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German Minister refuses to speak English | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : General discussion | ( Topic Closed) |  |
| parasitius Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5999 days ago 220 posts - 323 votes  Speaks: English*, Mandarin Studies: Cantonese, Polish, Spanish, French | Message 33 of 128 12 October 2009 at 7:12pm | IP Logged | ||
Keyser - perhaps I'm misreading you, but the two parts of your post seem to be self contradictory to a certain degree. On the one hand, you are suggesting that the Germans should not have our English rammed down their throats, and German should be respected as the language of that country. Meanwhile I read the earlier part of your post as having the implications that "Outer Circle" countries should not be expected to aim for "Inner Circle" speech? Is this not entirely analogous to demanding that my American English be respected, and that I not have to deal with "Outer Circle" thick Indic accents when calling for customer service? After all, I assume that is the main reason "Outer Circle" people would be trying to adjust their language; certainly not for dealing amongst themselves. What I mean is that -- if someone wants to deal with me in America, I shouldn't be expected to deal with their difficult-to-understand dialect (for me, subjectively) of English (not American English) any more than the German should be expected to deal with another Germanic Dialect (English) being rammed down his throat. Not revealing my view either way in this post, just trying to get your point more clearly. (I feel ill at ease expressing an opinion either way as it is not always allowed on the forum.) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Woodpecker Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 5812 days ago 351 posts - 590 votes Speaks: English*, Arabic (Written), Arabic (Egyptian) Studies: Arabic (classical) | Message 34 of 128 12 October 2009 at 7:17pm | IP Logged | ||
I suppose we have irreconcilable differences of opinion over the purpose and duties of a foreign minister. I thought he was supposed to be the diplomat-in-chief, not the curmudgeon-in-chief. But what do I know? My country has a secretary, not a minister. I really would like you to make some effort to explain just what it is I don't get about us native English speakers. Leave it as a vague insult, and I'm just going to assume it's residual TOEFL bitterness. Edit: And Rhian, thank you for keeping tabs on the thread but leaving it open. This is an interesting conversation, and one I could have nowhere else. Edited by Woodpecker on 12 October 2009 at 7:19pm 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| mpete16 Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 5523 days ago 98 posts - 114 votes Speaks: Tagalog, English* Studies: German | Message 35 of 128 12 October 2009 at 7:18pm | IP Logged | ||
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I think it's BBC's fault. They sent a reporter who can't speak German to interview a
GERMAN OFFICIAL in a German PRESS CONFERENCE in GermanY. How stupid. But I also think Guido Westerwelle was being quite rude. He should've put himself in the reporter's shoes first. The reporter can't just go: "Entschuldigung, darf ich Ihnen eine Frage auf Englisch stellen, und dann koennen Sie bitte auf Englisch beantworten? Ich bin von der BBC.", unless someone wrote in on a piece of paper for him. 4 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Woodpecker Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 5812 days ago 351 posts - 590 votes Speaks: English*, Arabic (Written), Arabic (Egyptian) Studies: Arabic (classical) | Message 36 of 128 12 October 2009 at 7:23pm | IP Logged | ||
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Does anyone know for a fact that the reporter in question doesn't speak English, or have any background on why he was there? I feel like we should probably cut him, and the BBC in general, some slack, no matter how you feel about the Minister-elect's response. Given the normally fantastic job the BBC does, and excellent coverage they supply in many foreign languages (I was watching BBC Arabic just a few minutes ago), and given the madness that is the modern 24-hour news business, I think it's forgivable that they made a small oversight like this.
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| mpete16 Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 5523 days ago 98 posts - 114 votes Speaks: Tagalog, English* Studies: German | Message 37 of 128 12 October 2009 at 7:26pm | IP Logged | ||
The reporter knows English, believe me. 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Envinyatar Diglot Senior Member Guatemala Joined 5537 days ago 147 posts - 240 votes Speaks: Spanish*, English Studies: Modern Hebrew | Message 38 of 128 12 October 2009 at 7:26pm | IP Logged | ||
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I think Herr Guido Westerwelle was right on this one, BBC should send a German-speaking reporter to Germany! It looks very arrogant to expect everyone answer them in English. This reminds me another incident involving José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero, Spanish prime minister some years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4GipPyNwTs Rodríguez Zapatero was not right in my opinion but i think Herr Guido is right in this case. This thread will be closed soon unfortunately. Politics, religion and football always ruin interesting topics =( 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| mpete16 Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 5523 days ago 98 posts - 114 votes Speaks: Tagalog, English* Studies: German | Message 39 of 128 12 October 2009 at 7:28pm | IP Logged | ||
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No doubt, Herr Westerwelle was right. But maybe the reporter's job was at stake? Is that
a reason to embarass him? Edited by mpete16 on 12 October 2009 at 7:29pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Woodpecker Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 5812 days ago 351 posts - 590 votes Speaks: English*, Arabic (Written), Arabic (Egyptian) Studies: Arabic (classical) | Message 40 of 128 12 October 2009 at 7:30pm | IP Logged | ||
Touche. Second time today I've said something completely idiotic on this site. I meant German, of course. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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