The master of the English language is speaking!

[Rjevan]

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Herr Günther Oettinger, former conservative Prime Minister of the German federal state Baden-Württemberg, brave defender of his nazi predecessor and now new EU-commissar for Germany. This brilliant speech is clearly a milestone in the history of English speeches delivered by Germans and once again shows those English-speaking losers how to do it properly! :cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rJiVHnjUZk
German text displayed:
- Günther Öttinger, the new EU-commissionar thinks: (Oettinger) "English will be the working language."
- This applies to all of us: (Oettinger) "Everybody, no matter if he is a skilled worker, works at the production line, is a business manager, no matter if he has to work with numbers or with instructions, must be able to understand and speak English."
- And an EU-commissionar must be, too? We are looking forward!
*Öttinger talking*
-Now with reading support:
*Öttinger talking*
-Herr Oettinger explains his new job
*Öttinger talking*
-And the closing words?
-This is Germany's new voice in Europe. THANK YOU, MRS MERKEL!! P.S.:

[Invincible Summer]

Schade.

[Wanted Man]

Actually, English is not important to German politicians at all:

Ade64fx-tqg

[The Red Next Door]

Sein Englisch ist scheisse, ein vier jahre alt deutsche kind kann besser englisch sprechen als dieser dummarsch. (His English is shit, A four year old german kid can speak better english than this dumbass.)

[Incendiarism]

You, the master of unlocking

[RedStarOverChina]

How many British politicians can speak a sentence in German?

[Honggweilo]

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Herr Günther Oettinger, former conservative Prime Minister of the German federal state Baden-Württemberg, brave defender of his nazi predecessor and now new EU-commissar for Germany. This brilliant speech is clearly a milestone in the history of English speeches delivered by Germans and once again shows those English-speaking losers how to do it properly! :cool:

4rJiVHnjUZk
German text displayed:
- Günther Öttinger, the new EU-commissionar thinks: (Oettinger) "English will be the working language."
- This applies to all of us: (Oettinger) "Everybody, no matter if he is a skilled worker, works at the production line, is a business manager, no matter if he has to work with numbers or with instructions, must be able to understand and speak English."
- And an EU-commissionar must be, too? We are looking forward!
*Öttinger talking*
-Now with reading support:
*Öttinger talking*
-Herr Oettinger explains his new job
*Öttinger talking*
-And the closing words?
-This is Germany's new voice in Europe. THANK YOU, MRS MERKEL!! P.S.:

fucking-a he sounds like a mix of Herr Flick and the officer crabtree from Allo Allo XD

"I am ze german from abroooowd" XD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pst3azDYfiI

[RedAnarchist]

How many British politicians can speak a sentence in German?

Very few, I bet. Is English a common second language in Germany, because I've never got the impression that it was.

[Wanted Man]

Very few, I bet. Is English a common second language in Germany, because I've never got the impression that it was.

They always say that Germans tend not to learn English as a second language, but I think this view is a bit outdated. I've met quite a few German youths who speak and write impeccable English. Not as many as in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Scandinavia, I'll wager, but English as a second language does seem more common in Germany than before.

I suppose it's mostly the older generations, including most politicians, who have trouble with English. In that sense, the Germans aren't unique at all. Just listen to this minister from "de Nedderlents": http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/736801/dc0b4468/dzjekkelin_kreemer.html

[Honggweilo]

I suppose it's mostly the older generations, including most politicians, who have trouble with English. In that sense, the Germans aren't unique at all. Just listen to this minister from "de Nedderlents": http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/736801/dc0b4468/dzjekkelin_kreemer.html

Reminds me of the dutch book "I always get my sin" from Maarten H. Rijkens. It portrays the most severe mix-ups from dutchmen in speaking english, from litterally translated proverbs which dont make sence to mixing dutch words in their sentences which means something completely different in english :p

examples;

(literally translated dutch proverbs)

- I do not want to fall with the door in house (meaning that you dont want to be blunt)
- We have to look further than our nose is long (meaning that you should not be so quick to judge)

(mixed dutch)

- May I thank your cock for the lovely dinner? ("kok" meaning chef)
- I thank you from the bottom of my heart and my wife's bottom


There is even a commercial from an energy company based on the book :p (also and example of a very bad english accent)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EjyS6PP-Ro

[Wanted Man]

I haven't read that book, but I've heard of it. That book, and a few others, are obviously quite well-known and popular among students of English, expats, international students, etc., but probably also among the general public. Most people are aware of steenkolenengels, and it is frowned upon, but I'm sure plenty of people sound like that, otherwise there would never be such books. I'm glad that, back in high school, I had a teacher who put in some more effort, and taught us that "broadcast" is not pronounced "broodkast".

