MovieChat Forums > The Interpreter (2005) Discussion > interpreting a quote

interpreting a quote

posted 14 years ago by Thomas Dunson
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Tour Guide: While there are now one hundred and ninety one nations represented, one hundred and forty more than there were in nineteen forty five, you'll only be required to learn the word "peace" in the six languages spoken on the General Assembly floor.

(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373926/quotes)

Meaning what? Seriously, what's implied here?

(Who's required to learn that word in those languages? The interpreters employed at the UN? But it's a tour guide making that statement, so wouldn't she be addressing tourists? And why that word? Why those languages? ...)

Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to (P. Green)

[–] unknown_one13 14 years ago

I don't think there is anything seriously implied here.

The reason it is six languages is because the UN has six official languages: arabic, chinese, english, french, russian and spanish. Why peace? Probably because one of the UN's stated aims is to achieve world peace. As for the tour guide making the statement in the first place, it comes across as a lighthearted joke. An icebreaker of sorts.

[–] Thomas Dunson 14 years ago

Thanks, unknown_one13, I was reading all kinds of stuff into that quote, like, maybe only nations where those ominous six languages are spoken are stable enough so that you would need the word peace, all the while not even realizing what you stated: that the UN has six official languages... Thanks, again!

Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to (P. Green)