As US President Barack Obama visits China for the first time, Jeremy Goldkorn’s Web site Danwei examines the transliteration of Obama’s surname into Mandarin.
Dispatches from Global Messengers: myths, fables, lessons
Dispatches from Global Messengers: myths, fables, lessons
As US President Barack Obama visits China for the first time, Jeremy Goldkorn’s Web site Danwei examines the transliteration of Obama’s surname into Mandarin.
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This is just plain silly. Normally countries do not challenge other countries translations of the names of their national leaders, or the name of their official residence. Portraying a democratically elected leader as living in a Palace must be a politically motivated move.
This may come back to sting the Pekingers in Cathay, or in Tartary, or maybe even in Swatow, Canton, Formosa and Amoy.
Silly indeed, without harmful intent. Thank you for writing.