Chinese Ballots?
by Aaron Margolis, June 29th, 2007 at 12:42pm
Ballots in Chinese? I think someone is a few egg rolls short of a Pu Pu Platter.
[Secretary of State William] Galvin says the federal Justice Department is pressuring Boston election officials to translate candidates’ names into Chinese characters in precincts with prominent Chinese-speaking populations. But there’s more than a little lost in translation, according to Galvin.
Since there‚Äôs no Chinese character for “Romney,” translators have resorted to finding characters that most closely match the sound of each syllable in the name.
The problem is that there are many different characters that could be used to match the sound of each syllable, and many different meanings for each character.
So Mitt Romney could be read as “Sticky Rice” or “Uncooked Rice.” Fred Thompson might be read as “Virtue Soup.” And Barack Obama could be read as “Oh Bus Horse.”
Galvin‚Äôs own name could be read at least two different ways, as “High Prominent Noble Educated” or “Stick Mosquito.”
In some instances, the Chinese equivalent is spot on, as is the case for Mayor Thomas Menino, whose Chinese name would be read as “Imbecile,” or “Barbarian Mud No Mind of His Own.” Another option would be “Sun Moon Rainbow Farmer”–but I think “Imbecile” is more fitting.
This is grossly absurd, and is usually the case, once you start offering ballots in foreign languages with various dialects, it just won’t stop at Chinese, or Spanish.
Perhaps this should be a cause to pause and someone ought put the pressure on Washington DC to make English the official language of the United States of America. If I want read anything in Chinese, I’ll go to a Chinese restaurant, not a voting booth.
Entry Filed under: Elections
5 Comments
1. Steven | June 29th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
To become a citizen of the US, isn’t basic proficiency in English a requirement? Then it would follow that nationwide we should do just fine with English ballots…
2. crusader88 | June 29th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
They should definitely do the Chinese thing- with such stupid names the liberals might actually lose!
3. Kyle F. | June 29th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Why not just put a picture (thumbnail sized) of the candidate on the ballot?
4. John K | June 29th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Steven is right. Printing ballots in anything other than English is nonsensical and waste of taxpayer dollars. Anyone requesting a ballot in anything other than English provides poll watchers probable cause to challenge his or her citizenship and right to vote.
5. UMassGrad | June 29th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Speaking of immigrants did anyone here about that Harvard Proffesor who claims that crime has increased since we don’t have enough immigrants in places like Boston. Hmm, that sounds odd considering I live in Somerville near Union Square and I am afraid to go outside because of M-19. I thought Boston had a housing crisis due to the amount of people and lack of homes. Wouldn’t you think more immigrants means even more (Yes Proffesor, more overcrowding remember you probably live in Lincoln) people taking away available housing units. Some of these liberals are seriously mentally ill, kind of like the Yae researchers who said NBA referees were racists since Blacks had more fouls (might be because 85% of the NBA is black). We will never solve the crime problem now. Once some Harvard or MIT researcher has a stupid idea, the looney left policy wonks start to push to accomdate it making our lives worse.