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Trying my hand at Arabic...
Sep. 22nd, 2007 09:16 pmIn case anyone should ever wonder why I've been using Internet resources in these past few minutes to verify some Arabic-to-English translation, it is because I was curious about the messages on the signs in the follwing photograph, published by the Associated Press (and reproduced here under the doctrine of fair use):
Having Down with Israel go by a reviewing stand so heavy with Iranian brass (not to mention Ahmadinejad his very self) seems awfully innocuous, almost like seeing a banner with "Abortion is a No-No" at a convention of the Christian Coalition.
If we take a close look at the Arabic on the sign in the foreground, it would appear to resemble the following:
Down with Israel (according to Google Translate) would look more like this:
Of course, neither the AP nor their stringer thought there was any news value in pointing out this, um, curious mistranslation.
Then again, it should surprise nobody that these folks have one slick propaganda machine in place. And hey, Ahmadinejad is fixing to score a PR hat trick during his upcoming trip to the US, between visits - perhaps tentative, perhaps not... nothing's over 'til it's over - to the UN, Columbia, the 60 MInutes studio at CBS, and possibly even Ground Zero. (Talk about a bully pulpit!)
Cheers...
Having Down with Israel go by a reviewing stand so heavy with Iranian brass (not to mention Ahmadinejad his very self) seems awfully innocuous, almost like seeing a banner with "Abortion is a No-No" at a convention of the Christian Coalition.
If we take a close look at the Arabic on the sign in the foreground, it would appear to resemble the following:
الموت لاسرائيلwhich is what is produced when Google Translate is asked to render Death to Israel in Arabic.
Down with Israel (according to Google Translate) would look more like this:
تسقط اسرائيل
Of course, neither the AP nor their stringer thought there was any news value in pointing out this, um, curious mistranslation.
Then again, it should surprise nobody that these folks have one slick propaganda machine in place. And hey, Ahmadinejad is fixing to score a PR hat trick during his upcoming trip to the US, between visits - perhaps tentative, perhaps not... nothing's over 'til it's over - to the UN, Columbia, the 60 MInutes studio at CBS, and possibly even Ground Zero. (Talk about a bully pulpit!)
Cheers...
