. The only variables are how much change and how fast. In every organisation I've been part of, whether commercial or not-for-profit, including those which are well- controlled and enjoying a period of relative stability, there has always been plenty of work taking place behind the 'front counter'. Sometimes this is about continuous improvement, making relatively small adjustments to seek marginal gains; sometimes it's about identifying parts and processes nearing the end of their efficient life and upgrading or replacing them with something more suited to the next period (because nothing lasts forever). In recent months Council and the senior team at CIOL have been focusing on our governance arrangements – our rules and procedures – to satisfy ourselves that these remain fit for their intended purpose. This was more of a light-touch 'refresh' rather than a wholesale revision. In that spirit, our watch-word has been clarity, so that the rules and by-laws describe the necessary powers and provisions without overlaps or omissions, while remaining consistent with our Royal Charter. The end result is that we've 'cleaned up' the text, removing heavy legalese and archaic expressions, and replaced these with shorter, simpler texts that clearly state their intent in plain language. Subject to Council's endorsement, we will present the proposed changes to members for formal approval at the CIOL AGM in April. This exercise has also been useful as a reminder of the purpose of specific rules. I'll cite one concrete example here about nominations to Council. With strict term limits on the amount of time that Council members can serve continuously (three years, renewable for one further three-year term), there are typically one or two vacant positions each year for which CIOL members can stand as candidates. Where there are as many nominations as (or fewer than) vacant places on Council, and where all other relevant rules about those individuals are satisfied, those candidates automatically join Council, subject to ratification at the AGM. When there are more candidates than vacant places, members are asked to make a selection. The point is that we do not hold elections for their own sake, but specifically as a procedure to ensure we fill vacant Council positions in a fair and open manner, and are seen to do so by our members. In this we have made no change to the existing procedure but have simplified the language that describes it so it is unambiguous and the meaning is clear. I could also mention other current or planned back-office improvements, because there's a lot of very positive progress behind that front counter, but I'm out of space and these will wait for a future slot in The Linguist. Happy reading! And just to add, I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can at the upcoming CIOL Conference Days. Do come and join us for what promise to be some really interesting and enjoyable events – March will be upon us in no time! Steve Doswell EDITOR'S LETTER Share your views: linguist.editor@ciol.org.uk

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