Arsehole Debacle

At work, we were dealing with the question of whether to send out giant 'organ donor card' props to members of the public. I said not, because they might use them 'inappropriately'. I was envisaging a burlesque act - which, to be fair, might not be so inappropriate after all. Indeed, it has all the makings of a great campaign. But will the office listen? I doubt it.

After all, my contribution was not required in the scandal looming over the Welsh language version of the 'Arterial Puncture' leaflet. You see, it turns out that the Welsh word for 'puncture' is also the Welsh word for 'arsehole'. Raising the possibility that Welsh blood donors nursing bruised arms will, on being handed this explanatory leaflet, discover that insult has been added to injury.

In order to offset this, the office was asked for alternative words for 'puncture'. However, my suggestion ('prick') was rapidly discounted. I can't imagine why.

The most frightening thing about this is that our diligent proofreading avails us naught when the text is in Welsh. We may well be blithely handing out Welsh leaflets called 'Give Us Your Pissing Blood' or 'Thank You For Joining The Organ Donor Register, Shithead.' Perhaps the Welsh even like that kind of thing. I've lived there - it wouldn't surprise me.