The London Olympics in 2012 seem just around the corner. The first Olympic venue has been completed at the Lee Valley White Water Centre and the wooden track has been put down in the Velodrome. Everything is on schedule and as far as we know, on budget.
What many people will be surprised to hear is that English is not going to be the official language for the Olympics in London 2012. So if not English what other languages? Well if you were to go by the number of speakers and ignore English, Mandarin Chinese would probably take gold, Spanish silver and Hindi bronze.
The Opening Ceremony at the 1896 Athens Olympics
However the official language for the Olympic Games is not Mandarin Chinese, Spanish or Hindi. As we all know the Olympics were started by the ancient Greeks but what many people do not know is that the closest thing to an ancient Greek Olympics since the end of great ancient civilization was a national Olympic Games held in 1866 at London’s Crystal Palace.
The International Olympic Committee is the organisation which ultimately controls the Olympic Games. The organisation was created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894. Pierre de Couberrtin was French is without question a big part of the modern Olympics and so the official language for the Olympic Games is French.
If you think you will need English to French translation throughout the games, fear not. English is another official language of the Games. The BBC commentators will not be dubbed in French or trying to speak French. French will however take precedence over English at all ceremonies including the presentation of medals.
There are languages spoken from all over the world here in London, one of the world great capitals. Hosting the Olympics is a great privilege and sometimes people and the media get caught up with the cost and ignore the great tradition, the honour and the massive investment in a part of London which is really going to change lives.
For a translation company, the Olympics are a fantastic business opportunity. There will be groups of foreign officials and dignitaries from all over the world and it will be vital for them to communicate effectively which may require simultaneous interpreting or telephone interpreting.
So after originating in Greece, then forgotten for 1500 years, revived in England and Greece by a Frenchman the Olympics are a symbol of international cooperation and something all mankind can be proud of.
