Results of Direct Translation

Those that have to translate English into Luganda for news purposes have a big job on their hands. They are many times faced with words, phrases and concepts that are historically alien to the local language. Take for instance ‘private secretary’: it is many times translated as omuwandiisi ow’ekyaama. If it is translated back to English, it becomes ‘the secret writer!’. Then there is ‘minister of state’ – minista w’eggwanga or ‘minister of the nation’.