CNN banned in Iran for translation gaffe

[Judi Lynn]

CNN banned in Iran for translation gaffe

1 hour, 31 minutes ago


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran on Monday banned CNN journalists from working there after the broadcaster misquoted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying Iran wanted nuclear weapons, the ISNA students news agency said.

CNN's simultaneous translation of Ahmadinejad's lengthy news conference on Saturday included the phrase "the use of nuclear weapons is Iran's right."

In fact, what the Iranian president said was that "Iran has the right to nuclear energy," the official IRNA news agency reported. CNN later clarified in an apology on Sunday night.

Iran denies any intention of seeking nuclear weapons, saying it wants atomic technology merely for the generation of electricity.
(snip/...)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060116/en_nm/media_iran_cnn_dc;_ylt=Ai_BzcIp5MYBYCShAEAIO9zK.nQA;_ylu=X3oDMTBidHQxYjh2BHNlYwN5bnN0b3J5

[stepnw1f]

1. Ahaaa.... American Propagandists Busted!!!

Pro-war bastards trying to further the Neo-Nut World Domination agenda with others blood, sweat and tears. The poor in this country must rise and crush those that abuse them. No more...

[Igel]

3. Before condemning the translator,

first I'd want to know what they mean by 'simultaneous translation'. If it was a careful dub over resulting from consecutive interpretation, they're nailed.

If it was truly simultaneous interpretation that took place, I'd cut the interpreter some slack. Rare is the interpreter that, while listening to a tape, can both listen, understand, translate, and speak, all the while filtering what's heard through some sort of 'propaganda tweaking filter'.

Human cognition has limits. There's a reason for simultaneous intepretation's not being considered official in diplomatic circles, and for one country (when sensitive discussions are under way) to have the simultaneous intepretation simultaneously double-checked.

[Mithras61]

6. I agree with most of what you posted, but...

I also think that preconceptions tend to color simultaneous translation.

In this case, the translator was likely expecting (I don't know this, since I can't read minds) "weapons," not "power" as the next word.

Perhaps if they tried a little bit harder not to believe their own BS, they wouldn't have been expelled...

[Igel]

23. I agree absolutely.

When your attention's strained to the breaking point, it's easy to substitute what you expect for what you hear.

But that doesn't make it any more intentional or less a mistake.

[daleo]

11. It's too important a point to get wrong.

I can't cut them any slack for this. There are some things that are too important to make mistakes about.

[mom cat]

15. On something this important CNN should have not used a

simultaneous translation. It was wise of Iran to kick them out!

[rustydad]

18. C-Span

I watched the televised news conference on C-Span and the interpreter said clearly "nuclear power" not "nuclear weapons". They screwed up big time (CNN). This beating of the war drums is Irag and WMD all over again. How many times are these war mongers going to fool us? Once? Twice? Three times? Forever? bob

[Halliburton]

2. CNN held accountable for a gaffe?

only wish they were held accountable for the countless gaffes that have been recorded by media matters over the years.

[Tinksrival]

4. I am suspicious

We have been here before!

[second edition]

5. Its a shame how far down CNN has plunged trying to do Bush's bidding

and look like the to-go-to news source at the same time. You can't trust anything they report any longer-absolutely nothing.

[tabasco]

7. Corporations control our Nation.

Corporate news will do nothing but cheerlead for war because the corporate cabal makes billions when the Nation goes to war.

It is ultimately all about greed.

[xultar]

8. Funny they can't pull that BUSHCO shit and get away with it on a world

stage.

[HuffleClaw]

9. good for them

and the americans can hardly scream about media suppression considering their own actions in iraq; BUYING 'good' stories, kidnapping/jailing journalists that print the truth, shutting down newspapers and tv stations they don't like.

[donkeyotay]

10. I'm sure they'll do a very public retraction

so that the American people aren't left believing that he said nuclear weapons. After all, we wouldn't want to have the people left looking foolish again believing a bunch of hokum if we attack another country.

[oblivious]

12. I see an awful lot of people on DU doing the same thing.

Turning Iran's work on nuclear electricity into work on nuclear weapons. Is it through ignorance or by intention?

[sattahipdeep]

16. stenography

"You know, Bob, there are just some things that
it's better the country just doesn't know about."

http://www.parascope.com/mx/articles/garywebb/garyWebbSpeaks.htm

[samsingh]

13. CNN was caught lying

[IndianaGreen]

19. CNN is blaming a "free lance" translator

Who was this translator, an Iranian exile?

[AngryAmish]

21. Bingo

[daleo]

22. Curveball's latest gig. n/t

[Libby2]

14. As they should !

[sendero]

17. Can we kick ...

... them out of the USA for being congenital liars?

[Judi Lynn]

20. Kick!

[Rex]

24. Weapon, energy, what's the difference?

We all know how this is gonna end...