According to wikipedia, there are quite a few other Dutch statesmen who left a lasting impression on their astounded British and American colleagues. Joop den Uyl apparently once said that the Netherlands is "a nation of undertakers" ("ondernemers", i.e. businesspeople). Frits Bolkestein was said to refer to happy prospects for the EU as "golden showers" repeatedly. During WWII, Pieter Gerbrandy gave Churchill some surprises:


Pieter Gerbrandy begroette Churchill bij aankomst met: Goodbye Mr. Churchill! in het Nederlands: tot ziens .... In vervolgbijeenkomsten sprak Churchill hem systematisch aan met mr. Sherry-Brandy en noemde Gerbrandy hem meneer Kerkuil. Ook aan Gerbrandy wordt de zin toegeschreven bij een bezoek (ook van Churchill?) aan Delft: "I hate you welcome in this town where all the Oranges are buried" ('Ik haat u welkom in deze stad waar alle sinaasappels/Oranjes begraven zijn').

What it says in English: arriving in Britain, he said: "Goodbye, Mr Churchill!" Churchill consistently called him Mr Sherry-Brandy, and Gerbrandy called him Mr Kerkuil (barn owl). Churchill once visited Delft, where the Royal family are buried, and Gerbrandy is alleged to have said: "I hate you welcome in this town where all the Oranges are buried".

I also wonder what would happen if a Dutchman were to apply for a job abroad: "I have come to solicit." :lol:

Also, DR, did you see the final episode of "Schavuit van Oranje", with the scene of Joseph Luns and Robert Kennedy? The funny thing is that the actor playing Kennedy also has a Dutch accent, as does the young Bernhard (also when he speaks German). This was a deliberate choice by the people who made the series, though.

[Honggweilo]

Also, DR, did you see the final episode of "Schavuit van Oranje", with the scene of Joseph Luns and Robert Kennedy? The funny thing is that the actor playing Kennedy also has a Dutch accent, as does the young Bernhard (also when he speaks German). This was a deliberate choice by the people who made the series, though.

"Would you like some deventer cake mr kennedy?" "and you eat this?" :laugh:

[Wanted Man]

"Would you like some deventer cake mr kennedy?" "and you eat this?" :laugh:

"You could have gotten him to at least hear you out if you had given him some liquor." :D

[Invincible Summer]

Very few, I bet. Is English a common second language in Germany, because I've never got the impression that it was.

A lot of Germans that I encountered there (and over here) have a pretty good if not fluent command of English. Hell, lots of native German speakers that I've met IRL would prefer to talk in English than German

[Kamerat]

I love how dutch people pronounce all V's as F when they speak english. Sounds so cool.

Anyway the real master of the english language is Petter Solberg norwegian rally driver. Here are some quotes from some of his interviews.
- I had a very big fart, and suddenly I fucked off the road
- I had a stop in the start
- I had to go off the road, to save the car
- It wåss dæven døtte meg close ass. well well, we have to see how the rest of the race go
- I drove over the hill
- I`m driving round the corner, and crash in the Christmas tree
- It`s not the fart that kills you, it`s the smell
- I had bad pigs in my dekk
- It was a moose in the engine - But but, it is`t only only you know
- It was so much dog on the windows
- It`s not only only, but but
- He is my wife in the car ehhh?. No sex
- I drived and then it was a sving and a sving til, så a stein and pang, I drived rett in the juletre
- When I keim around the corner it all went to Helvette
- The car understyrt and I was going strait fram
- I came with a great fart and dishappered as a prick in the sky
- I`m slædding utafor the kænt
- I just take full fart and drive
http://www.carbuyersnotebook.com/Solberg.jpg (http://www.carbuyersnotebook.com/Solberg.jpg)
fart = speed, dog = condensation, but but it isn't only only = its not that simple/easy, pigs = spikes, prick = point, sving = bend/corner, juletre = Christmas tree, he probably means pine tree/spruce, dekk = tires, understyrt = under steered, Helvette = hell, rett = straight, kaim = came, slædding = drifting, utafor = outside of, kænt = edge, fram = forward, wåss = was, dæven døtte meg = have no meaning in english.

[Rjevan]

Very few, I bet. Is English a common second language in Germany, because I've never got the impression that it was.
It is, absolutely! Children here are taught English as second language already in primary school (just some "My name is..., I am from Germany." plus singing stupid songs in English, though) and it is mandatory troughout school time. As Wanted Man said, it's mainly older people who have their problems with English.

And yeah, Westerwelle, that man is a shame... not only that he's a libertarian moron he is also known for being unable to speak or understand English and what happened: was made foreign minister. Awesome.
Seems as if he improved his English after this embarrassing "We can meet for tea and talk in English sometime but - this is Germany."-show. So maybe he will be able to talk with the interviewers in Oettinger-style next time. ;)