deeply saddened
(BRUSSELS2) Specialists in the "European thing" saw the appearance on their screens on Sunday of a new term in European verbiage to describe a tragic event: "Chagrined". The European Commission was indeed “deeply grieved” on the occasion of another shipwreck in the Mediterranean.
The @EU_Commission is deeply saddened by the tragic developments in the Mediterranean. Our actions must be bold http://t.co/zKI8SkY7jL
- Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) 19 April 2015
The Commission embarrassed?
For lack of translation into French, we are reduced to doing exegesis. The European Commission is not concerned, appalled, horrified etc. Both English and French, however, have a whole series of terms to describe excitement, emotion and horror. No, the European Commission is quite simply "grieved", that is to say in fact above all embarrassed, frustrated, struck in its self-esteem, as a friend, a fine English-speaking linguist, pointed out to me. Which translates, in fact, more clearly the situation than a simple cry of alarm
Essay of exegesis of the word 'Juncker'?
Should we see in this message a double meaning with which the President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, is not stingy, he who has always been adept at fine language... or a simple " failed attempt to be a bit poetic as my linguist friend, perdide (;-), suggests? Personally, I would add a more platonic hypothesis: the desire to avoid the easy language of "concerned", "very concerned", "deeply concerned" terms that have punctuated previous years, repeated so repeatedly in press releases from former High Representative Catherine Ashton, that they lost all effect...
To each his own interpretation
On twitter, several of my colleagues had a blast, each offering their interpretation, often with the irony that befits journalists working with the European Union.
The term is weak for AFP's Danny Kemp (English speaking)
European Commission 'deeply chagrined' by Med migrant deaths. New low for meaningless concern adjectives — Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) 19 April 2015
It allows free choice, for my colleague from Agence europe
"Chagrined": "grieved, embarrassed, humiliated, mortified". Choose your translation. https://t.co/qN5tHi69ae —ACB (@acb_eu) 19 April 2015
He is not suitable points out Jennifer Baker (from Vieuws)
I shall be "deeply chagrined" if Spurs lose this afternoon. The death of 700 ppl falls into a different category! http://t.co/IWRtnVJLjd FFS — Jennifer Baker (@BrusselsGeek) 19 April 2015
It is a measure of gradation before the action, quips Hughes Beaudouin (LCI / TF1)
@bertrandhadet At 700 EU is "deeply chagrined". Will probably be "shocked" at 1000 deaths. For the measurements it will be from 1500 I think
— Hughes Beaudouin (@hbeaudouin) 19 April 2015
On the NGO side, needless to say, we are saddened... to see just sadness and no measures!
This is the case at Amnesty International
The @EU_Commission is "grieved" at today's events? Glad they agree need bold action. Just no concrete plans. http://t.co/0dQyZMZKDF
— Gauri van Gulik (@GaurivanGulik) 19 April 2015
like at Human Rights Watch
Over 1,000 deaths in Med sea in few days and EU is "deeply chagrined".. what about being horrified? called? http://t.co/nd4Z9wbwNg #shame
— Jean-Marie Burden (@jmf60) 19 April 2015
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
