The Shakespeare Walk

London staged a special walk as part of the 400^th Shakespeare Anniversary Celebrations. A total of 37 specially-made short films played on the South Bank between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge. The event's title was The Complete Walk.

A special map showed where the 37 screens could be found. Each short film lasted about 10 minutes. Many had been filmed in Shakespeare’s chosen locations:

•  Hamlet at Elsinore in Denmark
•  Macbeth at Glamis Castle in Scotland
• Henry V at the Agincourt Battlefield in France
• The Tempest in Bermuda
• Anthony and Cleopatra at the Red Pyramid in Egypt
• The Merchant of Venice in Venice, Italy
• Othello at Othello’s Tower in Famagusta, North Cyprus
• Troilus and Cressida at the Ruins of Troy in Turkey
• Romeo & Juliet at Juliet’s Tomb, Verona, Italy

… and many more.

There were lots of people following the walk. At times there were so many that you had to wait for the next 10-minute screening. Each film played in a loop, so you didn’t have to wait long for the next screening of the most popular plays.

The walk took me past Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a replica of the original theatre. President Obama had apparently visited earlier that day and wondered about the absence of a roof if it rained. I was more concerned about the very chill wind blowing off the Thames that day.

There was quite a bottleneck near the Financial Times on Bankside, where Measure for Measure was playing. Isabella’s entreaties were very powerful. The large crowd demonstrated that Shakespeare can still capture our attention and connect with us today.

I encountered another large crowd near the Clink Street Bridge Arch. Here Twelfth Night was playing just a stone’s throw from the site of the old Clink Prison. The prison dates 200 years further back than Shakespeare.

All's Well That Ends Well at Southwark Cathedral

Sadly not all the screens were working as I passed and I missed some of my favourite plays. However, that meant that I enjoyed plays that were not so familiar to me. I welcomed the seating in the Millennium Courtyard at Southwark Cathedral. Here I saw great acting filmed at the Château de Lourmarin in France for All’s Well that Ends Well.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She offers 

copywriting, translation

and transcreation services.

For further information,

 see Anglicity's website

Big Data in Action

Big Data sounds big. It’s the buzzword on everyone’s lips with a BIG future. Attendees at the recent techUK Big Data Roadshow were treated to an excellent presentation on what big data means in action by Transport for London (TFL).

Lauren Sager Weinstein, TFL’s Head of Analytics, revealed how data is providing valuable insights into customer journeys leading to better business decisions. She described the benefits to both customer and the business, as well as the challenges.

The London Challenge

The challenge is huge. London is gaining new residents at a rate of 9 every day. Today’s the capital’s population stands at 8.6 million. This figure is expected to increase to 10 million by 2030. It sounds unsustainable on London’s creaking old tube system. TFL cannot make decisions in isolation. It has to liaise with the Mayor of London and other politicians.

Getting the Picture

Oyster cards, contactless data, traffic cameras, signal detectors on roads and bus location data are giving TFL a clearer picture of what is happening on the network in real time. Big data is proving more accurate than traditional clipboard surveys on designated routes.

Data Collection

The original Oyster card scheme was introduced in 2003 and was not designed for big data. Tapping in and tapping out at ticket barrier today creates a linked journey. TFL can track where passengers are going. With buses, you tap in but not out. An algorithm makes an assumption as to where passengers got off and resumed their journey on the Underground. It assumes the most efficient journey choice. Individuals are not tracked. Anonymised data shows Londoners’ journey patterns.

Planning

Lauren explained that such data helps with bus planning. TFL can look at a particular route. If a bus is 80% full, is it time to introduce a new bus? Or a bigger bus? Was it a special event day? How can routes be planned better in future?

TFL captures contactless data on entering buses

Overcrowding

In the case of the Victoria Line, a new signal system is recording the weight of trains to assess overcrowding levels. Overcrowded trains are slower as they have a longer dwell time in stations – due to passengers leaning on doors, etc. The challenge for TFL is how to communicate the information in real time so that customers can alter their journeys/behaviour. A proposal includes symbols on platform signs to show crowding levels.

Lauren displayed data for 9 October 2015. The busiest stations came as no surprise: Kings Cross, Oxford Circus, Victoria, Waterloo, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Brixton, Stratford and Canary Wharf.

Given recent experiences, it didn’t surprise me that Oxford Circus featured in three of the busiest routes: Brixton to Oxford Circus, Liverpool Street to Oxford Circus and Victoria to Oxford Circus. On a couple of occasions recently, I have felt that Oxford Circus was so overcrowded that platforms were dangerous. I would have appreciated being told to take an alternative route before arrival, rather than deciding to get out quick and walk. Entry to and exit from Holborn Station seemed better managed, although that herded cattle feeling isn’t great.

