International media “can’t understand” Duterte, says journalist
A comment from President Rodrigo Duterte has been making international headlines. The statement was about United States President Barrack Obama.
Duterte warned one of the most powerful leaders of the world to not interfere with his methods in his campaign against illegal drugs.
The statement was a response to the question of what he would say to Obama should he bring up the topic of extrajudicial killings in their meeting.
The statement ran this way:
'I am a president of a sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody.
‘You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions or putang ina mumurahin talaga kita diyan sa forum,’ he said, using the Tagalog phrase for son of a bitch.
According to a columnist named Carlos Munda, for those who are not users of the Tagalog language, it is easy to say that the statement was in fact meant to insult Obama.
However, for Filipinos, the phrase is a common expression. And if analyzed well, one can say that he was not meaning to curse at Obama.
“ if we step away from the literal translation, and examine his words a little bit more closely from another angle – incorporating the subtle nuances of language and culture, and looking at it as a whole paragraph and not just on that one sentence, we can see that when Duterte cursed he was not actually cursing Obama, rather he was just cursing to be emphatic” Munda said.
He says the literal translation should be:
“Son of a Bitch. If you are disrespectful, I will really curse you in the forum.”
But since the media is solely leaning on profit and sensationalism, the translation became “Duterte to Obama: Do not disrespect me or I will call you a son of a bitch.”
Munda says this would not do.
“That would put Duterte on a moral plane higher than that of the American President. Instead of being the bully (as the current headlines paint him out to be) Duterte would then be seen as someone who is actually standing up to the bullies, warning them not to even try to mess with his country.” He said.
After the statement reached Obama, he cancelled his one on one meeting with Duterte. Duterte in turn, issued a statement of apology.
Duterte warned one of the most powerful leaders of the world to not interfere with his methods in his campaign against illegal drugs.
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| Photo by Mindanation |
The statement ran this way:
'I am a president of a sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody.
‘You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions or putang ina mumurahin talaga kita diyan sa forum,’ he said, using the Tagalog phrase for son of a bitch.
According to a columnist named Carlos Munda, for those who are not users of the Tagalog language, it is easy to say that the statement was in fact meant to insult Obama.
However, for Filipinos, the phrase is a common expression. And if analyzed well, one can say that he was not meaning to curse at Obama.
“ if we step away from the literal translation, and examine his words a little bit more closely from another angle – incorporating the subtle nuances of language and culture, and looking at it as a whole paragraph and not just on that one sentence, we can see that when Duterte cursed he was not actually cursing Obama, rather he was just cursing to be emphatic” Munda said.
He says the literal translation should be:
“Son of a Bitch. If you are disrespectful, I will really curse you in the forum.”
But since the media is solely leaning on profit and sensationalism, the translation became “Duterte to Obama: Do not disrespect me or I will call you a son of a bitch.”
Munda says this would not do.
“That would put Duterte on a moral plane higher than that of the American President. Instead of being the bully (as the current headlines paint him out to be) Duterte would then be seen as someone who is actually standing up to the bullies, warning them not to even try to mess with his country.” He said.
After the statement reached Obama, he cancelled his one on one meeting with Duterte. Duterte in turn, issued a statement of apology.
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International media “can’t understand” Duterte, says journalist
Reviewed by Kristian S.
on
07 September
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Reviewed by Kristian S.
on
07 September
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