Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Has anyone else received a letter this morning from the Lapta municipality. It's written in Turkish (of course!) but I think it's about changing water meters to prepaid card meters. will endeavor to get it translated unless someone on here can oblige?

Baspinarlady wrote:It's written in Turkish (of course!)

What a shock!!! Were you expecting it to be in Japanese?

Ouch, Kemal!
Seriously though, a lot of us expats do try very hard with the Turkish language. But it would be nice if a double sided letter was available if required for important information.
I am sure someone at the Lapta offices was university educated in English.
Catalkoy do try with this as they are aware that a lot of their revenue comes from expats.

Funny that! There is no point to it anyway, it is like phoning a company and after an announcement in Turkish you will normally get a message in English saying "For English Press 9". Of course having pressed 9 the first thing you get when that is answered is another person speaking Turkish.

Best answer - Learn Turkish! No I have not learned Turkish yet but I keep trying and every time I get things in Turkish, it is just another reminder of where I live and to try harder. Then again I have found over the years that Turkish is not much use when speaking to a Cypriot - that is another language all together - lol. For that you need Turkish, TRNC Turkish, London Turkish, German Turkish, Australian Turkish and on one very memorable occasion - Welsh Turkish, now that one beat me flat, boyo!!!

But for most Cypriots is not English the same? Depending where you hail from and how strong your accent is a simple "Hello" in Turkish can sound very different to everyone.

Keep trying the translators, the dictionary's, the guy next door, the place it came from - anything at all and then the hard part - trying to remember it all.

Sometimes the blurb from the Ozankoy Muhtar is in English, helps to have an English Daughter-in-law.

Well I'm flabberghasted! Cyprus 44 lives on! Just asked if anyone else had received this letter but apparently not? I have been learning Turkish for nearly 4 years - trying to make an effort to communicate with my neighbours. It's slow going when your aged brain only retains words for a matter of days so whatever I learn this week I've forgotten the next!
I live in a village house, try out Turkish cooking, and have generally immersed myself in the T.R.N.C. culture - I'm quite offended at the replies! Maybe I'd have been better asking where to buy HP sauce or how to get Coronation Street on the telly!

Baspinarlady, I am sorry you feel like that.
Owl lady and myself were only trying to show that the authorities in some cases do use English, which is helpful to a lot of us. So I do struggle to see how that can be likened to C44.
Certainly on my part I didn't mean to cause offence.

If you could post a picture of the letter would be more than happy to translate for you.

To be fair Lapta beldiyesi are usually good at having information printed in Turkish and English , even the monthly free paper has an English edition for expats. We did get the letter in Turkish Baspinarlady, think the gist is they are going to install water meters , as are most municipalities, as there are no dates given we assumed this is only an information letter and we don't need to do anything yet
Have to agree, previous responses are pretty shameful, is this site not meant to help each other ?

Sorry, should have said installing pre paid meters

Sorry didn't mean to offend, really don't know why??

Panchocat wrote:Baspinarlady, I am sorry you feel like that.
Owl lady and myself were only trying to show that the authorities in some cases do use English, which is helpful to a lot of us. So I do struggle to see how that can be likened to C44.
Certainly on my part I didn't mean to cause offence.

I think she's referring to the Internet guys sarcastic comment.

You probably caught Kemal on a bad day. He usually goes out of his way to be helpful.

My intention was not to offend, obviously I was joking.

It is only that I do not understand why it is really expected by some that local entities and people here must know and communicate in peoples foreign language. Is this way of communication provided in the UK to foreign people and that's why some people are expecting similar treatment here? Can I go live in the UK, and get Turkish language correspondence from government agencies and municipalities, conduct day to day business in Turkish, and all the companies that I work with would send me messages and talk to me in Turkish?

Plus, I would have never joked about it if the original posted didnt 'provoke' by adding the '(of course!)' part in her message.

I apologize if I have offended anybody.

K.

Actually you can get communications from the Government and Local Councils in the UK in numerous languages, including Turkish!

Let's be honest, there are more non UK residents, than UK in Britain!!

Actually Kemal, there are areas in and around London where forms etc are available in nearly 200 languages, so diverse is he UK now. Plus people can refuse to answer any questions in a police station regardless of how minor the subject until a translator is supplied. It has become a bone of contention on the amount of money that is spent on translators these days.

The UK also provides free English lessons.

