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| Bush at G8: 'Everybody speaks English, right?' |
| 2007-06-11 |
| US President George W Bush on Wednesday expressed surprise at the need for a German translation of his comments to the press at a G8 summit being held at the Baltic coastal resort of Heiligendamm. "Everybody speaks English, right?" Bush asked, after a German- language interpreter began to translate his brief statement to the press following talks with G8 summit host German Chancellor Angela Merkel. A laughing Merkel asked the US leader to "be patient" and gestured for him to wait by her side while the interpreter did his job. "Is that what I said?" Bush asked Merkel with a grin after his words were translated. "Almost 100 per cent," laughingly answered Merkel, speaking in English. Merkel and other German politicians have made it a point to speak German both at G8 gatherings and at European Union meetings in a bid to boost the global standing of their language. This is in contrast to other nations, including Austria and Finland, whose leaders and ministers frequently spoke English during their stint as EU president. English is also increasingly used by the European Commission, the EU's executive body. However, recognizing that the international press is largely composed of English-speakers, Merkel and her foreign minister Frank- Walter Steinmeier often bring along interpreters when speaking to reporters. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #7 No Habla English, No Problema. |
| Posted by: Juan in Texas 2007-06-11 21:25 |
| #6 Everybody understands English - provided you speak it slowly and LOUDLY enough... |
| Posted by: mojo 2007-06-11 14:32 |
| #5 For English press 1, for ...... |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-06-11 11:35 |
| #4 Try Spanish, Jorge. It's taking the nation by storm over here... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-06-11 09:41 |
| #3 Merkel and other German politicians have made it a point to speak German both at G8 gatherings and at European Union meetings in a bid to boost the global standing of their language. Public relations instead of Panzers, eh? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2007-06-11 09:39 |
| #2 "Everybody speaks English, right?" looking at our home front, doesn't Bush realize that interpreters are necessary even here in America?! Jan from work |
| Posted by: Jan from work 2007-06-11 09:36 |
| #1 We've won. Finally, it's take damn near 400 years, but we've won. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-06-11 01:52 |