Passengers with Luggage

I was pleased that Lauren showed an awareness of passengers travelling with luggage. As I watch tourists struggle through London’s rabbit warren of tunnels and steps, I do wonder. I get exasperated that my bus from Marylebone stops at Euston instead of Kings Cross/St Pancras. I am now hoping big data will favour a route change. At the end of an exhausting international trip, it’s hard-going.

Open Data

TFL hopes to find suitable partnerships to develop agile thinking and technology further. The focus is on open data. Any new process must have a solid business case behind it. It is seeking a more “joined-up” view for the future.

Personalised data service to customers in transit

Personalised Data Service

TFL is also keen to provide a more personalised service to customers. Passengers have the option as to whether they want to share their data. To do so, they need to register their device and preferences with TFL. This could mean that they would receive notices direct to their phone – e.g. about refunds, roadworks or other issues. TFL works closely with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on data protection.

When contactless was first introduced, I will admit that I was wary. Now, I like the time gained at the ticket barriers. So I’m looking forward to future developments. I remember learning at UKTI’s Big Data event in Paris that I fell into the most difficult group to persuade…

Can TFL persuade passengers to avoid overcrowded routes? Later that same day, I got off at the great new station at Tottenham Court Road instead of busy Oxford Circus. I approached my destination from a different direction on foot and arrived much happier for the experience.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She offers 

copywriting, translation

and transcreation services.

For further information,

 see Anglicity's website

Multicultural England and St George

Ordinarily St George’s Day passes in a puff of smoke. Does another nation that let its patron saint’s day pass with as little celebration as England? April 23^rd 2016 was a little more special than usual, but that was down to the Shakespeare 400^th anniversary celebrations, not St George.

My native city of Bristol apparently dropped St George’s Day celebrations altogether because the area is “too multicultural”. London is multicultural too - if anything even more so. Celebrations went ahead in Trafalgar Square.

Has London found the recipe to respect the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of all its citizens? 

 East Londoner Nathalie Coleman, the 2013 TV MasterChef,
cooks her variation on Eton Mess with Rhubarb and Star Anise

I have already blogged about a number of the events in Trafalgar Square in the past year. I wasn’t able to attend every cultural event, but am aware that I missed a number. London celebrated Eid, Diwali, Holi Festival of Colours, Vaisakhi and Chinese New Year.

In December, a Jewish Menorah stood in Trafalgar Square for Hanukah alongside the traditional Christmas tree. The enthusiastic Irish celebrations of St Patrick’s Day feature in a previous blog. I have also written about Brazil and French Bastille Days.

At Easter, I watched a Passion Play in Trafalgar Square. This was the result of months of hard work by enthusiastic volunteers. The story of Jesus is a powerful one, even if you do not share the Christian faith.

Just before Easter my car had to have its MOT. I was mightily relieved when it did not cost me the anticipated “fortune”. As the keys were returned to me, I wished my mechanic a Happy Easter. Noting his Sikh turban, I quickly added the word “break”. I didn’t wish to offend. No offence was seemingly taken as he walked away smiling. It was a Bank Holiday for both of us after all.

Later I looked up Sikh traditions. I noted that Sikhs worship one God, have rejected the caste system, believe in living honestly and working hard. They also believe in being generous to those less fortunate than themselves. Much in common therefore.

My children have learnt all about different cultures and their celebrations at school. At Primary School, they learnt about the Swedish festival of light, Eid, Diwali lamps, the Nativity, Chinese New Year, Hanukah, Buddhism, Easter rabbits, St Nicholas, etc. They enjoyed hearing all the stories related to other faiths and celebrating the festivals important to other children in their classes.

Adopting another culture’s customs is nothing new. At Christmas, I wrote how Christmas trees came to us via Germany - although other countries claim the tradition too. I wrote about Austrian Kipferl and how other nations claim the recipe. I looked at the origins of Easter and discovered many Pagan and Jewish Passover connections.

You don’t need to go too far back in British history to see how religious beliefs tore our nation apart. The wounds of religious wars took generations to heal. 

St George's Day 2016 in Trafalgar Square

Today, England is a tolerant nation. The past shows us that we should absorb rather than drop our own beliefs and celebrations.  Ignorance and fear hamper multicultural integration. Sharing our different cultural traditions and celebrations is an important part of understanding. When we understand better, the beliefs don’t seem so different underneath.