However it is not fair to compare the two: Brits in the TRNC are mainly pensioners (with a regular income, even if some of us consider it inadequate) and bring money into the country and are not supported by its taxpayers by way of health and social services etc.. Unfortunately pensioner are by definition older, and it is a sad medical fact that the memory and learning ability decreases with age. I have a lot of sympathy with the OP. I too have been trying to learn Turkish for years, and although I understand basic grammar and have a fair vocabulary, I can t really hold a conversation or understand official communications. My memory seems like a leaking tank - the more I pour in , the more escapes through the leak.

Good grief Baspinarlady only asked a simple question. Seems that there a lot of politicians on here - always avoiding the question in hand!

kbasat the 'of course' part in my message meant exactly that! OF COURSE I wouldn't expect the letter to be in English! I was mearly trying out this 'friendly' forum to see if anyone had any clue as to the letters contents - I deciphered bits of it - hence I knew it was to do with water meters & prepaid cards. To all the helpful posters - thank you, to the sarcastic unfriendly ones - thanks for nothing! xxx

ok, so you used 'of course!' in place of 'as expected', I understood it as a reproach. My bad.

On a side-note, really interesting to learn about situation in the UK, thanks for the info.

K.

A considerable number of comments have been but seem to have been informative to some people. However could someone please answer the original question. Can anyone who had c received this letter give a translation. PLEASE.

Hi Baspinarlady,
I don't live in Lapta but in Esentepe.We have recently received such a letter and its to advise water meters are being installed at a cost of 360 TL which can be payable over a 10 month period.The reason for installing these meters,so I am told is to ensure that payment for water is prepaid and therefore those people that don't pay their bills will have to purchase before obtaining water.Its like a top up card.You can purchase say 10tl swipe your card on the meter and you are credited with that amount.When you have almost used up that credit you purchase another amount and so on.

Baspinarlady, I hesitate to reply in case you consider it an affront - however, if I have offended you then you have my apologies. My posts are never meant to offend anyone and I hope you have your question answered by now.

kbasat wrote:My intention was not to offend, obviously I was joking.

It is only that I do not understand why it is really expected by some that local entities and people here must know and communicate in peoples foreign language. Is this way of communication provided in the UK to foreign people and that's why some people are expecting similar treatment here? Can I go live in the UK, and get Turkish language correspondence from government agencies and municipalities, conduct day to day business in Turkish, and all the companies that I work with would send me messages and talk to me in Turkish?

Plus, I would have never joked about it if the original posted didnt 'provoke' by adding the '(of course!)' part in her message.

I apologize if I have offended anybody.

K.

Yes, Kemal, it is. However, I wouldn't expect it in the TRNC, they probably do not have the resources to do it.

Maybe we all need to remind ourselves again that at the wonderful place we call home (TRNC) is a'place apart'. and we should not really compare it with anywhere else (apart form Turkey - ops). It has progressed tremendously and will continue to do so ,, at its own pace. Meanwhile we live in hope as well as TRNC.!

But I confess to being confused. I had a meter fitted a few years back - I just hope that Alsancak does not come with a prepaid system. What a HUGE headache that would be llving where we do. (she says, somewhat selfishly.)

I live in Karsiyaka, which comes under Lapta Belediyesi but have not received a letter - or it has blown away in the wind like my last water bill!. Is the new meter something to do with the new water supply that might arrive this year? And being prepaid does that mean we will get water whenever we want and be able to use it for anythong we want? (Said tongue in cheek!)

The problem probably is that although a lot of Cyriots speak enough English for everyday use and some English enough Turkish, they may not be confident about translating "officialese" - my experience of which is that in both languages official communications can be misunderstood even by native speakers of the language.

Could you not go to the Belediye and say you do not understand? Even if they cant translate (and a lot speak English better than write it)I have found doing this usually results in either a Cypriot among the other customers who speaks English (and is glad to practice) or another Brit. who has found out what it is about.

The misunderstanding on this post has awoken by teaching instincts and driven me to check "of course": means evident, clearly , manifest . In other words something that is naturally so in the normal course of things. The original poster was using it quite correctly and politely.. I can only apologise to Kemal on behalf of fellow Brits that is occasional use in a sarcastic manner has lead him to believe it is meant offensively. That is one of the dangers of communication only by writing: there is no tone of voice , or facial and body language to signal intention.

Ragged Robin wrote:...That is one of the dangers of communication only by writing: there is no tone of voice , or facial and body language to signal intention.

You're so right - that's why I scatter 'smilies' liberally throughout my posts

Although as you've pointed out to me, they still don't really disguise my true intentions when I do get a bit irascible

Here is the letter..

