Posted by manuel
on 6/11/2009, 18:43:57, in reply to " Speech in Spanish by the PoO causes embarrasment"
83.45.233.213
Marianne, the civil servant who translated was clearly republican. 
Some centuries ago, he would have been beheaded. 
I cannot imagine another explanation. "Chingada" is a word used in Mexico (not in other Spanish speaking countries) and has only one meaning. And the word is usually used as an insult, in the expression "hijo/a de la gran chingada". We do not use it in Spain, but we all know the meaning.
The word "corriente", "tide" in this context, can never be translated as "b###h", which is the actual meaning of that word.
Yes, I can imagine Maxima's face when she heard it. Curious that she did not see the speech before, to help WA to pronounce that sentence properly.
The proverb, in its new version, seems the beginning of a porn story... 
--Previous Message--
: Well, he'd better use the english language for
: àll his speeches as one (in Spanish) caused
: some embarrasment.
: Seems a word in the proverb used in the
: speech was pronounced 'slightly' different,
: thus causing mixed feelings among his
: audience.
:
: The Ministery of Economic Affairs explained
: the speech had been translated by one of
: their civil servants and that's where the
: mistake might derive from.
: Instead of using 'corriente' the Prince said
: 'Chingada', which has a total different
: meaning in Mexico.
: The Dutch officials said that the
: Argentinean (!!) employee hadn't realised
: this.
:
: So, let me get this straight, there are no
: native speakers (meaning from Mexico) around
: nor hired by the Ministery of Economic
: Affairs, to prepare an official speech for a
: State Visit ???
:
:
:
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