Translation - art & business » Linguistic diversity »
Pages in topic:   < [1 2]
Germany's new FM refuses to speak in English when in Germany
Thread poster: Anmol
Uwe Schwenk (X)
Uwe Schwenk (X)
Local time: 09:06
English to German
It was Willy Brandt Oct 12, 2009

Özden,

it was Willy Brandt and not Konrad Adenauer.

As for the remainder of your message, that is your opinion and I do respect that.


Uwe
 
Sonja Köppen
Sonja Köppen  Identity Verified
Germany
Member (2008)
English to German
+ ...
Guidolein. Oct 12, 2009

I think this is just another man oblivious to his own limits and in bad need to be Mr. Great & Important.
Well then, let him play if that makes him happy. (He hasn't gathered his nick for naught. )
 
Christina Bergmann
Christina Bergmann
Germany
Local time: 16:06
English to German
+ ...
Know one's own limits Oct 12, 2009

Sonja Kroll wrote:

I think this is just another man oblivious to his own limits ... .


For me it implies quite the opposit
He knows that he had better not make a fool of himself on a press conference by speaking English.
And we all know what it sounds like thanks to youtube and news bits.

And the best thing is, that our dear journalist obviously asks a question "Guidolein" has been answering a couple of times before - during the same press conference.
So either, he really just wanted to hear him speak - or he wasn't paying attention to what was happening around him or he didn't realise that this is what his interpreter next to him was for.
For his credit I am assuming the first.

BTW, when was the last time Germany sent a journalist to the White House (for example) and asked a question in German - just because they wanted to hear a politician speak German - just for the news bit ...

I think Guido did us all favour by letting the interpreter do her work.

[Bearbeitet am 2009-10-12 19:42 GMT]
 
Sonja Köppen
Sonja Köppen  Identity Verified
Germany
Member (2008)
English to German
+ ...
Ok, Oct 13, 2009

though I wasn't referring to that press conference in the first place, it is true that I dislike him, let alone his party. So I hope I'm wrong ... he's our FM after all.
 
Anmol
Anmol
Local time: 19:36
TOPIC STARTER
Excellent point Oct 14, 2009

Christina Heger wrote:

Well, "forced" is a strong word.
She [the interpreter] had been sitting next to him during the entire press conference and obviously been there to interpret the other journalists' questions and the corresponding answers.

What I've been asking myself is: Why did the BBC send someone to a German press conference in Germany who does not speak German?



While many people in Germany do speak English very well, questions from the media need to be thoroughly understood and replies carefully worded for fear of being misquoted. Official pronouncements can make or break a policy, especially in the delicate area of foreign relations. The new FM was quite correct in declining to speak in a language he is not fully familiar with.

And "forced" is indeed a strong word. After all, no one forced the BBC reporter to speak in English..
 
hazmatgerman (X)
hazmatgerman (X)
Local time: 16:06
English to German
@Kroll Oct 20, 2009

apart from liking or not, the acting Foreign Minister of Germany as of today is Mr. Steinmeier, not Mr. Westerwelle. Note that "acting".
Just for the record.
Regards.
 
Pages in topic:   < [1 2]


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Fernanda Rocha[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Germany's new FM refuses to speak in English when in Germany






Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »
Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »