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| E-mail error ends up on road sign | E-mail error ends up on road sign |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| When officials asked for the Welsh translation of a road sign, they thought the reply was what they needed. | When officials asked for the Welsh translation of a road sign, they thought the reply was what they needed. |
| Unfortunately, the e-mail response to Swansea council said in Welsh: "I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated". | |
| So that was what went up under the English version which barred lorries from a road near a supermarket. | |
| "When they're proofing signs, they should really use someone who speaks Welsh," said journalist Dylan Iorwerth. | |
| Swansea council became lost in translation when it was looking to halt heavy goods vehicles using a road near an Asda store in the Morriston area. It's good to see people trying to translate but they should really ask for expert help Dylan Iorwerth, Golwg magazine | |
| All official road signs in Wales are bilingual, so the local authority e-mailed its in-house translation service for the Welsh version of: "No entry for heavy goods vehicles. Residential site only". | |
| The reply duly came back and officials set the wheels in motion to create the large sign in both languages. | |
| The notice went up and all seemed well - until Welsh speakers began pointing out the embarrassing error. | |
| 'No idea' | |
| Welsh-language magazine Golwg was promptly sent photographs of the offending sign by a number of its readers. | Welsh-language magazine Golwg was promptly sent photographs of the offending sign by a number of its readers. |
| Managing editor Mr Iorwerth said: "We've been running a series of these pictures over the past months. | Managing editor Mr Iorwerth said: "We've been running a series of these pictures over the past months. |
| "They're circulating among Welsh speakers because, unfortunately, it's all too common that things are not just badly translated, but are put together by people who have no idea about the language. | "They're circulating among Welsh speakers because, unfortunately, it's all too common that things are not just badly translated, but are put together by people who have no idea about the language. |
| "It's good to see people trying to translate, but they should really ask for expert help. | |
| "Everything these days seems to be written first in English and then translated. Ideally, they should be written separately in both languages." | "Everything these days seems to be written first in English and then translated. Ideally, they should be written separately in both languages." |
| A council spokeswoman said : "Our attention was drawn to the mistranslation of a sign at the junction of Clase Road and Pant-y-Blawd Road. | A council spokeswoman said : "Our attention was drawn to the mistranslation of a sign at the junction of Clase Road and Pant-y-Blawd Road. |
| "We took it down as soon as we were made aware of it and a correct sign will be re-instated as soon as possible." | "We took it down as soon as we were made aware of it and a correct sign will be re-instated as soon as possible." |