Should refs be multilingual?

[Tooting Carmen]

There are countries that play rugby which are not English-speaking - most prominently (among others) France, Italy, Georgia, Japan and Argentina - and it is high time that the referees took this into account.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I would say no. English is so prevalent and they struggle to get enough decent refs as it is without finding linguists (or fluent in two languages at least). However when there are professional referees that can speak Spanish and you have Argentina vs Chile reffed by someone who cannot speak a word of Spanish, then you are doing something wrong.

 

[Saintjay]

There are countries that play rugby which are not English-speaking - most prominently (among others) France, Italy, Georgia, Japan and Argentina - and it is high time that the referees took this into account.

So a good ref has to learn how many languages?

 

[Tooting Carmen]

So a good ref has to learn how many languages?

They should specialise - some learn Spanish, others Italian, others French, others Japanese, maybe others Georgian and/or Romanian, and a few may have a combination of more than one.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

However when there are professional referees that can speak Spanish and you have Argentina vs Chile reffed by someone who cannot speak a word of Spanish, then you are doing something wrong.

Well exactly.

 

[OldSchoolRugga]

There should be at least 1 English speaking player in each team, for the refs to communicate with, if the captain does not already speak English. To the original question, I say No.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

In rugby we love to talk about "respect". Well, how about officials actually respect and acknowledge the languages the players speak? (Maybe getting refs to learn Georgian would be a stretch, but at the very least genuinely global languages like French and Spanish).

 

[Brigantine]

How does it work in domestic club rugby in multilingual countries?

How many languages does the typical club rugby referee speak in South Africa or Hong Kong or Belgium?

I remember a video from 2022 of the Saudi (soccer) coach giving his team a half time speech... via a translator.
You would think that international tournaments were well enough resourced to solve any language problems, either by selecting the right referees, or by having a translator on the pitch, or through tech.

 

[stevenp]

Yes because if a player's or referee says something then the referee will understand what the player/referee has said. but everybody should speak English as this would make it easier to communicate and understand each other.

 

[stevenp]

It is not an advantage to speak English it is a disadvantage if you don't speak English.

 

[Yulia]

It is not an advantage to speak English it is a disadvantage if you don't speak English.

I can say the same about other languages.
It is not an advantage to speak French/Spanish/Italian/Romanian/Russian/German/Georgian etc, it is a disadvantage if you don't speak these languages.
To respond to the initial question: in my opinion yes, refs should speak (or know at least at a certain level) 2-3 international languages (French/Spanish/English at least). And they should be chosen for each match on the basis of their knowledge of a certain foreign language, as well

 

[stevenp]

But if everybody just spoke English then communication would be much easier than if everybody tried to speak in languages the other people they are communicating with did not speak in.

Ps why English? It is the most widely spoken language as of 2024.

 

[Saintjay]

Loud and slow English seems to works for most Brits in Spain.

 

[BiggusLaddus]

Loud and slow English seems to works for most Brits in Spain.

That also works in Birmingham, but you do need to be a bit more patient.

 

[stevenp]

If English was the only language apart from computer programming languages then everybody would just speak communicate in English and no need to be multi language as everybody would understand what each other was communicating to each other.
Than if more than one language was used.

Ps computer programming is the second best language with English being the best most useful.

 

[AlRums]

If English was the only language apart from computer programming languages then everybody would just speak communicate in English and no need to be multi language as everybody would understand what each other was communicating to each other.
Than if more than one language was used.

Ps computer programming is the second best language with English being the best most useful.

Programming languages are essentially in English, as is SQL

 

[Tooting Carmen]

But if everybody just spoke English then communication would be much easier than if everybody tried to speak in languages the other people they are communicating with did not speak in.

Ps why English? It is the most widely spoken language as of 2024.

Mandarin and Spanish both have more native speakers than English in fact.

 

[stevenp]

As long as every body understands what each other is say that is all that matters.
So what ever language just pick one make everybody learn/ use just that language so everybody understands what each other is saying.
Communication works easier if everybody understands what each other is saying.

That is why ken Aston created the red, and yellow card system for association football after the referee in the 1966 world cup quarter final between England and Argentina had trouble communicating with Argentina captain ratin that ratin was to be sent off and leave the field because ratin and the referee were both speaking in a different langauge and did not understand what each other was saying.