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- Indonesian Languages and Names
- We have been informed by Rahadyan Sastrowardoyo, (who says he "is half Indonesian, half Filipino and all Noo Yawker") that the language problem in "The State Dinner" was not accurate to this world. He writes:
- "Indonesian *is* a language, albeit a synthetic one
that uses Malay as a grammatical base but uses the vocabularies of the
various languages of the archipelago.
"As to that thing with the interpreters, it's unlikely that the State
Department translator would be unable to speak to a senior aide of the
President of Indonesia; true, the translator's *primary* language was
Javanese while Mr. Bambang's primary language was Batak (an ethnic group in
Sumatra), but they would both be able to speak Indonesian, else they
wouldn't occupy the positions they hold.
"On another note, I was pleased that the President of Indonesia was played by
an Indonesian actor, Ariono Suryawinata. Usually (as was the case with the
film version of "The Year of Living Dangerously"), they're played by
Filipinos. . . ."
- But Mr. Sastrowardoyo also tells us: "The Indonesian president's senior aide (played by Peter Kors) is named Rahmadi Sumahidjo Bambang and is said (by a State Dept. official) to be a Batak (an ethnic group in Sumatra). "Bambang" is not a Batak name but a
Javanese one."
- Translation of the Latin speech the President made to God from #44 "Two Cathedrals"
- As usual our viewers came through with the answer to a question that Inquirying minds want to know: What was it the President said to God in Latin in the Cathedral after Mrs. Landingham's funeral? We had two answers within a few minutes of asking the question on the website (within an hour of the show ending in Mountain Time):
- Michael Myer
(West Wing fan; Latin teacher) wrote with the Latin and the translation:
"The first is just a sarcastic, "Thanks a lot, buddy!"
gratias tibi ago, domine.
Thank you, Lord.
haec credam a deo pio, a deo justo, a deo scito?
Am I to believe these things from a righteous god, a just god, a wise god?
cruciatus in crucem
To hell with your punishments! (literally "(put/send) punishments onto a
cross")
tuus in terra servus, nuntius fui; officium perfeci.
I was your servant, your messenger on the earth; I did my duty.
cruciatus in crucem --
(with a dismissive wave of the hand) eas in crucem
To hell with your punishments!
And to hell with you! (literally, "may you go to a cross")"
- A few minutes before, we had also heard from Jason Chappel, who gave a quick translation as:
- "Am I to believe that these are the acts of a loving God? A just God? A wise God? To hell with your punishments. I was your servent here on Earth. And I spread your word and I did your work. To hell with your punishments. To hell with you!"
- Translation of the Sam's Spanish conversation in #48 "On the Day Before"
- Marc-Andre Lefebvre sent us the following:
"After Sam says that the President has worked harder than anyone to raise the minimum wage, the discussion begins in Spanish.
Victor Campos: Mi gente ganan mas que el minimo sueldo.
Samuel Norman Seaborn: Te subio al podio en la maldita convencion.
Victor: Porque necesitaban una cara morena.
Sam: Estas equivocado.
Victor: No lo estoy.
Translation:
Victor Campos: My people earn more than the minimum wage.
Samuel Norman Seaborn: You stood up at the podium at the damn convention.
Victor: Because you needed a dark face.
Sam: You're wrong.
Victor: No I'm not.
- This translation is very similar to the one sent a few hours later by Jason Walling.
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