Dahl's Centenary at RHS Cardiff

A wicker BFG at RHS Cardiff

2016 is an extraordinary year for literary anniversaries. It's not all about Shakespeare and Cervantes. Cardiff is celebrating the centenary of the birth of the famous author Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl's children's characters featured prominently at the Royal Horticultural Society's Cardiff Flower Show. We were barely inside the entrance before we saw the towering figure of Dahl's BFG made out of wicker (left).

Roald Dahl was born in the North of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. His parents were Norwegian and he was baptised in the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay.

Dahl-inspired Pure Imagination Garden

One of the show gardens was called Pure Imagination. It was inspired by Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was a surreal representation complete with chocolate pond. It captured something of the storyteller's wonderful imagination. 

The best Roald Dahl-themed show contributions came from local children. Local nursery schools, primary schools, Beavers, Brownies and various other children's groups transformed wheelbarrows to represent their favourite stories. Show visitors were given counters to vote for their favourite wheelbarrow. It was extremely difficult to choose.

My elder son chose the Enormous Crocodile (left). It brought back fond memories of bedtime stories when he was younger. He now towers over me - not as tall as the BFG, but pretty tall nonetheless. 

We remembered how he used to love the ending when the enormous crocodile gets sent spinning off into space. 

Roald Dahl wrote great stories that are still capturing children's imaginations. 

My younger son always loved listening to Roald Dahl's stories. He liked James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox and George's Marvellous Medicine. He loved that the wicked grandmother got her comeuppance in the latter.



Not every child finds reading and writing easy. Reluctant readers and children with early learning difficulties often appreciate Roald Dahl's stories. If they grow to love the stories through other means like artwork and gardening, it is much easier to motivate them to read the books afterwards. Fresh air and improving hand strength for writing are added bonuses.

James and the Giant Peach Wheelbarrow

Not only was Roald Dahl an inspirational storyteller, his own story is inspiring for such children.  It now seems incredible to think that Roald Dahl's teachers did not think much of his writing skills. Their comments were cruel. Yet, he went on to become one of our best-known and best-loved authors.

I thought it was a great idea for the RHS to host such a competition. It combined literacy skills and gardening. The children had obviously put a lot of thought, work and love into their wheelbarrows. Capture them young. I'm sure that early interests in reading, the environment and gardening never go away.  They certainly didn't in my case. 

Moorlands Primary School's entry complete with a Norwegian flag and Dahl's writing hut

After a great start to the RHS Show season, I am now looking forward to the Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Tickets already booked.

RHS On Tour Bus ready for the next show

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is

an English copywriter 

and digital marketer

with Welsh roots.

She loves gardening

and visiting gardens.

For further information see
Anglicity's website

At Dr Johnson's House

Terminologists are at the forefront of language change. As languages evolve in response to changes in society, lexicographers have to decide how to represent these changes in dictionary definitions and examples.

The ITI's Terminology Network gathered recently in the garret of Dr Johnson's House. We discussed new approaches to gender in languages today. Neither Dr Johnson pictured in his garret nor his bluestocking friend Elizabeth Carter downstairs could have imagined some of the challenges faced by terminologists, lexicographers and translators today.

Dr Johnson's House hidden behind Fleet Street

Eyvor Fogarty introduced our three speakers:

• Professor Emerita Margaret Rogers, University of Surrey - Introduction to the topic: Gender and Language
• Professor Peter Sherwood - Gender and Lexicography: Setting an Example? Notes on gender imbalance
• John Ayto, writer and lexicographer - Janet and John in Dictionaryland 

Gender-neutral English
Margaret Rogers drew our attention to some of the difficulties that today's gender-neutral, politically correct language can get us into today. Pages 54-6 of the very recent March 2016 version of the European Commission's English Style Guide gives guidance on gender-neutral language. Existing legislation often uses "he" to include women. "He/she" is now regarded as "cumbersome" and "excessively formal". 

The lack of grammatical gender in English can make a translator's life difficult. We have just have the one term "translator" for the marked Übersetzer and Übersetzerin in German. English no longer refers to air hostesses, preferring the gender-neutral flight attendants today. Yet, we end up not knowing whether a doctor is a man or a woman. This results in the question: "Would you like to see a lady doctor?"

Hungarian
Peter Sherwood contrasted the situation in Hungarian. A PhD study has shown that dictionary examples of usage appear to have gone in an opposite direction to our expectation. Post-communist Hungarian is more likely to attribute success to male gender. It is important that a lexicographer exercises judgement in choosing authentic examples. Google's frequency of use is not a good guide. The extraordinary paradox is that the Hungarian dictionary concerned had a female editor and team. Does it suggest that sexual equality has gone backwards in Hungary?

