News
Moving to a new office
Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru is moving to a new office!
On 17 September 2019 we shall be moving office to Intec in Parc Menai on the outskirts of Bangor. The Building is owned by Cyngor Gwynedd.
The move has been prompted because our landlord, Adult Learing Wales, is restructuring in this part of Wales and requires our office for its staff.
The address of the new office is: Uned F5, Intec, Ffordd Y Parc, Parc Menai, Bangor LL57 4FG.
Our telephone number and e-mail will not change as a result of the move.
Note:
- The move will affect the work of the office on Tuesday and Wednesday, 17-18 September 2019. We shall be back to normal by Thursday morning, 19 September 2019.
- Please don’t phone us on Tuesday or Wednesday, 17-18 September 2019. You can continue to e-mail the office during this time, but will not you will not get an answer until Thursday, 19 September 2019.
- The move will have no effect on the Membership Examinations to be held on 5 October 2019.
The Conwy County National Eisteddfod
The Hedley Gibbard Memorial Lecture
Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru’s annual lecture will be held in Societies 1 at midday on Thursday, 8 August 2019.
This year’s lecture will be delivered by Karen Owen and is entitled 'Rhosgadfan a'r jacan joe'. The lecture will provide an insight into how Kate Roberts created dialogue for her best loved characters.
The lecture marks 60 years since the publication of Te yn y Grug [Tea in the Heather] by Kate Roberts, and the fact that the National Eisteddfod to mark this has commissioned Karen, along with Cefin Roberts and Al Lewis, to adapt the stories into a musical.
Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru’s annual lecture has, since 2002, been held in memory of Hedley Gibbard (1936-2001) as a mark of appreciation of his pioneering work in developing English/Welsh translation and interpretation.
Translation Challenge 2019
The Welsh language winner of Translation Challenge 2019 will be announced in a ceremony on the University of Wales Trinity Saint David stand at 3pm on Thursday, 8 August 2019.
The winner will receive £200 (given by Swansea University) and the Translation Challenge Staff. Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru is pleased to sponsor the Translation Challenge Staff once again, and in so doing to acknowledge the craftmanship of Elis Gwyn who has carved this unique prize from a piece of wood from the Llanystumdwy area.
Translation Challenge 2019 has been jointly organised by Wales PEN Cymru Wales and Literature Exchange Wales in co-operation with Swansea University, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, the Polish Cultural Institute, Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru ac ‘O’r Pedwar Gwynt’.
Launch of a new website to support the training of interpreters
On Tuesday morning, 6 August 2019, at 11am on the University of Wales Trinity Saint David stand, the University will be launching a new website to support the training of trainee interpreters in the company of Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, Eluned Morgan AM.
Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru has contributed over 40 pieces to this website, pieces which have been used in our Interpreting Test during the past few years and others which were created especially for training purposes.
During the event we shall be presenting the Association’s prize to James Eul who was the most promising student studying the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Postgraduate Certificate in Interpreting this year.
Interpreting in court/tribunal hearings
On the Cyfiawnder Cymru [Justice in Wales] stand at 3pm on Wednesday, 7 August 2019, Chief Executive, Geraint Wyn Parry, will outline the work done to ensure the highest standards when providing interpreting in court and tribunal hearings, and the close working relationship Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru has with HMCTS Welsh Language Unit and with the Liaison Judges for the Welsh language.
University courses: translation and interpreting
GwyboDaith will take place on the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol stand at 10:30am on Thursday, 8 August 2019. This information session will provide an opportunity to learn about Aberystwyth University’s postgraduate course in Professional Translation Studies, as well as the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Postgraduate Certificate in Interpreting.
Then at 1:15pm on Thursday, 8 August 2019, again on the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol stand, Aberystwyth University and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David extend a welcome to all to the Professional Translation Studies Reception.
● Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru will not have a stand on the Eisteddfod field.
Prizes for promising students
Our congratulations to the winners of the annual prizes Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru awards to the most promising students on the Professional Translation Studies Scheme at Aberystwyth University and on the Postgraduate Certificate in Interpreting at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
Meleri Jones was the winner in the case of the Professional Translation Studies Scheme at Aberystwyth University. Meleri gained an MA. From Y Ffôr near Pwllheli, she works as a translator for Bla Translation in Llangefni.
