Translation Woes

The beginning of this story is a happy one. Travel writer Michael Luongo’s best-selling book, Gay Travels in the Muslim World, has been translated into Arabic. In a New York Post Page 6 report, Luongo comments, "This is the first-ever gay book to have been translated into Arabic after first having been printed in English, so I am very proud." Here’s where things go downhill. Luongo’s Arabic publisher translated “gay” as “pervert,” creating a big problem for Luongo: “[T]he new book has in huge words 'Michael Luongo -- Pervert Travels in the Muslim World' across the cover." Not an ideal situation for Luongo’s upcoming book tour to the Mideast, including stops in Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan. Luongo’s asked his publisher to change the offensive word to "a more modern and polite one," but there’s no word yet on whether Luongo’s request will be granted.

(Via MobyLives)