Chinese gloat over Obama’s turkey named Abe — not Ah-bay

Published November 27, 2015
United States President Barack Obama (L) performs the 68th annual pardoning of Thanksgiving turkey "Abe"  in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington November 25, 2015.  —Reuters
United States President Barack Obama (L) performs the 68th annual pardoning of Thanksgiving turkey "Abe" in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington November 25, 2015. —Reuters

BEIJING: President Barack Obama’s pardoning of a turkey named “Abe” this Thanksgiving has led some Chinese to gloat at the Japanese prime minister’s expense.

As part of a peculiar annual tradition at the White House, Obama on Wednesday granted amnesty from the dinner table to two turkeys named “Honest” and “Abe” — from the nickname for President Abraham Lincoln.

But a translation glitch in Chinese media replaced the character for single-syllable “Abe” with the surname of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (pronounced “Ah-bay”).

Several commentators in Chinese social media focused on comparing the prime minister to an animal.

Many Chinese harbour animosity toward Japan because of its brutal occupation of much of China during World War II, and they specifically scorn Abe because of his visits to a war shrine that is seen as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism.

The faulty translation of Abe was published by state-run China Radio International and picked up by other outlets.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2015

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.