Countries that are dirty like toilets, and other ways Trumps profanity was translated abroad

[steve2470]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/01/12/countries-that-are-dirty-like-toilets-and-other-ways-trumps-profanity-was-translated-abroad/?hpid=hp_rhp-morning-mix_mm-words:homepage/story&utm_term=.b6b2a1323847

It was a debate that many journalists likely never expected to face: How to properly quote the president of the United States saying the words “shithole countries.” Trump hinted at a denial early Friday.

Deciding what to do with the remarks — and whether to censor them in news reports — was tough enough for the press in the United States. It was, after all, a vulgar phrase not usually fit for a newspaper or television.

But imagine trying to make sense of it in a different language. Every culture has its profanities, to be sure, but they do not always translate well.

That head-scratching dilemma played out in newsrooms around the world Thursday after The Washington Post reported that Trump referred to Haiti, El Salvador and African nations as “shithole countries” while discussing immigrant protections with lawmakers.