Bilingual Welsh-English Websites© Sarah Stevenson
Aug 22, 2003
The Internet is everywhere in our daily lives-it offers us a myriad of ways to communicate, to offer services and buy goods, to meet others and take part in discussion, and to help us learn. And in Wales, as in many other countries with multiple languages in widespread use, it is important that Internet users be able to access sites in the language of their choice ( Snapshot Survey, Bwrdd-yr-Iaith, 3). In the case of Wales on the Web / Cymru ar y We, for example, Project Officer Aled Betts notes that having a language option has added to the value of CAYW, and there has been huge demand for it: "Heavy and constant usage has been made of the Welsh pages since CAYW was launched in November 2002," notes Mr. Betts.
However, designing an effective bilingual site is a challenge, with many factors to consider: ease of navigation between languages, equal attention to both languages, and so forth. Difficulties for the CAYW creators included ensuring consistency on all pages, with every English page having a Welsh version and vice versa. For Andrew Hawke and the creators of the Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru website, technical issues were a hurdle (as well as a learning experience): keeping track of links to Welsh and English versions of pages, and pages with bilingual content; creating directories in parallel while retaining graphics in the root directory; and the like. Clearly, setting up a bilingual website that is effective, appealing, and technically sound is a real challenge to designers and web producers.
The Bwrdd yr Iaith or Welsh Language Board has made extensive study of the effectiveness of various designs of bilingual websites, and have issued guidelines based on their study for anyone interested in producing a website in Welsh and English. They even sponsor the annual Bilingual Design Awards for excellence in diverse design fields including advertising, packaging, and new media.
According to their guidelines, the Welsh Language Act of 1993 was a catalyst for equality of the Welsh and English languages in all aspects of public life. Thus, organizations that serve the public in Wales are required to produce a language scheme that provides for such equality; at the same time, private companies see that bilingual design of websites and literature has many advantages, not the least of which is satisfying customers' demand.
First and foremost, therefore, when creating a bilingual website the biggest consideration is planning: "Both client and designer need to be aware from the outset that the finished product will incorporate two languages," say the Bwrdd-yr-Iaith guidelines. This means making sure that the project is planned with both Welsh and English in mind-including appropriate translation and proofreading of text, and side-by-side mockups of each language version. Typography issues unique to each language must also be considered: circumflex letters used in the Welsh language must be provided for, as well as appropriate spacing of words, letters and lines to enhance readability.
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