Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NWS Drops Non-English Translations After Budget Cuts
AdWeek via Yahoo ^ | 4/9/25 | Kevin Eck

Posted on 04/10/2025 4:51:05 PM PDT by DallasBiff

The National Weather Service has paused automation that provided language translations to severe weather alerts after the government contract paying for the services expired.

The contract for artificial intelligence modeling used to send emergency alerts in different languages is just one of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contracts that lapsed this week

The translations have been provided by Lilt, an artificial intelligence company, since 2023. It provided them in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan. The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump's administration cuts spending at federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Weather
KEYWORDS: enlish; nws
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last
If I lived in France, I wouldn't expect weather alerts in english.
1 posted on 04/10/2025 4:51:05 PM PDT by DallasBiff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

Social Security still has Spanish on their website. That should have been the first place it was taken down.


2 posted on 04/10/2025 4:55:08 PM PDT by HYPOCRACY (Long live The Great MAGA Kangz!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

English is now the OFFICIAL LANGUAGE of the USA. ALL government documents, web sites and services should only be in the official language.

If immigrants are just too stupid to understand weather alerts with their cartoon symbols, then they deserve to be hit by a tornado, baseball size hail, or a monsoon.


3 posted on 04/10/2025 4:55:18 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (Don't be a "PANICAN" or a "PANICRAT")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

I can only hope we see the days where “press 2 for spanish” is gone forever.


4 posted on 04/10/2025 4:56:01 PM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the personal implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

Wife and I visited the capital of CA in Sacramento during Arnold’s governorship.

They had a budget “crises” and couldn’t find anywhere to “cut”.

We noticed they printed brochures in over 30 languages. I joked they didn’t have one in Klingon. I got dirty looks.

Also, they had a women sitting in the elevator that pushed the buttons for you. There were 3 floors.

I asked if she was a volunteer and she said no, paid. I remarked “and they can’t find cuts?”. She was not amused.

We laughed.


5 posted on 04/10/2025 4:57:16 PM PDT by Fledermaus ("It turns out all we really needed was a new President!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

My grandparents on both sides HAD to learn english and got no free handouts for immigrant aliens.
It should have stayed that way.


6 posted on 04/10/2025 5:04:17 PM PDT by doc maverick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

Immigrants can learn English, just like my grandparents did.


7 posted on 04/10/2025 5:06:52 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

That’s too bad. I was hoping they’d start adding some click languages.


8 posted on 04/10/2025 5:12:43 PM PDT by fruser1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

There are so many translation options available now via tech that Federal agencies shouldn’t even need to bother with it.


9 posted on 04/10/2025 5:15:56 PM PDT by Borges
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

Personally I would love never to hear again, ‘press 1 for English’.


10 posted on 04/10/2025 5:16:32 PM PDT by Beowulf9 ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

Maybe other countries should be paying to have their languages represented?


11 posted on 04/10/2025 5:16:32 PM PDT by Jonty30 (I can promise I can land any plane that is in the air, because gravity only moves in one direction.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dadgum

1. Learn enough English to be part of society, or, just go away.
2. Use a translation app.
3. No. Just stay the hell out.


12 posted on 04/10/2025 5:18:43 PM PDT by dadgum (Fight to WIN or do not fight at all)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dadgum

Que Peña !
Portuguese for “what a shame”


13 posted on 04/10/2025 5:34:21 PM PDT by brookwood (51 Intelligence Agents Say Global Warming Is An Existential Crisis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: brookwood

Hilarious “artificial intelligence “ for translating… it’s called google translate , free for years. But the government wants to pay for something already free !


14 posted on 04/10/2025 5:39:15 PM PDT by brookwood (51 Intelligence Agents Say Global Warming Is An Existential Crisis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: brookwood

Samoan ! How do you say “Toto I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore “ in Samoan ?


15 posted on 04/10/2025 5:42:41 PM PDT by brookwood (51 Intelligence Agents Say Global Warming Is An Existential Crisis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

If I lived in France, I wouldn’t expect weather alerts from the NWS of the United States.


16 posted on 04/10/2025 6:07:00 PM PDT by The Free Engineer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reasonisfaith

You cannot comprehend the fury when I heard : Press two for English !!!!

That’s why 9th Circuit says white Americans cannot have many bullets ..


17 posted on 04/10/2025 6:07:28 PM PDT by A strike ("My country is fd up. I demand you let us in to fix yours..")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff
This article is a good example of how the media lies.

Lie #1: NWS Drops Non-English Translations After Budget Cuts

Reality: The government contract with service provider Lilt merely expired. Obviously the government will re-up with Lilt, or choose a new provider. But that is not as narrative-energizing as the claim that the evil White Supremacist MAGAs are cutting off anyone who doesn't speaking English from learning the weather forecast.

Lie #2: The contract lapse comes as President Donald Trump's administration cuts spending at federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that have led to high employee vacancy rates at NWS offices.

Reality: Ah, so the lapse wasn't caused by the cuts after all, but "comes" as Trump cuts overall staff, which has nothing to do with contract expirations.

18 posted on 04/10/2025 6:21:01 PM PDT by montag813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DallasBiff

Now drop them on election ballots

Nationalized American citizens are supposed to be able to speak read and write English...


19 posted on 04/10/2025 6:38:03 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fledermaus

WHEN I LIVED IN SO CALIF—BALLOTS & SAMPLE BALLOTS WERE PRINTED IN 63 different LANGUAGES & dialects.


20 posted on 04/10/2025 7:46:20 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson