Gauleiter: It depends on selective use of dictionary
ALEX Salmond used First Minister’s Questions yesterday to deny that his use of “Gauleiter” to describe a senior BBC official following a row about his exclusion from the rugby broadcast was a Nazi jibe.
Mr Salmond told MSPs that “the noun Gauleiter is defined in the Chambers 21st-century dictionary as an overbearing wielder of petty authority. It’s been used in public parlance a number of times”.
However, the First Minister appeared to be quoting selectively from the dictionary, after it emerged that both the Chambers and Oxford dictionaries had references to Nazi officials in their definitions of Gauleiter.
The Chambers dictionary said: “Gauleiter n 1. historical under the Nazi regime: a chief official of a district. 2. an overbearing wielder of petty authority.”
There was even a reference to Formula One racing in the Oxford dictionary, which talked about Gauleiters having “problems with some drivers”.
The Oxford edition said: “1. historical a political official governing a district under Nazi rule: he was appointed Gauleiter of Danzig. 2. an overbearing official: as Gauleiter of Formula One, he has problems with some drivers.”
Mr Salmond was heavily criticised by opposition parties, with Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson saying the term Gauleiter was “offensive, regardless of the dictionary definition”.
Ms Ferguson, who is Scottish Labour’s culture spokeswoman, said: “The First Minister shouldn’t need a dictionary to know how offensive the term is. Mr Salmond had an opportunity to apologise yesterday, but failed to do so.
“Broadcasters are there to serve their viewers, not be told what to do by government ministers.
“Alex Salmond’s attempt to bully the BBC won’t work and won’t impress viewers.”
Ms Ferguson added: “But the BBC also has to understand that Alex Salmond does not speak for all of Scotland on separation. There are many views and they all have to be heard properly in the debate on our constitutional future.
“The decisions on how the BBC and STV cover the referendum must be made by the broadcasters, not the SNP.”
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Comments
There are 21 comments to this article
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Anagach
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 11:01 PMBut the BBC also has to understand that Alex Salmond does not speak for all of Scotland on separation. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well hes right there because Alex Salmond does not speak at all of Scotland on separation,he speaks of Independence.
OliverCox
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:36 PMIn my opinion, there was a host of more fitting words which he could have used, here's my article -- http:olivermeredithcox.wordpress.com20120210gauleiter-alex-salmonds-bland-failure
Rob Royston
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:07 PM#18 I think you're the caveman. Have you ever seen Salmond talk. After each sentence people applaud, even English people, they can see that he is the only real politician currently active in the UK.
Biscuit McVittie
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 04:35 PM#8 Tend to agree. Salmond has a very limited vocabluary. His normal mode of communication is a cave-man like grunt.
well informed
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:27 PM“The decisions on how the BBC and STV cover the referendum must be made by the broadcasters, not the SNP.” -------------------------------------------------------------- The problem is the decisions are not being made by the BBC but by the opposition! The sooner we are shot of this corruption the better!
well informed
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:22 PMSo Der Sturmer accuses the SNP of being selective with regards to the definition of Gauleiter while being selective with the definition in order to mount the accusation! This worthless bog roll wouldnt know what to do with objectivity if it ever tripped over it!
christelijk_recht
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:13 PMCan I invite Andrew Whitaker to inspect post 14, and will he in light of that, withdraw his criticism of the First Minister, and amend his article to reflect this new information which demonstrates clearly the ubiquity of the use of the word "gauleiter", in the public arena and specifically in political discourse. .................................................................................................................. Will the author also apologize to the First Minister for his defamatory remarks?
christelijk_recht
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:06 PMComment removed by moderator
WOTTPI
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 11:43 AMComment removed by moderator
WOTTPI
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 11:39 AMComment removed by moderator
Goodbye London Labour
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 11:34 AMTypical unionist hypochrisy: it's okay for London Labour to dish it out (not to mention for their MPs to threaten women), but when the term 'Gauleiter' is used perfectly reasonably to describe a BBC employee, the unionist Tory and Labour twins scream and shout about it, purely to distract from the meltdown in the anti-Independence ranks. The stench of the rotting union is everywhere.
Broon Bairn
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:31 AM"Gauleiter" ? Don't know anyone in the BBC who'd make a decent cigarette lighter.!
Bradged
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 09:31 AMAtomicpaper - why are you shouting?
Family guy
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 08:50 AMSalmond wasn't the first to use the word in the last 10 days. No no, the use of this word originated in Westminster, according to Private Eye.
Tennis C. Williams
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 06:23 AMIt really depends on the pronunciation and there are two possibilities here. GAU means district and LEITER is German for leader, but GAUL is horse and EITER is the yellow puss oozing from a wound or pimple. So either Salmond was referring to a district administrator or to an unpleasant fluid gathered by vetenary surgeons from sick horses. Either way, it was not very nice of him.
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