Working with a mod group as I do, I have to deal with many differnet nationalities of people. A lot of them don’t have english as the first language. And at times we’ve had translation problems… but nothing unworkable.
There has been a lot said in the news about Iran reopening a couple reactors. And I’ve tried to stay away from it, just because I would rather this didn’t become a political commentary site. That said I noted in todays news that CNN has been decalared persona-non-grata in Iran because of a translation mistake. Now the crux of the matter was the Iranian ENERGY minister saying that it was Iran’s right to seek “Nuclear Technology”, and they went on talking about how they didn’t need nuclear weapons and such. Now CNN posted in translation that he said it was Iran’s right to seek “Nuclear Weapons.” A much different animal… or is it. The main reason those reactors where shut down was that as power plants they where VERY dirty… they where designed as breeder plants. To produce nuclear material. Now… it’s true I’m sure there can be some experiments that could call for nuclear material… and not mean for shaping into nuclear weapons. For some reason none pop to mind.
Below is the article talking about CNN and it’s consequences of mistranslation.
Iran Bars CNN Over Translation of Remarks
Iran Bars CNN From Working in Country Over Network’s Mistranslation of Words in President’s Speech
By NASSER KARIMI
The Associated Press
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran said Monday it is barring CNN from working in Iran “until further notice” due to its mistranslation of comments made by the president in a recent news conference about the country’s nuclear research.
In a speech Saturday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defended Iran’s right to continue nuclear research. State media have complained since the speech that CNN used the translation “nuclear weapons” instead of “nuclear technology.”
The ban by the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry was read in a statement on state-run television.
“Due to mistranslation of the words of Ahmadinejad during his press conference, activities of the American CNN in Tehran are banned until further notice,” the statement said.
CNN acknowledged the mistake.
“CNN quoted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying that Iran has the right to build nuclear weapons,” the network said in its report of the ban. “In fact he said that Iran has the right to nuclear energy. He added that, quote, a nation that has civilization does not need nuclear weapons and our nation does not need them. CNN has clarified what the Iranian president said and apologized here on the air to the Iranians directly, as well as on the air.”
CNN told viewers it had not been officially notified about the ban.
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