Re: Lost in the translation

[Tony Abruzzese <abruzzese@biochem.bumc.bu.edu>]

Brian Vita wrote:

>Shep Smith (Fox) was just reading a statement (allegedly) from Saddam after
>meeting with his defense minister and his son.  Aside from the usual babble
>the following quote got me, "Bush and Rumsfeld are evil men and they should
>be attacked with shoes".  (snip)
>
Maybe not so lost...

I picked up this cultural tidbit from Fox's coverage, I don't know if 
you saw the same clip. The shot was of a US soldier in Al Qasr, I think, 
pulling down a poster of a portrait of Saddam Hussein. One of the locals 
was "assaulting" the picture, really hammering away, with his shoe... he 
was also mugging for the camera. The explanation from the studio was 
that it was a grave insult and an expression of disgust in Arab cultures 
to hit someone or something with one's shoe.

Having studied latin for six years in jr. high/high school, I understand 
how a direct translation can sometime miss the target and sound anywhere 
from the strange to the ridiculous, while sounding so eloquent and 
serious in original form.

Tony