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General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: the president on 14/04/2009 21:27:06

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: the president on 14/04/2009 21:27:06

In response to a question from an Austrian reporter about his impressions of European leaders, President Obama said that in fact the interaction between European lawmakers was really not all that different than the way in which the US Senate operates (it's unclear whether he meant to draw the comparison between the two sides as examples of people who can't seem to get things done).

Elaborating, President Obama said on both sides of the Atlantic "there's a lot of -- I don't know what the term is in Austrian -- wheeling and dealing -- and, you know, people are pursuing their interests, and everybody has their own particular issues and their own particular politics."

Of course, there is no such language as Austrian, though if you're a speaker of high German hearing a Viennese speak can seem like you're hearing a different language. But that's more of an issue of dialect. Austrian German is certainly night and day more intelligible than Swiss German, which can be nearly impossible to understand even for native German speakers.

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: Vern on 14/04/2009 21:46:54

Interesting; but I wonder how it found its way into the New Theories forum [:)]

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: Chemistry4me on 15/04/2009 08:14:59

Maybe his tongue slipped when he tried to say Austria?

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: blakestyger on 15/04/2009 11:32:48

Quote from: Chemistry4me on 15/04/2009 08:14:59

Maybe his tongue slipped when he tried to say Austria?

Bill Clinton is the President who's tongue slipped. [;D]

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: Vern on 15/04/2009 14:34:40

Quote from: blakestyger on 15/04/2009 11:32:48

Quote from: Chemistry4me on 15/04/2009 08:14:59

Maybe his tongue slipped when he tried to say Austria?

Bill Clinton is the President who's tongue slipped. [;D]

I think old Bill was the observer of a slippery tongue [;D]

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: Don_1 on 15/04/2009 17:08:30

So long as he doesn't try to tell me the French have no word for 'entrepreneur'.

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: Make it Lady on 15/04/2009 17:46:44

I don't know much about American geography, the make up or position of the states, the predominant language in each state, which states have the death penalty..... should I go on? I can understand these guys making gaffs. I'm sure if I was Gordon Brown (I'm sexier than him) then I would be the one making the gaffs in America.

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: Ethos on 15/04/2009 17:57:30

Quote from: blakestyger on 15/04/2009 11:32:48

Bill Clinton is the President who's tongue slipped. [;D]

Along with Monica's......................Ho,ho,hey!

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: paul.fr on 15/04/2009 18:02:34

Man the world thinks should know everything, doesn't...what a shocker! I wonder if all of those who mock Obama for this, could hold their own with their peers let alone world leaders?

Title: President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language
Post by: Make it Lady on 15/04/2009 20:58:57

Mock Obama, most of the time they barrack him.