Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Lost in Translation

Dmitry of Tver was a Grand Prince of Vladimir (1322 to 1326) and Grand Prince of Tver from 1318 to 1326. He was also nicknamed "Dmitry, the Terrible Eyes".

Of course, his name should be more properly translated as "Dmitry, the Terrifying Eyes", but alas the translation seems to have taken hold.

I envision poor Dmitry with a set of really thick spectacles.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

District in Delhi: Ein e Akbar -'The eyes of greatness', meaning: With the benevolent attention of the seat of power.

But Akbar was a Mughal emperor....., so to many, it really seems to say 'the mote in Akbar's eyes'. Rather insignificant, in other words, and irritating.


---Grant Patel

September 24, 2008 12:20 PM  
Blogger The back of the hill said...

Also possibly 'Akbar's Well'. Ein in Arabic can have that meaning. Vide Ein el Hilwe - the source of sweetness (a camp in Lebanon).

September 24, 2008 2:34 PM  

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