Wordinistas! Check out A Way With Words, public radio's call-in show about language.
Dictionary definition of “terp”

terp

n. an interpreter. Subjects:
Comments? | Cites | Permalink | Tell a Friend
Citations: 1992 Miriam Clifford (dmimi@ecsvax.bitnet) Usenet: bit.listserv.deaf-l (Nov. 25) “Re: Question for all of you…”: One of the most pleasant and rewarding contacts we (husband and I) had with deaf signers was at a lunchj where one of the other hearing people who signed, (actually a terp, but off duty) was willing to both sign and voice interpret back and forth for us. 2002 David Zucchino @ Sardak, Afghanistan L.A Times (Oct. 13) “The Untold War” p. A1: With the help of a helmeted “terp”—an Afghan interpreter—the lieutenant explained that he had come to search for Al Qaeda and Taliban gunmen and weapons.  2004 Linda Robinson U.S. News & World Report (May 10) “The War In The Shadows” vol. 136, no. 16, p. 38: The “terp,” as the grunts call their Afghan interpreter, sums up the atmosphere. 2004 Sabrina Tavernise @ Baghdad, Iraq Times Argus (Barre, Vermont) (Sept. 19) “Hit men target Iraqis working for Americans”: Interpreters are referred to as “terps,” and are replaced in a seemingly endless flow of manpower as soon as they are killed.
Posted 20 Sep 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Leave a comment (must be approved by the moderator before it will appear).

Name (mandatory):

Email (mandatory):

Location (optional):

Your Web Site (optional):

Remember my personal information

Notify me, by email, of follow-up comments.

Recent Catchwords
mill and fill n. (7/3)
snake run n. (7/2)
hurricane amnesia n. (7/2)
dollar-a-year man n. (7/2)
tranny n. (7/1)
secular adj. (6/30)
commuter trip n. (6/30)
wendy v. (6/30)
double-dekker n. (6/30)
gas-sipper n. (6/29)
nuke the fridge v. phr. (6/29)
mannyhose n. (6/29)
run one’s pockets v. phr. (6/29)
gay-lister n. (6/29)
cross-shopping n. (6/29)
weird stacking n. (6/29)
block busting n. (6/27)
beek n. (6/27)
sweatbox n. (6/26)
bump-out n. (6/26)
 More catchwords...
Lexicographer's Rules
A hearty endorsement of shout quotes: scare quotes used for emphasis (5/14)
How to buy a dictionary (4/29)
Jinx and padiddle: games we play (4/16)
Saying it wrong on purpose (4/1)
Nicknames from the Underground: Busharraf, Chillary, and Killadelphia (3/19)
New slang unpacked (3/4)
UPDATED: Crosswords in Black and White (3/3)
Find me in American Way Magazine (3/3)
Recent catchwords: read-alike, violin hickey, throw a Porsche at someone, Q-tip cruise, 1-800 car (2/28)
The Tell-All of the Century: Snitching Slang (2/19)
 More blog entries...
Find A Word  »
 A   B   C   D   E 
 F   G   H   I   J 
 K   L   M   N   O 
 P   Q   R   S   T 
 U   V   W   X   Y 
 Z   0-9 
Search
Search Site

Google Site Search
Recent searches: BEVERAGE… tut…
New Comments
Debra Ellick commented on hurricane amnesia (7/3)
tina commented on tranny (7/3)
Grant Barrett commented on tranny (7/3)
Tina commented on tranny (7/2)
Ben Zimmer commented on secular (7/1)
Alice Macpherson commented on sad (7/1)
Kerri-ann commented on candy flipping (7/1)
Rich Overton commented on smitty (6/30)
Prozacville.co.uk commented on Ja well no fine (6/30)
jim commented on robotripping (6/30)
JIm commented on robotripping (6/29)
Charles Miller commented on robotripping (6/29)
JIM commented on robotripping (6/28)
Ben Zimmer commented on block busting (6/28)
Larisa Gall commented on pencil plane (6/26)
Subscribe to the RSS feed. • Subscribe to the mailing list. • Browse the archive. • Add to Technorati Favorites. • © 1999-2008 by Grant Barrett, Double-Tongued Dictionary, New York City.