The sentence translated to something roughly like: "Europe didn't want to form a union so shortly after WWII. Part of this stemmed from a fear of American hegemony..."
Five desks down to the right a hand immediately shot up, an American's. She told the professor that she normally doesn't support American policy but she wondered if there was any way that the teacher could speak more kindly of America because "hegemony" was just too strong a word for what the paper was really talking about. She said she would like the words to be changed.
After weeks of constantly having to shape my English sentences to fit the few French words I know, the girl's request angered me. That she felt the need to expand for five minutes in trivial pathos appeals just solidified the fact. Why should the French have to change their language when an American is in the room?
I came to France to learn the French culture and language, never expecting them to change one single nuance or sugarcoat realities for me. No, I do not have the all the words and I can speak only marginally better than a three year old, but that's all part of the experience.
So, professor keep your words as they are and I'll translate them without seeing them as an attack on either myself or my nation.
Five desks down to the right a hand immediately shot up, an American's. She told the professor that she normally doesn't support American policy but she wondered if there was any way that the teacher could speak more kindly of America because "hegemony" was just too strong a word for what the paper was really talking about. She said she would like the words to be changed.
After weeks of constantly having to shape my English sentences to fit the few French words I know, the girl's request angered me. That she felt the need to expand for five minutes in trivial pathos appeals just solidified the fact. Why should the French have to change their language when an American is in the room?
I came to France to learn the French culture and language, never expecting them to change one single nuance or sugarcoat realities for me. No, I do not have the all the words and I can speak only marginally better than a three year old, but that's all part of the experience.
So, professor keep your words as they are and I'll translate them without seeing them as an attack on either myself or my nation.
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