Confessions of an Arabic Interpreter: The Odyssey
of an Arabist, 1959-2009
Leslie McLoughlin
Motivate Publishing
Dh95
To be an interpreter is to always speak the words of others. Leslie McLoughin has spent half a century whispering in the ear of prime ministers and potentates, but finds his own voice in Confessions Of An Arabic Interpreter.
Not that Mr McLoughlin has much to confess. His relationship with the Arabic language is more akin to a love affair, one that has deepened over time.
It had unlikely beginnings. McLoughlin's father was captured at Tobruk in 1942 and returned with a battery of new slang, including "bint" for a young woman.
The author's adventures in the Arab world take him to the Middle East Centre for Arabic Studies (MECAS), the British government's college in Lebanon many suspected was a school for spies, and much of the Gulf.
Later he served as translator for Margaret Thatcher and her successor, John Major, taking a call for the latter from King Fahd of Saudi Arabia on the same morning the IRA unleashed a battery of rockets on Downing Street.
Anyone interested in an unusual perspective on life in this region will enjoy reading McLoughin's book, but especially those considering a career as an interpreter.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
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Wicked
The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
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Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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The Library: A Catalogue of Wonders
Stuart Kells, Counterpoint Press
The specs
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Team Angel Wolf Beach Blast takes place every Wednesday between 4:30pm and 5:30pm
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