Day 52: How Diplomats Say No

Dialogue

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1. 1

   B 재민 씨, 다음 주 정상회의 통역 준비는 잘돼 가요? 얼굴이 좀 굳어 보이는데요.

   Jaemin ssi, daeum ju jeongsanghoeui tongyeok junbineun jaldwae gayo? Eolguri jom gudeo boineundeyo.

   Jaemin, how are the preparations for interpreting at next week's summit going? You look a bit tense.

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2. 2

   A 아니에요, 교수님. 다른 건 몰라도 동시통역이라면 자신 있어요. 문제는 외교적인 표현이죠.

   Anieyo, gyosunim. Dareun geon mollado dongsitongyeogiramyeon jasin isseoyo. Munjeneun oegyojeogin pyohyeonijyo.

   Not at all, Professor. I may not know much else, but simultaneous interpreting is one thing I'm confident about. The problem is diplomatic language.

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3. 3

   B 그럼 오늘은 그걸 연습해 봐요. 제가 장관이 속으로 하고 싶은 말을 그대로 할 테니까, 재민 씨는 그걸 회의장에서 할 말로 바꿔 보세요.

   Geureom oneureun geugeol yeonseupae bwayo. Jega janggwani sogeuro hago sipeun mareul geudaero hal tenikka, Jaemin ssineun geugeol hoeuijangeseo hal mallo bakkwo boseyo.

   Then let's practise that today. I'll say exactly what the minister is thinking, and you turn it into something you'd say in the conference room.

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4. 4

   A 좋습니다. 어떤 말이든 얼마든지 던져 주세요.

   Joseumnida. Eotteon marideun eolmadeunji deonjyeo juseyo.

   Great. Throw anything you like at me.

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5. 5

   B 첫 번째. "그 제안은 절대 못 받아들입니다. 말도 안 되는 소리예요."

   Cheot beonjjae. "Geu jeaneun jeoldae mot badadeurimnida. Maldo an doeneun soriyeyo."

   First one. "We will never accept that proposal. It's absurd."

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6. 6

   A "귀측의 제안은 절대 받아들일 수 없으며, 말이 되지 않는 제안입니다."

   "Gwicheugui jeaneun jeoldae badadeuril su eopseumyeo, mari doeji anneun jeanimnida."

   "Your proposal is absolutely unacceptable, and it is a proposal that makes no sense."

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7. 7

   B 방금 상대국 대표단이 짐 싸서 공항으로 떠났어요. 아직 멀었구먼요.

   Banggeum sangdaeguk daepyodani jim ssaseo gonghangeuro tteonasseoyo. Ajik meoreotgumeonyo.

   The other delegation has just packed their bags and left for the airport. You've still got a long way to go, I see.

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8. 8

   A 너무 직역했나요? 그래도 '말도 안 되는' 부분은 나름대로 부드럽게 했는데요.

   Neomu jigyeokaennayo? Geuraedo 'maldo an doeneun' bubuneun nareumdaero budeureopge haenneundeyo.

   Did I translate it too literally? I did soften the 'absurd' part in my own way, though.

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9. 9

   B 외교에서는 '절대'라는 단어가 거의 없어요. "귀측의 입장은 충분히 이해합니다만, 현 단계에서는 추가적인 검토가 필요해 보입니다." 이 정도는 나와야 외교관 소리를 듣죠.

   Oegyoeseoneun 'jeoldae'raneun daneoga geoui eopseoyo. "Gwicheugui ipjangeun chungbunhi ihaehamnidaman, hyeon dangyeeseoneun chugajeogin geomtoga piryohae boimnida." I jeongdoneun nawaya oegyogwan sorireul deutjyo.

   In diplomacy, the word 'never' barely exists. "We fully understand your position, but at this stage it appears further review is needed." You have to come up with something like that to be called a diplomat.

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10. 10

    A 그게 거절이에요? 제가 상대방이라면 오히려 긍정적인 신호로 알아들을 것 같은데요.

    Geuge geojeorieyo? Jega sangdaebangiramyeon ohiryeo geungjeongjeogin sinhoro aradeureul geot gateundeyo.

    That's a refusal? If I were on the other side, I think I'd actually take it as a positive sign.

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11. 11

    B 그래서 행간을 읽는 게 외교관의 일이죠. 경험 많은 외교관이라면 그 말만 듣고도 오늘은 틀렸다는 걸 알아요.

    Geuraeseo haengganeul ingneun ge oegyogwanui irijyo. Gyeongheom maneun oegyogwaniramyeon geu malman deutgodo oneureun teullyeotdaneun geol arayo.

    That's why reading between the lines is a diplomat's job. Any experienced diplomat would know from those words alone that it's not happening today.

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12. 12

    A 알겠습니다. 다음 거 주세요. 이번에는 제대로 해 볼게요.

    Algetseumnida. Daeum geo juseyo. Ibeoneneun jedaero hae bolgeyo.

