Diaspora Leicester in Translation

Author: Yan Ying

  • Hubsiimo hal baa la siistaa: Value of Certainty

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    Yan Ying
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    On 15 May 2025, Michelle and I were invited to an event organised by Judi from SOCOPA (Somali Community Parents Association). Participants shared their favourite sayings in Somali. This one struck me as particularly poignant, because it came from a migrant, who might have arrived here through enforced exile. “Certainly is worth a she-camel”, something…

  • Multilingual Poetry Workshop with Nabeela Ahmed

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    Yan Ying
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    Multilingual Poetry Workshop with Nabeela Ahmed” (28 February 2025) welcomed A-level students from Beauchamp City Sixth Form, Beauchamp College, and participants from local communities. Languages of parents and grandparents, of the places we have come from are adding an extra layer to the linguistic and cultural landscape of Leicester, an East Midlands city of England. Diversity…

  • Vent frais: wind through pine trees

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    Yan Ying
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    YY: The following was written by Dr Marie-Josee Bisson. She and Dr Kaitlyn Zavaleta host the podcast: The Language Scientists https://languagescientists.dmu.ac.uk “The was passed on by my aunt. I don’t know what it’s called but my cousin and I (singing together in the recording) call it “Vent frais” – Fresh wind. The song is about…

  • Cooking and Cat: A Little Scratch

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    Yan Ying
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    How you cook is so often influenced by your family way: a tradition, but sometimes a tradition only nested amongst your kins, and to an extent, a region where you are from. In this recording, our FSO colleague from Northern China recalled a favourite phrase his grandma often says when adding finishing touches to a…

  • What a Wise Man Says about the relationship?

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    Yan Ying
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    Listen to this recording. You will hear how the wisdom about the relationship is passed on in a saying. Do you have a similar saying to share?

  • DLiT Sayings Collection in Postcards (5-8)

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    Yan Ying
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    The photos printed on all these postcards were taken by Michelle and Yan during their time in Leicester. Can you tell where they were taken? Send us your answers in the comments or by email dlit@leicester.ac.uk We will send you a set of postcards, if you get >6 correct!

  • DLiT Sayings Collection in Postcards (1-4)

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    Yan Ying
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    You may have heard all these sayings in English. Do you want to know that other languages have similar sayings? We have selected 17 sayings in 16 languages printed on the other side of the postcards (Yes, there are a lot more!). If you would like to have a set, please read the next blog…

  • Celebrating “Diaspora in Translation”: Highlights

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    Yan Ying
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    DLiT held its final public event on 3 July. It was an absolute delight to have the Chai & Chat ladies from Belgrave. They sang their childhood songs, one in Gujarati and another in Hindi, and shared their memories from India, Uganda and Ghana. We also had the pleasure to welcome Cllr Manjula Sood, the…

  • Sunflower seeds and tofu

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    Yan Ying
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    Author: J.L (YY: J.L explains a special form of the Chinese language, xie hou yu, which combines a witty use of metaphor and pronunciation. She would also like to share a photo of her parents as considering these sayings makes her think about and miss her parents back in China.) Xie hou yu, known as…

  • Corinne’s ch’ti

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    Yan Ying
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    Author: Corinne P. Le p’tit quinquin  Dors min p’tit quinquin, (sleep my little child)  min p’tit pouchin, (my little chick)  min gros rojin (my big raisin)  Te m’f’ras du chagrin, (you will make me sad)   si te n’dors point (ch’) qu’à d’min (if you don’t sleep until tomorrow).  This lullaby is a traditional ch’ti song…