26 Feb 13
2 edits
John Kerry flew all the way to Berlin to deliver a speech, and in that speech he declared one thing, Americans have the right to be stupid.
And he will defend the public education system to the death as is in order to defend the right to be stupid.
Other notable speeches in Berlin includes:
JFK: "Ich bin ein Berliner"
Reagan: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
And now this? My, how far we have "progressed".
26 Feb 13
Originally posted by whodeyJFK, alas, flubbed his translation of "I am a Berliner." Correctly it is "Ich bin Berliner." To say "Ich bin ein Berliner" translates into identifying oneself as a particular type of German pastry known as a Berliner.
JFK: "Ich bin ein Berliner"
Oh well. He gave it a go, at least.
27 Feb 13
Originally posted by SoothfastActually, that amusing anecdote is probably untrue.
JFK, alas, flubbed his translation of "I am a Berliner." Correctly it is "Ich bin Berliner." To say "Ich bin ein Berliner" translates into identifying oneself as a particular type of German pastry known as a Berliner.
Oh well. He gave it a go, at least.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_bin_ein_Berliner#Jelly_doughnut_misconception
There is a misconception that Kennedy made a risible error by saying Ich bin ein Berliner (emphasis added): the claim is made that Kennedy referred to himself not as a "citizen of Berlin" but as a "jelly doughnut", known in Berlin as a "Pfannkuchen" but as "Berliner" in the north and west and as "Krapfen" in the south of Germany and in Austria. Kennedy should, supposedly, have said Ich bin Berliner to mean "I am a person from Berlin", and so adding the indefinite article ein to his statement implied he was a non-human Berliner, thus, "I am a jelly doughnut". However, while the indefinite article ein is omitted when speaking of an individual's profession or residence, it is still necessary when speaking in a figurative sense as Kennedy did. Since the President was not literally from Berlin but only declaring his solidarity with its citizens, "Ich bin ein Berliner" was correct.
Apparently, too, Willi Brandt spent a few hours with the President while he was rehearsing, and didn't spot any problems.
27 Feb 13
Originally posted by whodeyReminds me of the line in the action film "Speed", where Keanu Reeves, thinking he's about to be shot, responds with a four-letter word followed by "you".
Other notable speeches in Berlin includes:
JFK: "Ich bin ein Berliner"
Reagan: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
And now this? My, how far we have "progressed".
"Well isn't that wonderful, Jack," Dennis Hopper replies. "In two hundred years we've gone from 'I regret I have but one life to give for my country' to 'F*** you'!"
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27 Feb 13
Originally posted by whodey"Ich bin ein stolzer Idiot."
John Kerry flew all the way to Berlin to deliver a speech, and in that speech he declared one thing, Americans have the right to be stupid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnfi4m07s4M
And he will defend the public education system to the death as is in order to defend the right to be stupid.
Other notable speeches in Berlin includes:
JFK: "Ich bin ...[text shortened]... "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
And now this? My, how far we have "progressed".
27 Feb 13
1 edit
Originally posted by whodeyEven that edited, out of context clip made it clear he made the point that our freedom to express ourselves has no limit, and even extends to ignorant people like the whodey's of the world.
John Kerry flew all the way to Berlin to deliver a speech, and in that speech he declared one thing, Americans have the right to be stupid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnfi4m07s4M
And he will defend the public education system to the death as is in order to defend the right to be stupid.
Other notable speeches in Berlin includes:
JFK: "Ich bin "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
And now this? My, how far we have "progressed".
27 Feb 13
2 edits
The post that was quoted here has been removedMy German instructor, a native German and Ph.D. of the German language and its history, made it known that in the Berlin dialect it is more appropriate to say "Ich bin Berliner" than "Ich bin ein Berliner" -- though either is correct in "standard" or "High" German. He went on to say that in the Berlin dialect what JFK said would literally be taken to mean "I am a jelly donut." No debate there. Fortunately for JFK, though, Germans are so frequently exposed to different dialects of German that none would really misunderstand what JFK said or even consider it something worthy of a titter.
It is a fact that in Berlin -- and only in Berlin -- the pastry in question is called simply a "Berliner," and it must be referred to with the "ein" placed before it.
Nevertheless you've scored your point. Good for you.