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President Obama thinks 'Austrian' is a language?
By most accounts, President Obama had a pretty successful maiden voyage to Europe this past week. But it was not without its gaffes.
But relative to the era of George W. Bush, this one seems pretty minor.
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.
Anyway, my guess is most people missed this little misstatement, and just as well as in the scheme of things it matters not ounce.
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Reader Comments (Page 5 of 12)
fkurtin Apr 8th 2009 10:35PM
it may not have taken a million years ,but he took trillions of you're country's dollars and wasted it like a 5th grader in a candy store.he is not black anyways,or did you forget that?? however he is a black mark on american history and a complete insult to MARTIN LUTHER KING values. he like oj simpson is taking all blacks for a bad ride along with the whites. and he is not top dog, he has 150 bosses called the bildirbergers who are trying to take away control of the united states.so in a sense, he is just another stupid puppet just like bush. they may even be kin,lol
LM Apr 8th 2009 10:34PM
Hate to break it to you Chuck, but the only reason Nobama "won" was a combination of liberal media and voter fraud. I'm white, but I certainly did NOT vote for him...I knew better.
ruth Apr 9th 2009 12:02AM
You think he should be president just because he is black. I dont want to share what I have, and people that make 30,000 shouldnt have been given mortgages for houses they couldnt afford. This is your democratic congress that decided this. too many baby daddy's having kids they couldnt or wouldnt support and I'm paying more in taxes for cigarettes than you probably pay all year for healthcare for these little bastards. And as an American I owe an apology to NO ONE.
PaulDay Apr 8th 2009 10:05PM
Actually it is a language:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_German
usagers Apr 8th 2009 10:05PM
# 19 Dieter....You are right...austrian is as far from German as can be, I know so, my parents are and I speak it. The slang and sayings are like day and night and there is a total seperation of the language.
Thanks Obama fo saying so, but our country called america is sometimes to ignorant to realize THERE GAFFE. Our people who did not vote for him will find anything(like they did with Bush) to bash and destroy.
Bush did 100 times more stupid moves and they where always wrong. OBAMA you where NOT wrong
mm440 Apr 9th 2009 3:24AM
Um, Usagers: for someone slagging on other people for their lack of linguistic understanding, you sure have a great understanding of the English language yourself
and I quote:
"our country called america is sometimes to ignorant to realize THERE GAFFE."
Now, Children! Can you find the mistakes in this phrase?
Let's start with the lack of capitalization of "America" (Freudian slip, perhaps?). Second, the improper use of "to". I think the correct word is "TOO" as in "too ignorant", like your entire statement seems to be. And finally, and here is the kicker, your use of the word "there" when referrencing ownership of the "mistake". This is, in fact, your mistake (and see how I used "your", not "you're", which is short for "you are"). See in this case, the proper word is "their". If you are going to call people ignorant, you had better make sure to it that you are not an idiot. You, my friend, are an idiot. And it is idiots like you that can't even grasp the concept of "there, their, and they're" that after veiwing a couple of TV slots voted this other idiot into office. You have my pity. And, while you are at it, go screw yourself.
Republiker Apr 8th 2009 10:22PM
Come on people, give the Kenyan a break. He is still tired from campaigning in all 57 States.
Steve Apr 8th 2009 10:06PM
WHAT IS OBAMA SAYING OR DOING ABOUT THE CAPTURED AMERIACN CARGO SHIP?
SOMALIA PIRATES NEED A BAILOUT FROM THE USA.
OBAMA NEEDS TO SPEAK OUT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER!!
PERHAPS OBAMA CAN BOW DOWN TO THE PIRATES...
Martin Apr 8th 2009 10:06PM
Anyone who knows anything about linguistics knows that Austrian is a language in and of itself; just like English, Australian, and American are all linguistically different languages. I wouldn't expect the average conservative to understand such a simple concept, though.
Angela Smith Apr 8th 2009 10:08PM
President Obama is more than likely, not the only one who did not know that 'Austrian' wasn't actually a language, most of you probably thought the same thing. Difference is, the President is intelligent enough to not make 'that' mistake again, besides, it's okay if he makes an occasional mistake afterall, he's not God, just next in line.
Ragsie Apr 8th 2009 10:10PM
The only language that German's speak is a dialect.
If you learned what is called 'high German' in school, then you can talk to anyone else who can speak high German.
Other than that, each neighborhood has a dialect. This dialect is not high German, it is a different sort of slang, we would call it here, that you learn from your mama and dad while you are growing up. It is your first language if you are a German.
So, making a statement about one of the dialects, calling the type of German spoken in Austria, it isn't even a mistake...
I don't get it. Why the fuss?
poster Apr 8th 2009 10:10PM
YES OBAMA....you are right....it is as far from German as one can get. DIETER writing here is correct .....hardly any german understands austrian it is a lingo all to itself and they do call it AUSTRIAN..in there own country. YOU american's have a lot to learn yourself before you blame Obama. Get your own IQ in order before picking on his .
Stagger Lee Apr 8th 2009 10:10PM
Minor compaired to Bush? You idots continue to trash Bush on one hand but expect us to respect and follow Obama on the other! You don't get! Your divisiveness does not work! If Obama was as smart as you people think he'd be a conservative instead of a socialist!
watdafuk Apr 8th 2009 10:11PM
And this guy is the best we could do to represent us to the rest of the world? Damn we really are in trouble.
usager Apr 8th 2009 10:14PM
MARTIN......You are so right...I could have not written it better, limited english coming from austria is holding me back writing it as well as you did.. We do speak totaly different than any german and Obama is right. We have our own lingo and he knows it.
R W Apr 8th 2009 10:23PM
Obama's worst blunder was in Turkey where he apologized to the muslim. He said we are not at war with muslims. Yes we are. The koran says that if we dont beleive we are infidels. They have vowed to kill the infidels. Then he told them about his muslim ancestory and now he is POTUS. That is easy even for me to understand. I only graduated from high school. Im sure you college grads find it even easier to understand.
usages Apr 8th 2009 10:18PM
whatdafuk....before you shoot of your ignorant loudmouthed american mouth.....read and travel like i do. i happend to be austrian and YOUR President is right. Look it up in Wikipidia and you will see what he said was righ on target. DUHH America...the stupidity is on YOU whobtch about this.
fkurtin Apr 8th 2009 10:45PM
ARE YOU BLACK AND AUSTRIAN AND A FOOL ALL IN ONE PACKAGE ?? WE ALL THINK SO AND WE ARE BLACK. WHERE DO YOU THINK HITLER IS FROM. I WOULD NEVER ADMIT THAT I WAS FROM AUSTRIA NOT EVEN IF I WAS AS WHITE AS YOU ,FOOL GO TO SCHOOL YO
USAGER Apr 8th 2009 10:22PM
Richard.....before you shoot of your loudmouthed amerian trap at least say the word Deutsch correct.
You know something ....but like the rest of america about europe...NOTHING.
Obama happens to be right, i am austrian and know what he said is correct..... so take this in your hatefull brain and smoke it.
Lili Apr 8th 2009 10:29PM
WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA BOWED TO THE KING OF
SAUDI ARABIA HE LOOKED PATHETIC AND SO UNPRESIDENTIAL, AND WHEN THINKING THAT AUSTRIAN WAS A LANGUAGE, PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TELEPROMPTER MUST HAVE BEEN JAMMED. IS THIS THE MAN TO RUN AMERICA, GOD SAVE US.