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ajosshi
Joined: 17 Jan 2011
Location: ajosshi.com
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 Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:54 pm Post subject: Korean Air: Sorry about calling Kenyans 'primitive' |
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Korean Air: Sorry about calling Kenyans 'primitive'
Korean Air's website announcement on the start of flights between Korea and Kenya called Kenyans primitive, angering some people.
NAIROBI, Kenya � A notice on Korean Air's website announcing the start of nonstop flights from Korea to Kenya sparked a flurry of angry Tweets and Facebook postings Monday over the description of Kenyans as indigenous people full of "primitive energy."
Muthui Kariuki, who is handling public relations for Korean Air in Kenya, said that the notice had been removed from the website and that the word "primitive" was a result of a mistake in translation from Korean to English.
Kariuki said the airline, which is supposed to launch the thrice-weekly flights this Thursday, will post an apology.
Kenyans expressed their anger on social media.
"An insult to a nation. Kenya doesn't have primitive people," posted a Twitter user who identified himself as George Njoro.
Others however felt that the mistake in the notice was an intentional marketing gimmick.
"Now everybody knows Korea Air is coming to Kenya. Nice marketing strategy," tweeted another person using the Twitter handle of Komboste.
Kenya is a regional hub where passengers can connect to flights to other countries in the region and in Africa.
A number of international airlines operate from Kenya including Air India, British Airways, Emirates, KLM, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, South Africa Airways, Swiss International Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2018467602_webkoreanair18.html |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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| A mistake in translation? I'd love to hear the original Korean word . . . |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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Others however felt that the mistake in the notice was an intentional marketing gimmick.
"Now everybody knows Korea Air is coming to Kenya. Nice marketing strategy," tweeted another person using the Twitter handle of Komboste.
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I find it unlikely that a Korean Air publicist would have sufficient knowledge of post-colonial sensibilities to know that using the word "primitive" would provoke a publicity-generating backlash. It was probably more something like "Well, let's call them primitive because that's what they've been called since forever".
Canada had a similar debacle a few years back...
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Before getting on a plane to Africa earlier this month, to promote his city's Olympic bid, Mayor Mel Lastman said, "What the hell do I want to go to a place like Mombasa [Kenya]?"
"Snakes just scare the hell out of me. I'm sort of scared about going there, but the wife is really nervous. I just see myself in a pot of boiling water with all these natives dancing around me."
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Unlike the Korean copywriter, who was probably just using what he thought was the accepted terminology, Mayor Lastman could at least claim that he was trying to be funny. Failing miserably, mind you, but still trying.
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Kuros wrote: |
| A mistake in translation? I'd love to hear the original Korean word . . . |
I believe I read that the original word was 원시적인, which I would have translated as primitive too (or maybe primal I guess). I don't think this was a mistake, but I don't think it was meant to be offensive either, since 미개한 is the word they would have used for primitive if they meant it to be pejorative. |
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recessiontime
Joined: 21 Jun 2010
Location: Got avatar privileges nyahahaha
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 2:49 am Post subject: |
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rare fox appearance!
where have you been lately? |
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