English Translations of Pope’s Words

As a beginner in learning how to use the iPad and the blackberry mobile phone, I stumbled on news reports in English about the just-concluded World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Reading these reports makes me concerned about the possible misinterpretation and misuse of the published articles. Who translated into English Pope Francis’ words and interpreted his actions, gestures, diction, enunciation, emphasis, pauses, and especially his smirks and smiles? I really don’t know off-hand.

I claim ignorance of the personal names and identities of the reporters, commentators and the media agencies they are working for and are representing. All I know for sure is, some of these media practitioners are from Latin America, United States, Canada, United Kingdom (England), Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Philippines and Singapore who would be using English.

There were also media people from different countries in Europe, Middle East and Asia who might have been in Brazil for that world assembly of Catholic youth. They would be using their own languages as they transmit press releases to their home offices.

These media people’s articulation in journalistic prose reflects their cultural backgrounds which definitely are so different from the cultural and religious and educational background of our Holy Father, the former Cardinal Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires. So when he spoke Spanish he was articulating his ways of thinking, feeling, speaking as a native of Argentina with an Italian ancestry, a priest of the Society of Jesus formed and educated in Jesuit institutions of the Roman Catholic Church in that country and abroad. Even the English from the Vatican media office would be colored by the nationality, culture and education of the person working in that office.

An example of what I am talking about here is the spontaneous and highly emotional but fatherly talk in Argentinian Spanish of Pope Francis to 30,000 young people from Argentina at St. Sebastian Cathedral on 25 July 2013.

He asked himself, “I would like to say one thing: what do I expect as a result of the World Youth Day?”. In Spanish: “Quisiera decir una cosa; ? que es lo que espero como consecuencia de la Jornada de la Juventud?”. He answered himself, “Espero lio” (“I expect confusion”). All translations here are mine.

Most Western journalists and editors translated “lio” (pronounced “leeyou”) for “trouble” while a few used “mess”. Others translate thus, “I want you to be heard”.

For me “trouble”, “mess” and “wanting to be heard” would be acceptable as long as they are not to be understood literally and out of context. Not literally because the Holy Father was speaking in a hyperbolic sense or exaggerated way, something easily captured by his listeners who now knew the context whereby the Pope was speaking. And this was their so-called comfort zones referring to the mundane, clericalism and self-containment of most Catholics. For parishes, colleges, institutions, he continued, are meant to be outward looking and this would be troublesome for many and would create a mess of themselves and others if they don’t know how to go about it. Otherwise, he emphasized, they would become like an NGO. The Church cannot be an NGO.

Realizing his hyperbole(a figure of speech in English grammar) or exaggerated lingo, he softened up, “May I be pardoned by the bishops and pastors, if they (youth) make trouble (“arman lio”) for you. Then mellowing down , he ended on this point with “but … its an advice. And thanks for whatever you may be able to do.”

Local media people ignorant of the Church and the Holy Father’s role and relationship in regard to his flock are already taking the Pope’s speeches literally and out of context, and with an ax to grind, maliciously creating trouble for our people. They are actually making a mess of the wise insights, radical but humble stance and teaching ability of the first Latin American pope in history. Perhaps they just want to be heard and read and known for profit’s sake.