Since the name of “peacekeeping” Russian operation against Georgia – “Принуждение к миру” – was first published, I had one heck of a trouble translating it into two other languages I claim to be more or less familiar with. The literal translations – “Coercion to peace” or “האלצות לשלום” sound so outlandish that people whose (respective) mother languages are English and Hebrew just goggle stupidly, and no explanation penetrates.
Thankfully, the Russian authorities haven’t been deaf and/or blind to the issue of translation. To help out the curious foreigners, they have decided to offer several examples that will definitely make you grok the above:
- Coercion to generosity = robbery
- Coercion to a vacation = firing (sorry, it’s “downsizing” these days)
- Coercion to better health = beating
- Coercion to change of scenery = arrest
- Coercion to a wedding = rape
- Coercion to friendship = raising natural gas price to $500
Capisce?
Cross-posted on SimplyJews.