    Got it. Give me the next one. This time I'll get it right.

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13. 13

    B 두 번째. "그쪽 대통령 초청은 고맙지만 이번엔 안 갑니다. 일정이 마음에 안 들어서요."

    Du beonjjae. "Geujjok daetongnyeong chocheongeun gomapjiman ibeonen an gamnida. Iljeongi maeume an deureoseoyo."

    Second. "Thanks for the invitation from your president, but we're not coming this time. We don't like the schedule."

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14. 14

    A "초청해 주셔서 감사합니다. 다만 저희는 그 일정이 마음에 들지 않아 방문이 어렵겠습니다."

    "Chocheonghae jusyeoseo gamsahamnida. Daman jeohuineun geu iljeongi maeume deulji ana bangmuni eoryeopgetseumnida."

    "Thank you for the invitation. However, as we do not like the schedule, a visit will be difficult."

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15. 15

    B 이번에는 외신마다 '일정이 마음에 안 든다'를 머리기사로 대문짝만하게 실었어요. 외교 문제로 번졌네요.

    Ibeoneneun oesinmada 'iljeongi maeume an deunda'reul meorigisaro daemunjjangmanhage sireosseoyo. Oegyo munjero beonjyeonneyo.

    This time, every foreign news outlet has run 'We don't like the schedule' as a giant headline. It's turned into a diplomatic incident.

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16. 16

    A 아, 이유를 너무 솔직하게 말하면 안 되는군요. 그럼 "이번에는 일정상 방문이 어려우나, 가까운 시일 내에 다시 뵙기를 기대합니다." 어떻습니까?

    A, iyureul neomu soljikage malhamyeon an doeneungunyo. Geureom "ibeoneneun iljeongsang bangmuni eoryeouna, gakkaun siil naee dasi boepgireul gidaehamnida." Eotteoseumnikka?

    Ah, so I mustn't give the reason so honestly. Then how about "Our schedule does not permit us to visit this time, but we look forward to meeting again in the near future"?

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17. 17

    B 훨씬 낫네요. 거절은 짧게, 감사와 다음 기약은 길게요. 그리고 여지는 꼭 남겨 두고요. 그게 완곡한 표현의 기본이에요.

    Hwolssin nanneyo. Geojeoreun jjalge, gamsawa daeum giyageun gilgeyo. Geurigo yeojineun kkok namgyeo dugoyo. Geuge wangokan pyohyeonui gibonieyo.

    Much better. Keep the refusal short, and the thanks and the promise of next time long. And always leave some room. That's the basic rule of putting things tactfully.

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18. 18

    A 교수님 덕분에 좀 감이 와요. 그런데 교수님, 저도 여쭤볼 게 하나 있는데요. 다음 학기에 교수님 수업 조교 자리가 빈다고 들었는데, 제가 지원해도 될까요?

    Gyosunim deokbune jom gami wayo. Geureonde gyosunim, jeodo yeojjwobol ge hana inneundeyo. Daeum hakgie gyosunim sueop jogyo jariga bindago deureonneunde, jega jiwonhaedo doelkkayo?

    Thanks to you, I'm starting to get the feel of it. By the way, Professor, there's something I'd like to ask you too. I heard there's a TA position opening up in your class next semester. Could I apply?

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19. 19

    B 음, 재민 씨의 뜻은 충분히 이해합니다만, 현 단계에서는 추가적인 검토가 필요해 보이네요.

    Eum, Jaemin ssiui tteuseun chungbunhi ihaehamnidaman, hyeon dangyeeseoneun chugajeogin geomtoga piryohae boineyo.

    Hmm, I fully understand your wishes, Jaemin, but at this stage it appears further review is needed.

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20. 20

    A ...교수님, 방금 그거 거절이죠? 그렇게 모호하게 얼버무리셔도 행간이 너무 잘 읽히는데요.

    ...Gyosunim, banggeum geugeo geojeorijyo? Geureoke mohohage eolbeomurisyeodo haenggani neomu jal ilkineundeyo.

    ...Professor, that was a no, wasn't it? You can be as vague as you like, but I can read between those lines all too well.

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21. 21

    B 외교 표현이 귀에 들어오기 시작했구먼요. 그런데 행간은 아직 반만 읽었어요. '현 단계에서는'이라고 했잖아요. 정상회의 통역을 보고 정하겠다는 뜻이에요.

    Oegyo pyohyeoni gwie deureoogi sijakaetgumeonyo. Geureonde haengganeun ajik banman ilgeosseoyo. 'Hyeon dangyeeseoneun'irago haetjanayo. Jeongsanghoeui tongyeogeul bogo jeonghagetdaneun tteusieyo.

    Diplomatic language is starting to register with you, I see. But you've only read half of what's between the lines. I said 'at this stage.' It means I'll decide after I've heard you interpret at the summit.

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