Luxembourgish
In the subsequent discussions, issues from other languages were given. The Luxembourgish word for girl is neuter. It confuses English students to have to refer to a "she" as "it". This is further complicated by referring to a female family member as "it" and other women more formally as "she".

French and English
French seems to avoid all these issues. It continues to use the impersonal "on", while "one" is now considered very old-fashioned in English. We avoid referring to a child as "it" too now. It seems offensive. We now tend to use "they" to get around such issues: e.g. Someone's left their umbrella.

Modern Cultural Dilemmas
Isabelle gave some particularly interesting modern examples of issues. Census forms now need to deal with the issue of transgender and cisgender. Working between cultures changing at different rates can present particular problems to translators and terminologists. Isabelle illustrated this with an entry in the UN's glossary for the Indian English term eve teasing for sexual harassment. There was an outcry regarding the initial description as a euphemism. A revision gave more precise geography on its usage. 

Luxembourg once had to pulp a complete dictionary edition due to anti-semitic examples.

Great care and consideration are still required by today's terminologists and lexicographers even if the internet has completely transformed their roles.

After the talk, we all took some time to explore Dr Johnson's House. His famous dictionary was on display in a case.

We all paused to admire the statue of Dr Johnson's beloved cat Hodge:

"A very fine cat indeed".

Statue of Hodge, Dr Johnson's Cat

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. As a 

professional translator

she recognises the

importance of thoroughly

researching her clients'

terminology as part of the

translation process.

She also offers copywriting

and transcreation services.

For further information see Anglicity's website

A Divided House

Many a time I have walked past the Houses of Parliament in Westminster and gazed up in awe. During the Easter break I seized the opportunity to see the magnificent buildings from the inside. A special guided tour was available as part of Women's History Month. It was entitled "From petitions to Prime Minister". This fascinating tour was all about women in Parliament and the suffragettes. The 2015 film Suffragette was the first production ever granted access to film inside the Houses of Parliament.

Inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament are steeped in British history. Unfortunately, that history has not been so great for women. 

Statue of Oliver Cromwell looking down

Spot the Woman?
There are very few portraits of women inside -  unless the women concerned were queens or consorts. I could have easily missed the small stained-glass window to the Women's Suffrage Movement if our guide hadn't pointed it out.

Women's Suffrage Window

An Injustice depicted as Justice
One of the most moving stories related to a painting by Irishman Daniel Maclise. He painted the face of Caroline Norton as "The Spirit of Justice" in the House of Lords. In those days, women were the property of their husbands. Caroline Norton fought a campaign over the custody of children and divorce conditions. 

Cat and Mouse
I was horrified to hear of the lengths that women had to go to win the right to vote. It went far beyond raising petitions. Quite a hefty endeavour before today's e-petitions. The suffragettes went to prison, on repeated hunger strikes and were force-fed repeatedly. Can this really have happened in my country in the last century? The circumstances surrounding The Cat and Mouse Act seem horrific.

Heel of Lord Falkland bears Suffragette damage

Petitioning for Change
Of course today, women shouldn't need to go to such lengths today to get justice or be heard, should they? It should be a simple matter of writing to your MP. Not every just cause can raise a massive petition. Some causes aren't glamorous enough for widespread popular support. Slavery wasn't just. It took just men to overthrow it.

Gender-neutral?
Modern women still struggle to improve conditions for their children after a divorce. They tend to get on with doing their best for their children, rather than staging stunts like climbing Buckingham Palace. Yes, roles in society are changing. Yet, gender-neutral decisions in a world that is not gender-neutral are not fair. They favour the father. Not the mother. And certainly not the children. The latter are forced to live a bizarre, nomadic existence between homes, used as a weapons of abuse in ways beyond their understanding.

Causes without Glamour
Just 25% of British MPs and 8% of the judiciary are women. It is very difficult to gain male MPs' attention to the unfairness of so-called gender-neutral laws, domestic abuse and coercive control. How do you win the support of wealthy male MPs on the subject of post-divorce finance for women and children? Many women and children live in poverty or near-poverty for years after divorce.

Suffering Children
Children grow up in the time the courts take to deal with matters. The slow family courts allow abusive fathers too much time to cover their financial tracks. The Government is quick to make digital connections that withdraw payments to single mothers. Yet access to the evidence that would prove a case of relentless financial abuse is blocked as "confidential".

