TfW language policy

[PeterC]

Those seem needlessly confusing to me, since the names in that form won't be seen anywhere on or near those stations.

In phrases like "the central Telford station" or "the international Birmingham station" it's appropriate to translate those adjectives. But the Central and International are part of the station names, like Birmingham New Street or Bristol Temple Meads. It surely wouldn't be sensible to make literal word by word translations of them?

In the unlikely event of a Eurostar from Cardiff to Paris would they translate "Gare du Nord" into Welsh?

 

[tfw756rider]

Those seem needlessly confusing to me, since the names in that form won't be seen anywhere on or near those stations.

In phrases like "the central Telford station" or "the international Birmingham station" it's appropriate to translate those adjectives. But the Central and International are part of the station names, like Birmingham New Street or Bristol Temple Meads. It surely wouldn't be sensible to make literal word by word translations of them?

Tell me what you think of "Bryste Temple Meads"

I noticed recently (prompting this post) that at least some TfW platform announcements and departure boards put both English and Welsh names (where they differ) in a single list in the order in which the train calls, which seems to me to be preferable to separate lists by language. This was for a Marches line train, where most but not all stations have different names in Welsh and English. So the order went something like:

• station 1 Welsh
• station 1 English
• station 2 Welsh
• station 2 English
• station 3 single common name
• station 4 Welsh
• station 4 English
• ... etc.

That seems to me to be a good practical solution. Arguably in England the English names ought to come first in each pair, but I don't think that's worth fighting over!

That's news to me. I know the departure boards put Welsh and English place names together when scrolling the calling points, but I've never heard the announcements do that.

 

[styles]

In the unlikely event of a Eurostar from Cardiff to Paris would they translate "Gare du Nord" into Welsh?

Reminds me a little of 'frothi coffi', which some believe to be the Welsh term for a cappuccino.

Except it's not, because there is no Welsh word for cappuccino, in the same way there isn't an English word for cappuccino. Cappuccino is an Italian word, which I believe means brown hood or something like that.

Somebody just one day decided to put frothi coffi on their cafe menu board, meant as a joke, and people now seriously believe it to be the translation (and often use this factoid to mock the Welsh language).

In any case it would be coffi ewynnog, which is far less amusing to simpletons.

Gare du Nord of course could be translated since it has a very literal translation, but unlike say London or Edinburgh, there is no Welsh term for 'Gare du Nord' or Paris, so it should be announced unaltered.

 

[DelW]

That's news to me. I know the departure boards put Welsh and English place names together when scrolling the calling points, but I've never heard the announcements do that.

You've got me wondering about my recollection now. I think the audio did it that way, but I'm no longer in a place to go and check.

Gare du Nord of course could be translated since it has a very literal translation, but unlike say London or Edinburgh, there is no Welsh term for 'Gare du Nord' or Paris, so it should be announced unaltered.

That was really my point about Telford Central and Birmingham International, avoiding partial translation of the station name.

Lots of station names in Europe include north, south, central, etc. in the appropriate language, and I'd always use that as-is rather than the English equivalent.

 

[AlterEgo]

Reminds me a little of 'frothi coffi', which some believe to be the Welsh term for a cappuccino.

Except it's not, because there is no Welsh word for cappuccino, in the same way there isn't an English word for cappuccino. Cappuccino is an Italian word, which I believe means brown hood or something like that.

Somebody just one day decided to put frothi coffi on their cafe menu board, meant as a joke, and people now seriously believe it to be the translation (and often use this factoid to mock the Welsh language).

In any case it would be coffi ewynnog, which is far less amusing to simpletons.

Gare du Nord of course could be translated since it has a very literal translation, but unlike say London or Edinburgh, there is no Welsh term for 'Gare du Nord' or Paris, so it should be announced unaltered.

Next you’ll be telling us “popty ping” isn’t really Welsh for microwave!