Feature: Euro 2012 – Lost in Translation?
Published: 19 June, 2012
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In the past few weeks, Euro 2012 has kicked off in spectacular fashion in the co-host countries of Poland and Ukraine. With sixteen nations from every corner of the continent represented, the degree of cultural diversity to be seen has been phenomenal. Thousands of football fans have descended on host cities such as Warsaw, Gdansk and Kyiv. That’s not even to mention the members of the international media and it has been confirmed that over 80 countries have sent representatives to broadcast the tournament back to their population; a feat which will be achieved in 203 different languages. With so many nationalities present, and with each bringing their own language, one of the big logistical challenges of the tournament can be translation, with professional translators to the fore ensuring that everyone can understand each other.
For their part, the host nations have recognised the fact that translation, or lack thereof, could be an issue at the tournament and have taken steps to resolve the problem. The Poles in particular have been very keen to portray a positive image of their country to their international audience and have offered the services of a large number of translators and interpreters to assist all those trying to find their way around the host cities. Ukraine has followed suit and introduced a similar initiative, with both countries acutely aware of the tourism boost and enhanced international recognition they hope will be a lasting benefit of the tournament.
We’ve already had a rather humorous demonstration of this, courtesy of Croatian striker, Mario Mandzukic. Following Croatia’s 3-1 win over the Republic of Ireland on Sunday, Mandzukic’s post-match comments to the press were translated as, “I like to jump a lot, this is what I do best.” He then added, “We are jumping well, we are very motivated.” Discounting the possibility that the Croatians have adopted a new, Van Halen inspired, tactic, it seems safe to assume that Mandzukic’s original sentiment has been slightly misinterpreted.
French coach, Laurent Blanc, has also been left bemused by linguistic differences. After listening to a disjointed and, seemingly, completely random translation of a Chinese reporter’s question, Blanc was left to quip that the translator must have taken a bathroom break rather than translate the question in full. The French boss said he didn’t believe the various parts of the question could be connected and quickly moved on with his press conference.
It is not just in Poland and Ukraine that Euro 2012 has caused translation issues. Authorities in London have produced posters containing words of warning for revellers going home drunk after watching the matches. The posters have been placed around the city, warning of the dangers of kitchen fires being caused by unattended cooking. The posters have been produced in seven languages and The London Fire Brigade says it is the first instance of translations being utilised like this during an international competition.
Euro 2012 has been causing local authorities to tackle language barriers across the entire continent. If nothing else, the tournament has demonstrated the vast diversity and breadth of languages that exist within the world. With international interest in the sport of football continuing to rise, it is certain that future championships will have to continue to recognise the issues involved when words and meanings are lost in translation.