Clash of Translations

by Elif Şafak
from the Turkish Daily News, Dec. 10, 2006

The other day I was watching a U.S. TV series with Turkish subtitles when I heard the leading female character exclaim, “Oh, just ignore him, he is so philistine…” All at once, there appeared the Turkish subtitle on the screen and to my astonishment, I noticed the word “philistine” being translated as “Filistinli.” Thus distorted, the whole sentence had become “Oh, just ignore him, he is so Palestinian…” I stared at the screen, flabbergasted.

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[ Elif Şafak will read at Elliot Bay Books Feb. 9 ]