September 12, 2012
As of next season the Chinese language will be introduced into Lagos public schools, explained the Lagos State Government on Monday 10th of September 2012.
Olayinka Oladunjoye is the state commissioner for education in Lagos. She gave a statement – signed by the ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Lanre Bajulaiye – explaining how the study of Chinese as an additional language at state public schools will allow the children to embrace the Chinese culture, which is a rapidly growing force in the world economy, rendering the ability to conduct professional translations very valuable.
The commissioner was speaking in front of a delegation from the Chinese Confucius Institute of the University of Lagos. Caleb Orimoogunje, Director of the Institute, was clear about the support that they would offer the program and the logistics involved in starting up such an undertaking.
Reading and writing form the basis of any language and with the difference in Chinese symbols and characters, language classes in this department will be prove challenging. This is where Lirong Jiang will see to it that solid structures are in place to facilitate the program. Jiang, who is a co-director of the institute, explained how they represent the Chinese culture in Nigeria and believe the language to be a necessity as Nigeria attempts to foster a good relationship with the Chinese, aware of their strong economic growth and technological development.
The institute is bent on educating Chinese instructors to teach the language in state schools. Once a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the state and the institute, it shouldn’t be long until the Chinese language becomes a standard feature across classrooms all over Nigeria and graduates leave equipped with the knowledge to launch their very own legal translation services.
June 21, 2010
Legal translation is a highly valued service, with translators in the UK and Ireland assisting in cases that require Polish, Lithuanian, Mandarin and even Swahili interpretation. However, the Irish Courts Service claims that legal translations have cost the state, and therefore taxpayers, a monumental €3.6 million in 2008 and €3 million in 2009. They now aim to enforce new rules that will dramatically reduce the financial implications of hiring a court interpreter.
The Irish Courts Service has initiated a scheme in some towns whereby all cases requiring legal translation will be held on the same day, instead of being divided into separate court sittings. This means legal translation professionals will not need to spend the whole day in the courthouse waiting for one or two cases. The changes are designed not only to cut costs incurred by the state, but to save the legal translation company involved time and money.
Cases involving foreign nationals can only be assured of a just outcome when competent legal translation is provided. In fact, legal translation services were required in no fewer than 10,200 cases in 2009 alone. The new scheme is being initiated in Ireland’s border counties, with a view to reduce expenses and increase the efficiency of the essential legal translation service.
June 10, 2010
The EU Civil Liberties Committee yesterday came to the agreement that all EU citizens should in future have the right to a language translator when faced with any criminal charges in a foreign language country. Proceedings are underway to implement language translation as a legal right and a vote will take place next week in Strasbourg to have the new law implemented across all member states of the EU. What does this mean for citizens requiring foreign language translation services?
Basically, this new law means that a foreigner suspected of a crime in any EU state would have the right to a legal language translator from the initial point of arrest or suspicion of carrying out a crime. During initial police interrogation, and throughout court proceedings, suspects will have the right to a court interpreter who would provide language translation of all questions, answers and legal documentation.
Costs for the hiring of a legal translation company services are to be covered by the member state involved with the case. Language translation costs are not the responsibility of the suspect. It is also the responsibility of member states to compile a register of language translators for all relative foreign language translation requirements.
This is a great initiative for the EU to get underway. Language translation is becoming an increasingly controversial topic in legal systems around the world. In Canada, Supreme Court judges are now required by law to be fully bilingual in English and French so that cases can be carried out without room for error from a language translator.
March 16, 2010
Recent developments in legal translation within the European Union (EU) may represent significant progress in relations between EU member states, in terms of a more cohesive way of dealing with inter-country cases.
The European Commission has called for the standardisation of procedural rights and access to interpretation and translation services for anyone facing a trial conducted in a foreign language in a country which is not their own.
Should it be passed the new legislation will mean that anyone accused of a crime anywhere within the EU will have a fair trial. Actual cases in which suspects received unfair convictions primarily due to a language barrier provide motivation for the proposal. Foreign language citizens on trial have in the past been barred from consulting with lawyers in their own language, and have not been given translations of legal documents, such as written evidence against them.
Such situations require the expertise of specialised legal translators, who can interpret documents in terms of both language and legal jargon. The call for provision of legal translations and equal rights for all EU citizens is only the first of many measures the EU plans to implement. The ultimate goal is to cement a common set of standards for all criminal cases in all member states.
The Lisbon Treaty was also an influence on the motion. Signed by EU member states in December 2009, it stated that powers within the EU must work to enhance the rights of all EU citizens, as outlined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
As it stands the proposal will enhance suspects’ rights to a legal translation service and interpretation in three main ways. Interpreters must be provided to facilitate communication between lawyers and the accused individuals they represent, and also during trial or any additional questioning. Secondly, any important documents relevant to the case of an accused will be translated into their own language in writing. And finally, all costs for professional translation and interpretations services must be footed by the EU member state, and not by the accused.
If the motion is passed, all suspects undergoing trial in any EU country will benefit massively from access to proper legal translation and interpretation. In the interests of justice and in a culturally diverse structure such as the EU it is crucial that all citizens are dealt with equally and fairly before the law.
Author James W. Loewen has run up against some unprecedented issues with the Chinese translation of his book, Lies My Teacher Told Me. The book examines popular American History textbooks and criticises their biased approach to historical events and figures. The book was first published in 1995, and an updated hardcover edition was produced in 2008. This was also the year Loewen and professor Ma Wanli of Hongkong University in Nanchang began discussing the English Chinese translation of the book.