Another clanger from DW-TV

Deutsche Welle-TV is running a series of reports about the Berlinale – the Berlin International Film Festival – on the lodgings and other amenities provided for the visiting movie stars and other industry bigwigs.  Title: Servicing the Stars. (!)  I’m not making this up.  When used as a verb, “service” has an explicitly sexual meaning, generally having to do with the mating of livestock or pedigree animals.  A bull, for example, “services” a cow to produce calves, which, it is hoped, will carry certain desirable traits – such as more meat.  Or a prize terrier can “services” a pedigree bitch with a view to whelping expensive pups.  Now I realize many of these people may aptly be labelled “prize bitch” or worse, but… C’mon guys!  Ask an English-speaker before you put something like this on international TV!  There are more pitfalls to this language – especially obscene ones – than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Horatio.

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