Home Mobile Archives Reader Blogs Register Login

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Iran Bans Foreign Words Like Pizza

By Rob on July 29, 2006 at 03:09 pm
9 Comments
Bookmark and Share
Wow...

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has ordered government and cultural bodies to use modified Persian words to replace foreign words that have crept into the language, such as "pizzas" which will now be known as "elastic loaves," state media reported Saturday.

The presidential decree, issued earlier this week, orders all governmental agencies, newspapers and publications to use words deemed more appropriate by the official language watchdog, the Farhangestan Zaban e Farsi, or Persian Academy, the Irna official news agency reported. . . .

Among other changes, a "chat" will become a "short talk" and a "cabin" will be renamed a "small room," according to official Web site of the academy.


Personally, I like pepperoni and black olives on my elastic loaves. How about you guys?

Really, though, doesn't this bear something of a resemblance to political correctness here in the U.S.? Like how words like "colored" and "negro" are now considered offensive and have been replaced by "African Americans" or terms of that nature? Those changes didn't come about by government mandate, but it's the same sort of thing.

Some people just like telling other people what to do. It would seem that this includes both liberals here in America and fanatical Islamic dictators in Iran.

(via Anon in the comments)

Comments

Avatar for robert108

The French have been doing this for decades.  They are trying to keep their language “pure”.  I don’t know what these Iranian loonies are trying to do.

robert108 on July 29, 2006 at 04:49 pm
Avatar for WOOF

Order Freedom Fries, in English.

There’s some Ayatolah,

in every Assa

WOOF on July 29, 2006 at 05:37 pm
Avatar for Democritus

robert108,

The French government has tried to demand certain things re: radio content, words used in advertising, etc. but the French courts have generally knocked these things down as violations of the French constitution.  The French government does have some regulations re: the use of “foreign terms” in government publications though; while stupid, that’s much of an attack on liberty.

Of course here in the states we have had a lot of effort put into making English the official language and of course there was that flap about singing the national anthem in Spanish.

Democritus on July 29, 2006 at 05:44 pm
Avatar for Democritus

Those changes didn’t come about by government mandate, but it’s the same sort of thing.

I’d say that they are completely opposite.  In a free society people, groups, etc. compete the in the marketplace of ideas and some of those ideas include word usage.  Losers can’t complain when they lose in a free marketplace.  That is very different from government fiat.

Democritus on July 29, 2006 at 05:52 pm
Rob
Rob
18094 comments
Send a private message

I thought the flap over the anthem in Spanish was dumb, but declaring English as an official language here in the U.S. seems practical to me.

It would save us a ton of money in translations for forms and signs and such.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

robport.gif border=0

Rob on July 29, 2006 at 05:52 pm
Rob
Rob
18094 comments
Send a private message

It’s the same sort of mentality, Democritus, but split hairs if you must.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

robport.gif border=0

Rob on July 29, 2006 at 05:53 pm
Avatar for Democritus

Rob,

I’d leave the issue to local government.

Democritus on July 29, 2006 at 05:56 pm
Avatar for Democritus

Rob,

It isn’t splitting hairs.  It is the difference between a free society and a tyranny.

Democritus on July 29, 2006 at 06:00 pm
Avatar for Chi chi

wow. that’s crazy. I wonder what happens if you say pizza. lynching? electrocution? limbs cut off?

Chi chi on July 30, 2006 at 02:40 pm
Page 1 of 1        

Post a Comment


Before commenting, please recite:

Grant me the serenity to ignore the trolls,
the courage to debate with honest opponents,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Name   
Email   
URL   
Human?
  
 
 @ 
<a>
Close Tags

Upload Image    

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Note: Notifications will only be sent to confirmed email addresses.