The winner of the prize in the case of the Postgraduate Certificate in Interpreting at the University of Wales Trinity Saint Davidwas James Eul. A Full Member of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru, James is a translator at Cardiff County Council.
This is the second year that the Association has awarded these prizes. The winnners in 2018 were Rhian Jones, a translator at Carmarthenshire County Council (the Professional Translation Studies Scheme at Aberystwyth University) and Rhidian Jones, a translator at Ceredigion County Council (the Postgraduate Certificate in Interpreting at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David).
Professional standards for English/Welsh interpreting in courts
One of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru’s key partnerships, namely its close working relationship with HM Courts & Tribunals Service Welsh Language Unit, was the subject of the presentation by Geraint Wyn Parry, our Chief Executive, to the recent Welsh Language Seminar for Judges.
The presentation focused on the efforts to ensure professional arrangements and standards when providing English/Welsh interpreting in courts and tribunals in Wales. The Welsh judiciary regard these arrangements as being reliable and accurate.
At the same time, the information was submitted as evidence to the Commission on Justice in Wales.
Presentation of 2018 prizes
There was an opportunity at the end of March 2019 to visit Prysg’s offices in Cardiff to present Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru’s prizes to two members of staff.
The winner of the Wil Petherbridge Memorial Prize was Cerys Ann Davey; and the Berwyn Prize was awarded to Ioan Rhys Davies.
Cerys is an Executive Translator with Prysg. She hails from Creunant, near Neath, and was brought up in a bilingual home, speaking English with her parents, but only in Welsh with her grandparents. She attended Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera, before going to Aberystwyth University where she gained a BA in Professional Welsh in 2015. On graduating she joined Prysg. Before succeeding in the examination, Cerys was one of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru’s Student Affiliates.
Ioan also works for Prysg as a Senior Translator. He is both a Full Member (translating into Welsh) and an Interpreting member of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru. Originally from Pentyrch on the outskirts of Cardiff, he was a pupil at Ysgol Llanhari, before going to Aberystwyth University (2003-06) to study History (BA) and to Cardiff University (2006-07) to study Welsh History (MA). He worked as a Translator for Cymen in Caernarfon for four years (2007-11) before making a temporary career move to be a primary school teacher in 2011. He returned to translating and interpreting as a Senior Translator with Prysg in August 2015.
The Wil Petherbridge Memorial Prize is presented by Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru in memory of its former Secretary and a pioneer in English/Welsh translation. It is awarded to the most promising candidate for Basic Membership, translation into Welsh, if the required standard is achieved.
The Berwyn Prize is awarded to the most promising candidate for Basic Membership, translation into English, if the required standard is achieved. It honours Berwyn Prys Jones, an inspiring leader in Welsh language translation, who was Chair of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru for over a quarter of a century.
Our new Chairman
Huw Tegid Roberts is the new Chairman of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru. He was elected by his co-Directors in a meeting of the Board of Directors on 8 January 2019.
‘Just a brief introduction – I was raised in the village of Penisa’rwaun, not far from Snowdon, and began my career as a translator when I took charge of the Linkline to Welsh helpline between 2005 and 2012, a service that was provided by the Welsh Language Board. Married and based in Llangefni, with two young daughters to keep me on my toes, I have been a member of staff at Cymen for the past three and a half years.
I look forward to seeing Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru continuing to grow and go from strength to strength, hopefully, and to listening to the views of our members as the Board of Directors set the course for the Association’s future in its fifth decade of work.’
Huw succeeds Claire Richards (of Pennawd, Cardiff) who was Chair for three years. We are extremely grateful to Claire for the strong leadership she provided during her tenure, and the support she gave to the officers.
Translation Challenge 2018
Our congratulations to the winner of Translation Challenge 2018, Llewelyn Hopwood.
Originally from Carmarthen, Llewelyn currently reads modern languages at Jesus College, Oxford.
The Her Gyfieithu Staff was presented to Llewelyn in a ceremony at Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, Carmarthen, on 10 November 2018. He also received a £100 cash prize donated by Mercator Rhyngwladol.
