Mistranslation for Peace

[Taro Toporific]

'Mistranslations' help to sidestep problems
IHT/Asahi: March 3, 2003
Japan's modern diplomacy seems to have been founded on mistranslations. The mistakes involved provisions of a friendship treaty signed by Japan and the United States in 1854.
...Touching on the U.N. search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the Japanese envoy, Koichi Haraguchi, said in English, ``There is serious doubt as to the effectiveness of continued inspections.'' The adjective ``serious'' is left out in the Japanese version. Where he said in English, ``Iraq now has very limited time,'' the adjective ``very'' is omitted in Japanese.
These omissions have the effect of making the Japanese text sound a little milder than the English version. Since the two texts were prepared by experts, it may be safe to say that the two adjectives were presumably left out in Japanese on purpose, and that the omissions do not represent mistranslations.
The changes may seem so trivial to be not worth challenging. Even so, I cannot help viewing them as sly.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 23 (IHT/Asahi: March 3, 2003)
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See also 84% of Japanese oppose Iraq attack

[Big Booger]

'Mistranslations' help to sidestep problems

I thought that read,
'Menstrations' help to sidestep problems

I certainly agree with that. There was an issue of interpretation of a translation between Chinese and English back when China held the crew of that american plane when it was hit by that Chinese Jet.. something to do with the apology wording or something..

anyway it hindered on whether the US officially said sorry or were just regretting the accident..

[Marvin Feltcher]

As one who frequently mistranslates (never intentionally), I sympathize with the experts. I even sympathize with those who are nowhere near experts.

[Marvin Feltcher]

Thank you....flatttery will get you everywhere

[Bucky]

[prolly]

idiots. not you; them (us.)