English Translations

Anyone familiar with translation will know that it’s not an exact science. Indeed, from the Latin root transferre – from “trans” (across) + “ferre” (to carry or bring) – the derived terms “translatio” and “translatum” indicate a transference of phrase or meaning. Thus, even the origin of the word translation suggests interpretation and the subjective production of an equivalent text.

Which gets me wondering – how exactly do translators and interpreters manage to do it in high-level, politically sensitive situations? Have there ever been any major international diplomatic bungles due to linguistic mix-ups?

I decided to have a look into it, and found out, that indeed there were some pretty close calls and times when translation services have been even more diplomatic than the diplomats!

During the Cold War era of tense negotiation and finger-on-the-button politics of the U.S. and U.S.S.R., there have been a few close calls with the Russian to English translation. Igor Korchilov, interpreter for Soviet leaders including Khrushchev and Gorbachev, recalls a meeting between George Bush senior and Mikhail Gorbachev during the late 1980s where World War Three almost erupted due to an adjectival ending. Korchilov apparently heard and translated “verifying party” as opposed to “verified party” (an effective reversal of Soviet policy), much to the delight of the Americans; however the misunderstanding was soon cleared up.

Ouch! That could have been one of history’s biggest bloopers in translations!

But this next story tops it off in terms of quick-thinking from a translation service interpreter! Margaret Thatcher, known for being blunt at the best of times, once began an interview with the visiting president of the French Congo with “I hate Communists.”

The president, a known Marxist and Communist, hopefully none the wiser, as the shocked French interpreter covered it by saying something along the lines of “Prime Minister Thatcher says that she has never been wholly supportive of the ideas of Karl Marx.” Talk about hard work!