Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Can we call Paralympics something else in Chinese?

In Hong Kong and Mainland China, Paralympics seems to be called 殘疾人奧林匹克運動會.  殘奧會 in short. The name has a rather negative connotation in Chinese, implying brokenness, damage.  In Taiwan, it is called 帕拉林匹克運動會, or 帕運會.  Apparently the pronunciation of the name is rendered into Chinese rather than the meaning. This is consistent with the tendering of Olympics into 奧林匹克.



“Para-“ implies something in parallel.  Can the name not be translated as “平行奧林匹克運動會 or 平等奧林匹克運動會, 平奧會 or 平運會 in short?  Or something of that nature?  It retains a meaning similar to the original, yet avoids the negative implication of damage or brokenness?




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