TURKISH NAMES AND ENGLISH CURSES: VIOLATIONS OF LANGUAGE LAW IN ARMENIA

Tert.am
10:50 ~U 09.12.09

2,200 errors have been registered in the explanatory dictionary
published in 1997, said Lavrenti Mirzoyan, head of the RA State
Language Inspectorate, while speaking with journalists yesterday.

According to Mirzoyan, the lack of censorship turns into "everything
is allowed." In Yerevan’s Garegin Njdeh square, the inspector has come
across a sign with the word "yorgan" ("blanket" in Turkish), while on
Baghramyan Avenue, one can find a sign with Persian writing on it. "In
the capital city, there is a street with an English-language name,
whose Armenian translation is a curse."

According to RA law, foreign language signage must also be accompanied
with an Armenian version of the same size.

Mirzoyan also noticed that the National Assembly approved a new
draft law yesterday, which will give the State Language Inspectorate
the right to fine businesses or individuals who are in violation of
the language law. After the draft law is passed and put into force,
individuals can be fined 150,000-200,000 AMD; legal entities, up
to 250,000-300,000.

In addition, according to the chief state inspector, there are
numerous educational institutions in Armenia where applicants don’t
need to pass an Armenian-language exam; this when, in accordance with
law, Armenian language education and passing an Armenian-language
examination are mandatory.

"In accordance with Article 431, ‘not securing parallel translation
for non-Armenian-language speeches in conferences, conventions,
meetings, scientific meetings where dissertations are announced,
and other official mass events’ is punishable by law," noted Mirzoyan.