Callum

Discussion in 'Asia' started by reedak, Jan 27, 2019.

  1. reedak

    reedak Well-Known Member

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    1. The following are excerpts from a news report by Rob Gillies, Chief of Bureau for The Associated Press in Canada, Toronto, dated January 26, 2019, under the headline "Canada's prime minister fires his ambassador to China".

    (Begin excerpts)
    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired Canada's ambassador to China after the envoy said it would be "great" if the U.S. dropped its extradition request for a Chinese tech executive arrested in Canada....

    McCallum told Chinese media in the Toronto area earlier in the week that the extradition of Meng to the United States "would not be a happy outcome."

    He suggested the case was politically motivated and said the U.S. could make a trade deal with China in which it would no longer seek her extradition, and two Canadian detained in China could then be released....

    McCallum's remarks surprised many and fueled speculation that Canada might be trying to send a signal to China to reduce tensions...

    Robert Bothwell, a professor at the University of Toronto, said it is not an ambassador's job to speak out of turn.

    "Of course, McCallum can obviously take refuge in arguing that what he said was largely true, but he can't escape the fact that it wasn't his job to say it. It does underline the hazards of sending a politician to do a diplomat's job," Bothwell said.... (End excerpts)

    2. With regard to the comment by Robert Bothwell, a professor at the University of Toronto, which implied that McCallum's remark was "largely true", I coin the term "callum" to mean the following:

    (a) To say what is “totally” or "largely true" (about, on, etc).

    (b) To say what it is.

    3. The following sentences show the use of the new term.

    (i) While everybody was praising "how fine were the Emperor's new clothes", a child callumed aloud, "But he hasn't got anything on!"

    (ii) In a diplomat’s job, it is hazardous to callum aloud on a controversial issue. You may lose your job as the truth does hurt because its messages are in the open.

    (ii) The villagers did not run to help the shepherd boy who was calluming "Wolf! Wolf!" because they thought he was crying wolf again.

    Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Internationa...-china-fired-great-us-dropped-huawei-60647983

    http://andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.html

    https://childrenstorieshub.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-lier-shepherd-boy-and-wolf.html
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2019

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