March 01, 2003
Drudge Nails It
Right on the front page of the Drudge Report Matt Drudge links to this article in the Guardian of Totalitarianism alleging that a leaked memo from Condi Rice calls for the bugging of emails and phone calls of UNSC delegations. However, the memo spells favorable "favourable", emphasize "emphasise", and recognize "recognize". Americans don't spell words that way. However, Europeans, who learn from Oxford English Dictionary rather than Webster's and Roget's, do. In other words, this is either French or German misinformation. Russians would have taken care to spell using an American idiom. This is a replay of Battle of the Bulge. Helpful hint for spys trying to pose as Americans--we don't buy petrol, there's no u in color, and there is no way in hell a man can get knocked up at any time whatsoever. Nice job Matt.
And one other thing. The worst thing you can do is have your translator speak using the Queen's English. Don't you know that every villain in the movies speaks with an English accent?
Posted by at March 1, 2003 09:25 PM | TrackBackAs the Observer notes here, they transcribed the message with British spellings and have since reverted. Obviously, no spy would make such a stupid mistake.
Posted by: Mike D on March 2, 2003 07:34 PMhere:
http://www.observer.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12239,905954,00.html
Spies have made such mistakes. The Battle of the Bulge is a prime example of such a mistake. English-speaking German soldiers were infiltrated American units. They spoke with the correct accent, wore captured American uniforms, etc. However, there was one problem: they used british dialect. As a result, they stood out badly, were found, and shot. Don't sell such minor details short.
Posted by: John Bono on March 2, 2003 11:52 PM
