No Word for "Compromise" in Either Iraqi or Afghan languages

[leftylady]

I heard that on McNeil Lehrer the nite before last. They don't even have a word for the concept.

And now they are supposed to "compromise" on this Constitution and they don't know how.

I just thought that was an interesting aside.

[GoBlue]

1. Kinda fundamental to democracy isn't it? /nt

[Malikshah]

2. What is interesting is the completely asinine aside

The old "there's no word for 'x' in the language" issue is complete bullshit.

Arabic and Pashto are as diverse, complex languages as the next.

example: Sulh-- arabic for "accord" "agreement" "cessation of hostilities due to negotiations reaching a peaceful conclusion"...just a simple little word that has numerous connotations...used liberally in medieval texts...

So McNeil Lehrer can shove it.

[leftylady]

3. Actually they were talking to the US Ambassador to Iraq

He made some other statements that were very wierd - completely different than the article by Dexter Filkins in the NYT the next day. Like women's rights were not a problem. Equal rghts for all people were a given in the new Constitution. And I can't remember the rest. But I was really surprised when I read the article and most of what he said was settled was really still very much up in the air.