Attitudes to Women
It's legal to use the legal system as an instrument of abuse and mental torture. The system is too formulaic. Too male. It too readily dismisses women's complaints as irrational, too emotional, too stressed, too negative... 

Misogyny and Class Division
As I stood in the Houses of Parliament, I understood why it is so hard for so many women. The very fabric of the building reeks of misogyny and class division. Protocol did not allow us to sit down inside the House of Commons or the House of Lords. I'm a British citizen. I have the right to vote. I think I deserve the respect and the right to sit down.

Digital Decision-makers?
The voting system is out of the ark. It lends itself to bullying. How can MPs take informed decisions on Britain's digital future (and the Snooper's Charter in particular), if their place of work is an historic relic? Are they going to wait until the Thames floods the Chamber?

A New Environment?
The Houses of Parliament is a fabulous museum. It should be a museum. Visitors would flood in. England and the United Kingdom deserve a new purpose-built building with the latest digital technology and security systems. Perhaps attendance would improve if there were actually enough seats for everyone? Set out in a less adversarial way? 

We deserve better representation for women and children by women. Sometimes you can't change an environment without changing the environment. 

We deserve a grown-up Parliament... I have no allegiance to any particular party. However, the Green Party have just captured how most women see British politics very well.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is

an English 

copywriter and

multilingual digital 
marketer. 

From Art to Muck

There was a big pile of something in the middle of the path on arrival. My week began on a high with art at the Royal Academy. Now, it was back to basics with muck. Not that Panamanian stuff in the news, but real, honest-to-goodness muck. Every gardener knows that you have to deal with the muck first. A good mulch keeps nasty weeds from taking over. You will regret any early season shortcuts. They come back to haunt you like Miss Willmott's Ghost. 

Where was I? I was at the Chelsea Physic Garden for the first in its new season of Thursday Supper Talks. No room for delicacy here... it was about excrement, manure, dung, poo, sh**. So I went from the wow factor of Monet's painted water lilies to The eXcrement Factor inside a week. 

Dr George McGavin's opening slide 

Dr George McGavin's talk was one of the most entertaining and informative that I have ever attended. This Scottish naturalist and broadcaster captivated the audience with his presentation on dung and its history. At first sight, this is hardly the most appealing subject. (See pile above in opening slide). "Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it". Dr McGavin managed to entertain and get serious ecological points across without being gross about his subject matter.

What was his recipe? I find myself not wishing to give away all his secrets. This is simply a presentation that you must see and hear for yourself. I shall just share a few snippets.

Facts and Figures
Scientists like facts and figures. Dr McGavin gave us a flurry of fascinating facts and figures. Real scientists aren't happy with someone else's figures. They like to prove the accuracy of the figures for themselves. If the daily human output is said to be 250 grams, then a real scientist will prove it for himself. He will take two weeks working out a figure of 249.999..... The "untested" vegan figure is 300 grams apparently. The figures for all the dung in the world are staggering. And the human population is growing...

Bazalgette who?
Londoners owe Sir Joseph Bazalgette a massive debt. Most of today's London residents have probably never even heard of him. The Great Stink hit the Houses of Parliament in 1858. Bazalgette was the English civil engineer responsible for London's sewer network. He designed it for a population of 2 million. London's population is over 8 million today. The current situation sounds unsustainable and long overdue a revisit. 

What's important?
The world's ecology is now in such a state that we cannot possibly prevent all its species from dying out. We must choose. The cuddliest or best-looking animals are not necessarily the most important to the world. The Ancient Egyptians revered the scarab beetle. We need to revere bacteria first and earthworms second. Our over-reliance on antibiotics kills good bacteria in the gut. We are storing up enormous health problems for ourselves in the future. We heard about the benefits of FMT (Faecal Microbiota Transplant) for the unhealthy gut.

Dr McGavin doubted that the world would ever reach a predicted population figure of 20 billion. They will be too many wars over food, land and water. Homes and toilets need to be redesigned to use grey water not drinking water. Toilet humour can't hide the fact that urgent action is needed.

I'm now looking forward to future talks on this year's theme of captivating scents at the Chelsea Physic Garden. The beds looked well-mulched for a sweet-smelling summer. 
  

Magnolia flowers against a well-mulched flower bed

Healthy green lawn at the Chelsea Physic Garden

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is a 

French to English
translator and 
transcreator.  She is

also an English 
copywriter and

multilingual digital 
marketer.

She loves gardening

and visiting gardens.

For further information see
Anglicity's website