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 Post subject: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 2:35 pm 
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Three of Gadhafi's bodyguards, dressed in blue camouflage fatigues, stood at attention behind them as Gadhafi spoke for about half an hour, taking no questions afterward. (NYT)<p>*I wonder what questions the reporter asked the bodyguards. Also, isn't "blue camouflage fatigues" oxymoronic? By the way, the story notes that all his bodyguards are women.*


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:09 pm 
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I think the flaw that's really tripping you up in that story is the word that somehow got translated to "bodyguard."


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:24 pm 
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Would someone clue me in as to how we got from Khadhafi to Gadhafi? The spelling just changed one day and I missed the memo. Thanks.<p>[ April 27, 2004: Message edited by: majorbabs ]<p>[ April 27, 2004: Message edited by: majorbabs ]</p>


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:32 pm 
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<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by jjmoney62:
I think the flaw that's really tripping you up in that story is the word that somehow got translated to "bodyguard."<hr></blockquote><p>Yes, they are probably interns.


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:51 pm 
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<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by majorbabs:
Would someone clue me in as to how we got from Khadhafi to Gadhafi? <hr></blockquote><p>"Khadhafi" is rarely seen, and when it is, it's nearly always overseas. "Khadafy" used to show up every once in a while, but I haven't seen it for quite some time. "Gaddafi" is Washington Post style. The New York Times uses "Qaddafi." AP has settled on "Gadhafi," but "Gaddafi" sneaks in there sometimes. Reuters likes "Gaddafi."
I would stick with "Gadhafi" because of AP's usage; it's not "right" (no one is "right" on this) but it's widespread.


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 4:42 pm 
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<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
<p>I would stick with "Gadhafi" because of AP's usage; it's not "right" (no one is "right" on this) but it's widespread.<hr></blockquote><p>Well, I guess that settles the "insurgent" argument.


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:03 pm 
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Your reply makes me even happier that you do what you do, blanp, and I don't. Imagine a mind that can keep track of all that AND run a message board. What will you try next?


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:36 pm 
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The 32 official transcriptions of مُعَمَّرالقَذَّافِي...<p>(1) Muammar Qaddafi, (2) Mo'ammar Gadhafi, (3)Muammar Kaddafi, (4)Muammar Qadhafi, (5)Moammar El Kadhafi, (6)Muammar Gadafi, (7)Mu'ammar al-Qadafi, (8)Moamer El Kazzafi, (9)Moamar al-Gaddafi, (10)Mu'ammar Al Qathafi, (11)Muammar Al Qathafi, (12)Mo'ammar el-Gadhafi, (13) Moamer El Kadhafi, (14)Muammar al-Qadhafi, (15)Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi, (16)Mu'ammar Qadafi, (17)Moamar Gaddafi, (18)Mu'ammar Qadhdhafi, (19)Muammar Khaddafi, (20)Muammar al-Khaddafi, (21)Mu'amar al-Kadafi, (22)Muammar Ghaddafy, (23)Muammar Ghadafi, (24)Muammar Ghaddafi, (25)Muamar Kaddafi, (26)Muammar Quathafi, (27)Muammar Gheddafi, (28)Muamar Al-Kaddafi, (29)Moammar Khadafi, (30)Moammar Qudhafi, (31)Mu'ammar al-Qaddafi, (32)Mulazim Awwal Mua'ammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi<p>I think the last one is suspect because of its length; the Arabic doesn't have enough characters. It's evidently his full monicker, complete with fatherly nickname.<p>[ April 27, 2004: Message edited by: DominEditrix ]</p>


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 4:10 am 
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I don't know if this is true, but an older editor once told me AP settled on its spelling after getting hold of a letter Gadhafi or his people sent in reply to an American kid who'd written asking him "why do you hate us" or something like that. The letter was written in English, and that was the spelling used, so the story goes.


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 6:18 am 
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<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by ADKbrown:
Three of Gadhafi's bodyguards, dressed in blue camouflage fatigues, stood at attention behind them as Gadhafi spoke for about half an hour, taking no questions afterward. (NYT)<p>*I wonder what questions the reporter asked the bodyguards. Also, isn't "blue camouflage fatigues" oxymoronic? By the way, the story notes that all his bodyguards are women.*<hr></blockquote><p>I think it's a requirement to mention that all of Gadhafi's bodyguards are women. They were probaby wearing the blue-shaded "urban" camouflage pattern.


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:08 am 
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I don't understand why some translations use "Qa," which has no parallel in English. Since we're translating from Arabic script, there's no need for it.


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 11:59 am 
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<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by ADKbrown:
I don't understand why some translations use "Qa," which has no parallel in English. Since we're translating from Arabic script, there's no need for it.<hr></blockquote><p>You raise a good point, and one that's always irked me. Why do we come up with bizarre ways of spelling words from languages that use non-Roman alphabets? Is it just to make them look more exotic? This to me is much like the perennial debate over the use of accent marks when writing foreign names. It's a quixotic attempt to appear erudite that is inevitably doomed to inconsistency in the hands of reporters and editors who don't actually speak all of Earth's languages. <p>For that reason, I've always favored "Kaddafi." Likewise use "Koran" rather than "Quran."


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 Post subject: Re: Tough to spot underwater
PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 12:03 pm 
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A good point that reminds me people who wonder if I am serious about drinking in the Russian Club. Ps: there is a wonderful caption in the April24-30 issue of the Economist that fits in neatly with this topic header.<p>[ April 28, 2004: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ]</p>


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