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Someone was pointing out on Twitter yesterday that his taxi driver said “death to traffic”. Context is everything.

by moomin 7y ago

commandlinefan 7y ago
Well, that does mean that he wishes traffic didn't exist (and, in this case, I'm actually with him). I'm not sure that makes "death to America" any more peaceful.
- themagician 7y ago
  All they want is for us to not exist anymore... in their region. Influencing their lives. Influencing their politics. That’s all they have ever wanted. Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan… they just want the US to get the fuck out. Every major problem the US has in the Middle East is self inflicted. The “embassy” in Iraq isn’t an embassy. It a city. At 100 acres and 15,000+ personnel, it’s larger than many cities.
- jhanschoo 7y ago
  The idea is the contexts in which such a statement is chosen to be uttered is important, and not just the possible interpretations of the statement given content: just as how the Iranian taxi driver says "death to traffic" offhandedly, so the US driver says "fuck this traffic" offhandedly, and just as the Iranian says "death to the US" offhandedly but not "death to traffic", so the US citizen says "fuck the government" offhandedly. In any case, neither mean to literally destroy or bugger the nation. So to the extent that "death to X" conveys a strong hatred with probable signification of action in English, it is a mistranslation, since "death to X" in Iranian conveys a frustration that has not been analyzed much or that belies an intention for planned action, which is more similar to "fuck X" in English.
  - jhanschoo 7y ago
    edit: ', and just as the Iranian says "death to the US" offhandedly but not "death to traffic",' should read ', and just as the Iranian says "death to the US" offhandedly,'
mc32 7y ago
It’s more or less like when you say FU. When you say it to a friend in competition of you say it to a rival in a heated exchange. Ask how they actually would say “death to America”. It’s going to be the same. So now this interview gives cover to those who are on the fence.

Someone was pointing out on Twitter yesterday that his taxi driver said “death to traffic”. Context is everything.

by moomin 7y ago

Someone was pointing out on Twitter yesterday that his taxi driver said “death to traffic”. Context is everything.

Well, that does mean that he wishes traffic didn't exist (and, in this case, I'm actually with him). I'm not sure that makes "death to America" any more peaceful.

themagician 7y ago
All they want is for us to not exist anymore... in their region. Influencing their lives. Influencing their politics. That’s all they have ever wanted. Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan… they just want the US to get the fuck out. Every major problem the US has in the Middle East is self inflicted. The “embassy” in Iraq isn’t an embassy. It a city. At 100 acres and 15,000+ personnel, it’s larger than many cities.
jhanschoo 7y ago
The idea is the contexts in which such a statement is chosen to be uttered is important, and not just the possible interpretations of the statement given content: just as how the Iranian taxi driver says "death to traffic" offhandedly, so the US driver says "fuck this traffic" offhandedly, and just as the Iranian says "death to the US" offhandedly but not "death to traffic", so the US citizen says "fuck the government" offhandedly. In any case, neither mean to literally destroy or bugger the nation. So to the extent that "death to X" conveys a strong hatred with probable signification of action in English, it is a mistranslation, since "death to X" in Iranian conveys a frustration that has not been analyzed much or that belies an intention for planned action, which is more similar to "fuck X" in English.
- jhanschoo 7y ago
  edit: ', and just as the Iranian says "death to the US" offhandedly but not "death to traffic",' should read ', and just as the Iranian says "death to the US" offhandedly,'

mc32 7y ago

It’s more or less like when you say FU. When you say it to a friend in competition of you say it to a rival in a heated exchange. Ask how they actually would say “death to America”. It’s going to be the same. So now this interview gives cover to those who are on the fence.