Fantastic Reporting And Interpreting The Past
By JUDE DOUGHERTY I did not realize how addicted I was to euphemisms distinctly American until one of my books was being translated into German. The translator had a difficult time rendering into German some of my colloquial expressions. Readers of the American press are used to terms like “bandwagon,” “landslide,” “dead duck,” “breathing room,” and “strident,” particularly in an election year. Most readers will have some idea of what is meant by “Silicon Valley,” “Rust Belt,” and “ivory tower.” Yet many may be puzzled by headlines such as “Russia’s Agenda in Syria a Tight-Rope Act,” or reports of a “hybrid war that fits into Mr. Putin’s comfort zone.” Confronted with such reporting, informed readers will recognize at work the…Continue Reading