Setting the standard for bilingual IT
by Meri Huws, Chair of the Welsh Language Board
The world of IT develops at breakneck speed. Twenty years ago, most would not have believed that computing would have affected so many areas of our lives with office work and a large amount of personal correspondence dominated by email and the PC - not to mention the all-pervasive influence of the World Wide Web. Just as the typing pool has become a thing of the past, today’s ’modern’ technology will quickly evolve and not be new for long. It is vitally important for the future of Welsh that the language be integrated into the world of Information Technology for bilingual services and communication to develop further, and for individuals to be able to use Welsh in the home and at work.
1 December 2004 was a historic day
for the Welsh language. In a hotel in Cardiff Bay, Microsoft and the Welsh
Language Board launched Language interface packs for Microsoft Windows XP and
Office. The project, funded in its entirety, by Microsoft, received massive publicity and we subsequently received requests from all sorts of institutions for the free CD and to put the programmes on their
networks. This 15 month project was the pinnacle of many years of software development in Welsh and a tangible acknowledgement by the worldwide computer company of the importance of the
language itself. It was also recognition by the private sector of the growing importance of Welsh.
In mid November 2006, Agored - a bilingual English/Welsh version of the Open Office software was also launched. This large translation project, co-funded by the Board, is yet another welcome development in the world of Welsh language technology.
Although the Welsh Language Act of 1993 mainly places obligation on the public sector to deliver their services bilingually, many companies decide voluntarily to use the language in their dealings with customers in Wales. This includes the provision of bilingual signage, the use of bilingual marketing materials, the adoption of Welsh Language Policies and the employment of bilingual staff who can deliver the companies’ services through the medium of Welsh. Businesses acknowledge that the language provides them with a unique selling point when marketing their products in Wales as well as demonstrating their commitment and respect towards the linguistic make up of the country. There are over half a million Welsh speakers in Wales and as consumers they sincerely value the use of Welsh by private sector companies.
The Welsh Language Board Private Sector Unit assists businesses to develop their use of Welsh. Services include:
- Practical advice and assistance by a Private Sector Officer
- Grant assistance and advice on developing bilingual signage and bilingual marketing materials
- Free translation service up to 30 words
- Advice on how to develop a company Welsh Language Policy
- Assistance on issues such as recruiting a complement of Welsh speaking staff and developing awareness of bilingualism as a customer care issue
The overall aim is to facilitate the use of Welsh within the private sector and to assist companies to develop their current use of the language further. Many companies have already embraced the concept of bilingualism through adopting bilingual signage or marketing materials but the Welsh Language Board also work with companies to develop their capacity to deliver services bilingually.
IT is crucial in this respect. The Welsh Language Board Business Grant has been accessed
by many businesses to develop bilingual websites and the Board has provided guidance and assistance
on how to develop and construct bilingual internet sites. This guidance forms part of our recently published ’Bilingual Software Guidelines and Standards’, a guidance document that provides detailed,
technical advice on producing bilingual software applications. Our aim is to not only increase the visual presence of Welsh on the web but also to develop bilingual software that will facilitate the delivery
of bilingual services and the use of the language in the workplace and every day life.
The Microsoft Language Interface Pack plays an important role in this respect as it allows individuals and companies to use their computers through the medium of Welsh. As one of the main localisations undertaken thus far in Welsh, this programme, enables users, free of charge, to use Welsh Language Interface Packs for Microsoft Office 2003 and Windows XP. Basically, if you use these programmes, you can, within a few minutes, ensure that menus, dialogue boxes - your principal on-screen experience - is in Welsh. As so many of us are already familiar with Microsoft products, it’s incredibly easy to get used to. The translation has benefited from the keen eye of some of the finest translation, linguistic and IT specialists in Wales, and has even solved the problem of the circumflex t bach on ’w’ and ’y’. If you’d like to use the software, visit www.welsh-language-board.org.uk and download the software for free, or order a free CD.
Using Welsh in business and developing bilingual IT will be the focus of the next ITWales North Wales region event at Technium Cast on 30 November 2006. Find out more about this free event, or book online at itwales.com/997763_Setting-the-standard-for-Bilingual-IT.htm.
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