a smoking mullah

15:18 Sep 9, 2019 

"Did I (or anyone else) say the translation should be affected?"

Not sure how to respond to this without making someone's head spin.

Nowhere did I say that you (or anyone else) said the translation should be affected by what is being discussed here, so there is nothing to misinterpret. Also, I agreed with the following comment: "Asker wanted it explained, not I."

However, any discussion about whether the term is funny or abhorrent or what Donald Trump is doing (or not doing) doesn't help with translating the word.

And, yes, bias is a problem for not only journalists but also translators, which is why I said any personal opinion shouldn't influence the translation. That's not exactly rocket science. Of course, it's stating the obvious, but I've seen too many news articles that read more like an opinion piece than a news report.

Best

14:42 Sep 9, 2019 

No, not at all. I was talking about racist, a word that is so heavily overused in the States that it has become pretty much meaningless.

Even if it weren't, racism is not a factor in this case, as mullah is a clear reference to Iran's clerical rulers. They are basically depicted as the puppetmasters pulling all the strings. This has pretty much nothing to do with the Iranian people (or with Arabs for that matter, which are classified as Cacausian in the US).

Best

13:58 Sep 9, 2019 

I don't get this? What are you talking about? "I don't see any justification for using the r-word (a concept that has always been alien to me)."
Also this:

"allp needs to translate the paragraph, not write an op-ed. It's not like I don't understand your point, but it shouldn't have an impact on the translation."

Did I (or anyone else) say the translation should be affected? Please refrain from misinterpreting what I say

01:10 Sep 9, 2019 

re your link: well yes, it could easily be part of my book.
BTW, is "rabbi" a dirty word now? Because I can't find any other "r-word" you might be speaking of.

21:47 Sep 8, 2019 

"Asker asked for an explanation/origin which Dariusz didn't initially give."

You're right, of course; that's why I didn't agree either. Please also keep in mind that I didn't say anything about this being funny.

Actually, I'd probably just shrug it off; this may seem callous to some people, but it's not like this is the first time I've heard or read similar things.

Anyway, while I agree that he should have given a better explanation from the get-go, I don't see any justification for using the r-word (a concept that has always been alien to me).

Also, allp needs to translate the paragraph, not write an op-ed. It's not like I don't understand your point, but it shouldn't have an impact on the translation.

As an aside, even though this is fiction (thanks, allp, for the clarification), a recent news report comes to mind: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/02/iran-rocket-explos...

Enjoy your evening

21:34 Sep 8, 2019 

Thanks for clarification. I'm not over PC by any means but I think none of us should be sniggering at these kinds of comments made by so-called leaders

21:26 Sep 8, 2019 

the text I'm translating is a piece of fiction. Very firmly based on reality - your comments testify to it - but it's fiction nonetheless. Sorry if the quoted fragment has misled you into thinking that the words were actually spoken by Donald Trump. As far as I know, they weren't and his name does not appear in the book. All the characters are fictional... and so on.
That said, of course it rings the bell, as it should.

Thanks everybody for your comments and participation.

21:06 Sep 8, 2019 

@Björn
1. I never said Trump coined this.
2. Similar expressions like "mad/crazy mullahs" have been used this side of the pond by some people and tabloids for years.
3. Asker asked for an explanation/origin which Dariusz didn't initially give. And then he gave a superficial explanation. I disagree with seeing anything "funny" or "hilarious" here.
4. I also read US news so am fully aware of attitudes, and political/world ignorance for that matter. Similar situation for some in the UK these days.
5. None of which makes these kinds of inflamatory, derogatory or demeaning expressions sound any better coming from the President's mouth.
6. I'm not an apologist or fan of Islam (or any religion for that matter) by any stretch of the imagination but really, I expect elected leaders to have SOME diplomatic skills, which seem to be sorely lacking in Donald, who is far too often inflammatory in his remarks/tweets.
Finally, if the Iranian president asked for a "smoking rabbi" or the press kept talking of "mad rabbis" would it still be considered "hilarious"? I think in these fraught times leaders, in particular, should be choosing their public utterances more carefully.

15:34 Sep 8, 2019 

...little do with DT. As early as 2008, William O. Beeman wrote in "The Great Satan Vs. the Mad Mullahs: How the United States and Iran Demonize Each Other":
"However, just as United States' administrations since the revolution of 1978-79 continued to lend fuel to the Great Satan image through their frequently unwitting actions, so has the Iranian leadership contributed to the Mad Mullah image through its actions."

Even the English Wiki notes:
"Today, the term is sometimes used as a derogatory term for any Islamic cleric. In recent years, at least among Shia clerics, the term ruhani (spiritual) has been promoted as an alternative to mullah and akhoond, free of pejorative connotations."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullah

I read American news reports every day, and I can confirm what Dariusz said (about how the word is used in the States). Many Americans don't care what the rest of the world thinks, for better or worse.

13:09 Sep 8, 2019 

I agree fully David. Certainly not "hilarious" at all. But typical of Trump who thinks he can say what he likes...

11:32 Sep 8, 2019 

present-day tensions in the world, I find the expression totally abhorrent.And no, I'm not a Muslim; I'm just one of those few poor sods who still firmly believe in "live and let live".