Tag Archives: translation

What Stuff Is About

Posted on February 6, 2020 by

http://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/science/quadratic-equations-algebra.html “Math is not about memorizing formulas without meaning, but rather about learning how to reason logically through precise statements,” Dr. Loh said. (Kenneth Chang and Jonathan Corum, “This Professor’s ‘Amazing’ Trick Makes Quadratic Equations Easier,” NYTimes, 2-5-20) Dr. Loh’s … Continue reading →

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George Steiner, 1929 – 2020

Posted on February 4, 2020 by

http://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/03/books/george-steiner-dead.html My experience with George Steiner’s work is bitter-sweet. His book “After Babel: Aspects of Language and Translation” had great significance for me at a time when I struggled to establish my bona fides as an academic linguist while casting … Continue reading →

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“Pretty Ugly”

Posted on January 16, 2020 by

This tweet contrasts so starkly with the seriousness of the actual situation with Iran,” said Ben Rhodes, a former top national security aide to Mr. Obama. “We are in the midst of a roiling crisis with Iran that is largely … Continue reading →

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Arabist

Posted on September 1, 2019 by

WARNING A long and wonkish post. Probably not your cup of tea. BACKGROUND I strove for years to read Arabic. I’ve largely lost what knack I attained. A recent brush with the language brought back how daunting it can be. … Continue reading →

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Little Fresh Meat

Posted on June 15, 2019 by

It’s diverting to see how evolving styles of masculinity in China can flummox the patriarchy. Redolent translations bubble up from the fascinating goo of rhetoric around the matter. … “little fresh meat,” a nickname, coined by fans, for young, delicate-featured, … Continue reading →

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Didn’t Speak English

Posted on June 7, 2019 by

The Catholic leader changed the phrase “lead us not into temptation” to “do not let us fall into temptation”… Francis explained… “It’s Satan who leads us into temptation, that’s his department.” Fox News religion correspondent, Jonathan Morris, told Martha MacCallum … Continue reading →

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On Being an Afterthought

Posted on April 29, 2019 by

I like learning that the average reading speed for adult viewers of subtitled movies is 15 to 17 characters a second, that 37-42 characters fit on a line, and the number of lines is limited to two. A sad fact, … Continue reading →

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