Will ask a friend to translate, but it might not be until tomorrow (if I am lucky), but someone else might get there first. I hope so. One then has to ask as to whether this is Lapta only, or that the other municipalities will follow later. Hmmm

Try this online OCR (Optical Character Recognition software) for converting scanned documents to word and (in your case) paste into google translate gives you a rough idea but it's good for anyone who needs to change documents and resend them.

The gist of the letter is - all water meters in the Lapta area are being exchanged FREE OF CHARGE for prepaid card water meters.

They say it will help with issues between landlords-tenants, and will provide savings of 85% to the municipality - in terms of personnel, transport and stationery.

When your water meter is replaced you will be given a user guide, and you will be able to load credits at their payment desks.

We have had these meters several years as a "pilot village" here in Bellapais, and they cost a fortune when we had to switch to them. Good for Lapta exchanging them free of charge!

Surely not the dreaded modernisation in TRNC!!!!!!!!

Will the 85% savings be passed on (ho - ho - ho) to customers?

A concomitant of this would surely be to facilitate charging the card on the internet using a credit/debit card - or would this be a modernisation step too far?

If this sort of thing continues then what is to be done with the resultant redundant civil servants?

"85% savings be passed on" dream on.

[quote="allytt"]The gist of the letter is - all water meters in the Lapta area are being exchanged FREE OF CHARGE for prepaid card water meters.



When your water meter is replaced you will be given a user guide, and you will be able to load credits at their payment desks.

So who is going to translate the user guide?????!!!!!!!!!!!

But I agree with Marion : I dread the thought of pre-payment meters. What happens in the case of emergency, illness etc. if the meter runs out and there is no one to get a new credit? How do people who already have them cope? Do they have to stock up loads of credit in advance to against emergencies? I can foresee panics if the stock of prepaid cards runs out

Keithcaley wrote:

Ragged Robin wrote:...That is one of the dangers of communication only by writing: there is no tone of voice , or facial and body language to signal intention.

You're so right - that's why I scatter 'smilies' liberally throughout my posts

Although as you've pointed out to me, they still don't really disguise my true intentions when I do get a bit irascible

t
I agree, Keith, but I sometimes have difficulty in finding an appropriate smiley , or even understanding some of them and being sure the one I chose conveys the same message to others

On another forum I have seen a whistling smiley and a tongue in the cheek smiley to indicate a remarks is not to be taken too serously. Please, pretty please, Admin,any chance of something like that here?

No doubt all will be revealed idc but a couple of questions come immediately to mind:
(1) Do we still pay for 10 tons used or not - a minimum charge OR just what we use?
(2) the current paper monthly bill includes charges for street cleaning etc and annually the Property Tax. Does this mean there will still be a monthly paper bill???

You have emergency tonnes on the meters when you run out about three tonnes I think. -

Re Smilies easy look -

How DO you put the smilies onto a message?

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133 ... 8fight.gif

Copying form one message to another is one thing,(and I don't think it has worked!) but I will ask Soner to put them into the Smilies on the side. I agree so much that the written word can be totally misconstrued because of no body language, facial expressions or tone of voice - hence a picture to make you smile can show much of the writer's intensions of understanding.

As to the Water Meters, - I agree that will the other bills be manage din a different way. To have a man around on his bike once a month would seem a bit 'de trop' and maybe once every three months would be better, although that makes it more difficult to pay. But definitely a step backwards for as RR says, in an emergency 'What will poor Robin do then, poor thing'(definitely a smiley required here, )

It is bad enough trying to get in gas supplies when the wretched thing runs out but to try to get top ups to be able to use water seems like putting people back into the dark ages.

Not progress,s but regress, and it would be nice to know where the money is going that will be saved. Flower beds along the walkway? (another smiley face called for )

Just click on the standard smilies on the left hand side to add to message but there are thousands of smilies online copy the URL and add to your message with the extension - img directly above message box.

Doing something wrong!!

Brend wrote:Doing something wrong!!

I'll send you a PM.

still trying Wotnodeeds
Thanks for pm will try again tomorrow
Brend

Brend wrote:Doing something wrong!!

Will "air" through the water system still be charged at the same price?

Repent at Leisure wrote:Will "air" through the water system still be charged at the same price?

I don't see why not - if they can get away with charging for it in arrears, I can see no reason to suppose that they would shy away from charging for air on a 'Pre-Paid' basis

: Whow after all that conversation not sure if this is of help or if someone has already said this. Anyone with Microsoft can translate anything from English to Turkish and visa versa, might not be verbatim, but you will get the translation. As long as you can get an email version or scan copy of anything on your computer, this can be done.

All have a good day and remember it's bloody freezing here in the UK and I'm in bed sick using my annual leave to coperate!