In sponsoring the Her Gyfieithu Staff once again, it gives Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru great pleasure to acknowledge the fine craftsmanship of Elis Gwyn who has carved this unique prize from a piece of wood found in the woodlands around Llanystumdwy.
The challenge this year was to translate a poem by the Catalan poet Laia Martinez i Lopez (or Laia Malo). The winning translation and Ned Thomas’ adjudication can be found on the Wales PEN Cymru website, as well as the website of the Welsh-language literary magazine, O’r Pedwar Gwynt.
Translation Challenge is organised by Wales PEN Cymru and Wales Literature Exchange.
Report on activities 2017-18
Just published is the report on the activities of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru in 2017-18.
The report shows that we continued to hold membership examinations and provided various professional development activities and opportunities, we continued to work in partnership with the higher education sector, and we continued to forge links and collaborated with public organisations and with other translation and interpreting associations for the good of the Association and to raise the profile of the Welsh translation and interpretation profession.
Amongst the new activities introduced during the year were the setting up of the ‘Cronfa Sbarduno’ (a fund to boost the careers of young translators and interpreters); presenting the first Berwyn Prize to the most promising candidate in the examinations for Basic Membership, translation into English; holding the first Interpreting Test into Welsh, arranging the first Translation Slam in Welsh; and establishing the ‘Retired Members’ category.
One source of great pleasure was that we had 365 members on 31 March 2018, a record number. That figure has now increased to 373 members.
In her Foreword Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru Chair, Claire Richards, says,
‘At a time of great change, especially in the public sector, Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru plays a very important role in offering an assurance of high standards and professionalism in English/Welsh translation and interpreting.’
Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru is part-funded by the Welsh Government, and we would like to place on record our thanks for this support.
What’s in a name?
That’s the question which will be answered by Dr Dylan Foster Evans in the 2018 Hedley Gibbard Memorial Lecture, ‘Translation, adaptation and displacement: the relationship between Welsh and English place names in Cardiff’.
The lecture will be delivered in Societies 1 in the Senedd* at 1.00pm on Thursday 9 August.
* The Senedd operates a security system and visitors should allow extra time for this.
An interpretation service will be provided.
Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru’s annual lecture has, since 2002, been held in memory of Hedley Gibbard (1936-2001) as a mark of appreciation of his pioneering work in developing English/Welsh translation and interpretation.
HMCTS Welsh Language Scheme acknowledges our professional standards
Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru is extremely pleased to see that the recently published HM Courts & Tribunals Service 2018-2021 Welsh Language Scheme recognises the strong relationship which exists between the association and HMCTS. The Scheme also recognises the importance HMCTS places on using members of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru to provide translation and interpreting services to HMCTS.
Firstly, HMCTS has accepted the association’s recommendation, in its response to the consultation on the Welsh Language Scheme earlier this year, that the Scheme should better reflect the arrangements which are in place between the association and HMCTS regarding interpreting in courts and tribunals. As a result, a new paragraph, 5.27 on page 21, has been added to the Scheme, which reads: ‘Simultaneous interpretation in court/tribunal hearings is a specialist skill and is recognised as such by a specialist membership category by Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru’.
Robust arrangements have been in place since 2008 to ensure the quality of English/Welsh interpreting in court and tribunal hearings, arrangements which were further strengthened in 2016 with the establishment of Court and Tribunal Interpreting (developed in partnership with HMCTS) as one of the Areas of Professional Expertise. As a result of these arrangements, only Interpreting members of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru who are also recognised under the Area of Professional Expertise: Court and Tribunal Interpreting can be called upon to provide English/Welsh interpreting services at hearings.
To date, 23 Interpreting members have received this recognition.
Secondly, the Welsh Language Scheme confirms HMCTS commitment to using members of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru to supply any translation needs which HMCTS translators cannot undertake internally.
Responding to this, Claire Richards, Chair of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru, said,
‘It’s a matter of great pride to us in Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru that the professional standards that the association upholds and promotes are important in courts and tribunals in Wales.
This will provide assurance for everyone directly involved in the administration of justice, and the general public, that trustworthy and qualified interpreters are available to undertake the work.’