I got this comment from Al Ghad tech editor:
Hey,
I am very happy you are reading us… and I am also thrilled that the supplement is getting all this attention from technology lovers all around Jordan… your comments are welcome and we definitely will pay attention to all the things that u raised…
However, I still don’t like Mudawana for a blog… who invented this quite outdated term.. Then why not use 7asoob instead of computer and Hasoob daftari instead of laptop…
U know what, lets start a debate on this translation issue and I will be more than happy to take part because translating IT related terminology is no easy task… if anybody has “invented†a new word, please email me atThank u all
And hey Mr. Humeid… I have a feeling u r smart… and inshAllah I will respect ur intelligence…IT Editor, Al Ghad
Well, thank you for responding. The issue of translation of terminology is not an easy one. I know that. I was Art Director of BYTE Middle East magazine from 1994 to 1998 and I know that there are multiple translations for some computing terms.
This, however, is not my major problem. The complete mistranslations and the spelling mistakes are what ticked me off. As I said, I respect your newspaper and like it. I think what is needed is some stringent quality control and language check, especially in the Panorama section.
Thanks for writing and for sharing your email.
Comments
11 responses to “Al Ghad tech editor responds..”
What the heck? An editor of an newspaper writing in Instant Messenger speech? ‘U’ instead of ‘you’; ‘ur’ instead of ‘your’ (which, ironically, ‘ur’ is short for ‘you’re’ or ‘you are’). I would have to say please resign your position until you acquire a degree in proper grammar. And what’s with this line: “and inshAllah I will respect ur intelligence…â€? Inshallah? That’s like saying “probably notâ€. I’m not impressed.
I concur with david. Except since “ur” is phonetic, I don’t think it’s reserved for either your or you’re, and is dependant on the reader’s interpretation, and as such is context neutral. Let’s fight.
How extremely unprofessional. HEY ????
Sorry, had to follow up, the email pissed me off a bit.
Well, regardless of the fact that she probably should have written in a formal language, I think she didn’t mean any disrespect, and I think her English needs some brushing up. Al Ghad is a newspaper in Arabic, not in English anyway.
hello again,
I am very happy with all this interaction… the fact that some considered a “mistranslation” or a typo an insult to anybody’s intelligence made me angry, especially that this supplement is for reader and is meant to “educate and entertain†non-English readers who don’t use English material (books, magazines) or the web to obtain their IT-related information.
Again, this supplement has been, and will always be, open for comments and suggestions and it is readers who care to sit to their computer and write a comment that will hopefully make it better and better. My email address has always been there on the supplement and so is my phone number… so just call up!
Thanks again,
IT Editor
Al Ghad Daily
Hey ahmad
wazzzzzup?
[edited]
Salam,
LOL, My favorite line was: “And hey Mr. Humeid… I have a feeling u r smart… and inshAllah I will respect ur intelligence…”
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Some of us can’t take criticism as well as others. If the same situation happen in the west, they would probably offered Ahmad a job or the least sent him a thank you letter for helping the newspaper move forward.
But in the Arab world, we take things too personal, we feel like if someone smashed our ego if they dare to criticize us.
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Peace
I could not believe what I was reading. It is obvious now where the problem is. I have noticed now-a-days people mix this sms-im-email language with the professional ones when writing formal letters. That letter from Al-Ghad editor should have been more professionally put together than this. My ten year old writes better than this!
The conclusion was a major disaster. Unbelievable!
Chill down guys and girls, it seems to me that she meant it to be unprofessional (the message) to make it more friendly, so let’s forgive her for go sake
lol
This one makes sence “One’s first step in wisdom is to kuesstion everything – and one’s last is to come to terms with everything.”
Jordan’s newspapers lack a lot of intelligence, culture and education of it’s employees. Many of them are there just there to impose their narrow minded fanatiscm in religious issues on the population.
I think things start from school programs and colleges to universities.
The road to the 21 st century seems very far away still