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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Languages in the UK often seem to be facing great challenges, so it was wonderful to hear some good news and inspirational stories at July's meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on modern languages, which looked at Erasmus+. The new European funding programme will bring €940 million to the UK between 2014 and 2020, to help more than 200,000 young people and 30,000 professionals gain crucial international skills and experiences. Ruth Sinclair-Jones, Director of the Erasmus+ UK National Agency, was joined by Stephen Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, and two inspirational young graduates. Erasmus+ helps UK organisations to enable staff and learners to study, train, gain work experience and volunteer in Europe; and to take part in transnational partnerships between education, training, youth organisations and businesses. Any organisation involved in education, training, youth or sport can get involved. The flexibility of Erasmus+ is a major asset. Different employers seek different experiences but all will recognise the value of having lived overseas. Graduates with a period of study or work abroad are more likely to get a job earlier, do well and stay on longer. However, Erasmus+ faces challenges, with a lack of awareness in the UK and widespread euroscepticism holding many people back from engaging with these opportunities. People also worry about the costs, both actual and perceived. This is compounded by the funding structure in universities and the pressure on students to start earning. Yet the opportunity can be transformative. George Sloan studied Chemistry at Edinburgh, was selected to work in a research laboratory, and is now an Erasmus Ambassador, speaking in schools and universities to encourage young people to take up the opportunity. Charlotte Bramham- Jones's year abroad, during a languages degree at King's College London, instilled in her a sense of adventure, confidence and enthusiasm. "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone," she said. Both George and Charlotte attest to the challenge of making languages interesting at school, with George arguing that exchanges are key to making languages relevant to real-life situations. He feels that, by forcing students to specialise early, A-levels lead many young people to drop languages. Increasingly, they are then returning to a language in addition to their degree subject, but the lower level does not always give them the confidence to consider a period of study or work abroad. Widening participation is a key priority for Erasmus+, and we can all play our part in disseminating the news that this money is available to our colleagues and students. Find out more at www.erasmusplus.org.uk. Contact philip.harding.esch@gmail.com to receive details of future APPG meetings. The latest from the languages world Philip Harding-Esch learns about Erasmus+ at the recent APPG meeting Inside parliament 6 The Linguist OCTOBER/NOVEMBER www.ciol.org.uk NEWS & EDITORIAL Philip Harding-Esch works on behalf of the British Council to support the APPG on Modern Languages. TL What the papers say… In all the great religious traditions of the world there has been a tension between the instinctive conservatism of religious authorities, who generally see themselves as guardians of a great, immutable body of language, and the need to deliver messages in accessible ways… One inspiration for the Protestant Reformation was resentment over the Catholic clergy's insistence on keeping prayers and scriptures in Latin only – a stance which changed completely in the 20th century. The Orthodox Christians have been somewhere in the middle: more open than the Catholics to the idea of articulating Christianity in new languages, but still relatively cautious. 'The Gift of Tongues ', 8/6/14 It has already been translated into 1,800 languages around the world, including some of mankind's most obscure tongues, making it easily the best selling book in history. But next year, after an epic linguistic project lasting more than 20 years, a team of translators is expected to complete what they say will be the first full and authentic version of the Bible in Cornish… The translators, whose work was overseen by the Bible Society, say it will also finally right a historical wrong dating back 465 years. 'The Bible in Cornish – After 465 Year Delay', 28/7/14 Skype Translator promises to automatically translate multilingual voice calls and it has the potential to revolutionise the way we talk to people whose language we do not share. While translation programs already exist, the vast majority of them rely on the two people conversing to be in the same room at the same time. 'Skype Translator Vows to Translate Multilingual Voice Calls - But is it Any Good?', 16/7/14 © ISTOCKPHOTO