What does this mean "I am nuking you into the dark ages "

[bubblysouffle]

I live in a country where English is used but children's case workers may not necessarily understand the English nuances and history of the dark ages.

Ex partner is English, and sent me message:

" Expect a nuclear response" and " I am nuking you into the dark ages " .

What does this mean to an English speaking person ? nuclear ? nuking...dark ages....

I need to show the mumsnet english speakers interpretation.

Thank you for your help.

*via whatever method

So where are you op that the police and solicitors don't understand nuclear threat? A mn thread will not help you and you don't appear to be thinking clearly.

Given that he has already taken the children from their mother and taken them out of school, I'm pretty sure that there is enough of a backstory here for police in the UK to take those as threats. Not necessarily as imminent death threats but anything from coercive control, to affray (fear for your life), to threat to kill (open to interpretation) etc. etc.
It would be most useful if the OP would say where she is as there may be cultural differences and legal differences, differences in the policing system, the legal system etc.

I know someone who was given 'words of advice' by police (so a polite talking to by police) for writing 'you will regret this' as this was seen as a threat by the person it was sent to. This was in England last year.

Honestly, and I am so sorry to say this, but if he has your kids and is saying this, I would be concerned that he is threatening to kill you and them. I am so sorry to say something like this but I would be very concerned for your safety.

I obviously can't comment on what that practicalities would entail but it is threatening extreme action. Could be physical, legal, a smear campaign, it's non specific but a threat.

Are the children/ he British? I would speak to the consulate and see whether they can advise in any way.

Yes, my 'lovely' mother often threatened to 'knock me into the middle of next week with a box' (often followed by a forceful box severe enough to feel like I was time-travelling!). 😥

I'd be afraid it was a threat to kill them

Nuking means bomb so id be worried that he’ll bomb your house or somewhere you are.

I do not think that he is in any way threatening to bomb your home. Not in the slightest. But it is a threatening metaphor that suggests complete destruction. Go nuclear would be an extreme response. But it doesn't necessarily imply physical violence to me, just an extreme response (which is bad enough).

I think the obvious implication is threat of violence. In some situations it might imply extreme legal consequences.

It's a very bizarre and extreme response and not normal for any sort of disagreement. It's the sort of threat that might well lead me to contact the police if I thought the person meant it.

Forget about the dark ages bit. It's just a figure of speech and is completely irrelevant. He could say nuke you into outer space and it would still be irrelevant. It's not that part you need to focus on. You are reading too much into that while missing the actual point of the threat. He is just saying that he is going to destroy you if you try to get your kids back.

It sounds as though he is the kind of man who would think nothing of actually killing the children, just to get his own back on you.

It means a scorched earth policy.

My sympathies too. I have my own nuclear XH. The trauma is immense. I still can't sleep some nights.

If they don't understand nuclear, nuking and dark ages I doubt they will get scorched earth policy.

I think the op has a strange focus given the reported situation. I don't know waht is really happening, but something is off.

What's off is that she won't give context and refers to the West, so I suspect she lives somewhere other than the West (the west is usually Europe and America). She's not being believed by police that she is being threatened. I realise that she comes across a little belligerent but stress will do that to a person. I suspect she is trying to get evidence enough against the ex-partner to get the police to act wherever she is to bring her children back to her.

Has your lawyer suggested using a Mumsnet thread as evidence? Have you considered finding a certified translator or similar who can fully translate and explain the metaphor?

You need an official translator, not a Mumsnet poll.
Even then, it's just a metaphor so I don't see how you can use it against him other than being vaguely threatening.

Going nuclear to me could simply be taking every legal means possible. He could be threatening to kill but I don't think the issue is as clear cut as it's being made out - where are the children habitually resident? Did you remove them from the uk first?

It means devestating your life and leaving you with nothing. As in the dark ages people had nothing It is a threat to take everything from you possible

I showed the message to a police officer. I was not taken seriously because of lost in translation. That is why I am using your explanations to show there is no misunderstanding.This is a clear threat to do serious harm to me or my children. (otherwise they say it is 'MY ' interpretation only.

I am am really grateful to any one who adds to this thread. I will print it out tomorrow and show the police exactly what the statements mean.

I second getting a sworn translator, the ones who work for the police/courts. Your lawyer should be able to get one. Only then can the statements be used as evidence so save time by getting one asap.
Good luck op sounds like a very stressful situation.----

In this context, to 'nuke' means to destroy. As I said, the dark ages bit is not the relevant part, that's just a figure of speech. The relevant part is that he is effectively telling you that he is going to destroy you if you try to get your kids back. The threat itself is as serious as you believe him to be capable of. If you think he's full of crap and won't see it through then it could be just words, but if you think he could be capable of destroying your life by causing serious physical harm to either you or the children to stop you taking them away from him then it is a far more serious threat.