Tactful Translation/Quotes

His Excellency has just referred to Jewish people.

You male genital organ suffering from discontinuity of tissue.

—from an urban legend

Cuneglas took up the dialogue that I translated for him. He began, as was customary, by demanding Aelle's immediate surrender. We would be merciful, Cuneglas said... Aelle, as was customary, sneered at the demand. "Tell that mustached fool," he gestured towards Cuneglas, "that by nightfall this place shall be known as the Grave of the Britons. Tell him that I shall snip off his whiskers and make them a plaything for my daughter's cats. Tell him that I shall carve a drinking cup from his skull and feed his belly to my dogs. And tell that demon," he jerked his beard at Sagramor, "that today his black soul will go to the terrors of Thor and that it will squirm in the circle of serpents for ever. And as for him," he looked at Agricola, "I have long wanted his death and the memory of it will amuse me in the long nights to come. And tell that limpid thing," he spat towards Meurig, "that I shall slice off his balls and make him into my cup-bearer. Tell them all that, worm."

"He says no." I told Cuneglas.

—Derfel Cadarn provides an extreme example during a parley in The Warlord Chronicles.

I conveyed the meaning of you message, Councilor, without using the colorful analogy you suggested.

—C3-PO, "translating" for the representative from Kashyyyk, at a meeting of the Provisional Council of the New Republic. Granted, they're mostly friends there, but it still fits. Especially with Borsk Fey'lya in attendance.