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2009-04-06 -Short Attention Span Theater-

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Posted by Nimble Spemble 2009-04-06 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11130 views ] Top

#1 Vienna lot of trouble.

Posted by Seafarious 2009-04-06 00:16|| 2009-04-06 00:16|| Front Page Top

#2 In fairness, Austrian German is very different than German German, coloured as it is by the languages of all the subject peoples of the Austro-Hungarian empire and the more sophisticated concerns of a people concerned with running a stable empire vs. a people living on Europe's battlefield and consequently worrying a great deal about basic survival issues and whether the villagers will need to resort to cannibalism this winter to survive until spring. Nonetheless, President Obama's wording displays a certain ignorance of the common forms used by those accustomed to the circles in which he suddenly finds himself, poor man.

Posted by trailing wife in Buffalo 2009-04-06 01:05|| 2009-04-06 01:05|| Front Page Top

#3 Harvard must be so proud.

Wait...he did go to Hahvahd, right?

Posted by Zorba Craising6734 2009-04-06 01:12|| 2009-04-06 01:12|| Front Page Top

#4 And Bush was portrayed as unsophisticated...

Posted by Parabellum 2009-04-06 09:13|| 2009-04-06 09:13|| Front Page Top

#5 twiB, And "American" is very different than UK English, too. That doesn't make it a different language. Any reasonably aware person knows that.

"Austrian" vs. German is less well known but one would think that the most nuanced of diplomatic presidents would no that too, no?

The Obamanation is as embarassing as he is despicable.

Posted by AlanC 2009-04-06 10:06|| 2009-04-06 10:06|| Front Page Top

#6 He probably thought he was in Australia and couldn't figure out why they were asking him about Europe.

Posted by Iblis 2009-04-06 13:12|| 2009-04-06 13:12|| Front Page Top

#7 Speaking 'Austrian' is only half their problem...

http://austriantimes.at/index.php?id=12227

Posted by Zorba Craising6734 2009-04-06 13:13|| 2009-04-06 13:13|| Front Page Top

#8 That is a wonderful accent you have there. What is it? New Pennsylvanian?

Austrian.

Ahhh. Well then..G'Day mate! Let's put another shrimp on the barbie!

Posted by swksvolFF 2009-04-06 14:43|| 2009-04-06 14:43|| Front Page Top

#9 So what he expected? That people have no interests?! Somewhat that sounds a bit xenophobe, it appears he expected that Europeans would not show the same human traits of others.

Posted by Large Snerong7311 2009-04-06 14:48|| 2009-04-06 14:48|| Front Page Top

#10 Damn, but the man is insightful. Communicates it well, also.

Posted by KBK 2009-04-06 18:53|| 2009-04-06 18:53|| Front Page Top

#11 I wonder if Obama speaks Mexican.

Posted by Cornsilk Blondie 2009-04-06 19:58|| 2009-04-06 19:58|| Front Page Top

#12 tw, I only had 3 years of German in high school, but after almost 30 years, I was complemented on my pronunciation by an Austrian (as well as a German speaking Swiss.) The languages can't be that far apart.
Of course, all I did was wish them a Froehliche Weihnachten (Merry Christmas), so it's not a large sample.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia">Rambler in Virginia 2009-04-06 21:33|| 2009-04-06 21:33|| Front Page Top

#13 Austrian is to German as Alabama is to Yankee. Swiss German is another beast altogether. But that is neither here nor there. The Glorious Bammo the Pious didn't know what the hell he was talking about. Again.

Posted by Iblis 2009-04-06 23:23|| 2009-04-06 23:23|| Front Page Top

#14 I've been to all three German speaking countries: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The Germans bitch about not being able to understand the Swiss, but never about the Austrians.

#shrug# It's been clear for some time now that Obama is no genius, no matter what his followers say. My guess is that he has about the same IQ as Bush... and nearly every other politician: somewhere between 115-130.

Posted by Secret Master 2009-04-06 23:42|| 2009-04-06 23:42|| Front Page Top

23:42 Secret Master
23:31 Lone Ranger
23:23 Iblis
22:59 Mike N.
22:55 mhw
22:39 CrazyFool
22:31 HammerHead
22:27 HammerHead
22:07 g(r)omgoru
22:05 g(r)omgoru
22:02 Frank G
21:55 ed
21:50 Frank G
21:37 Rambler in Virginia
21:33 Rambler in Virginia
21:31 tipover
21:31 ryuge
21:30 Rambler in Virginia
21:23 Jonathan
21:20 Steve White
21:14 3dc
20:20 Cornsilk Blondie
20:18 Cornsilk Blondie
20:17 Barbara Skolaut