| Stron w wątku: < [1 2] | Off topic: Termination of the English Language Autor wątku: Russell Jones
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| Oh, that's OK then.... | Nov 3, 2003 |
No doubt the person who signed off his link with "Heil Hitler" was just joking as well.
If you want to see where not taking anti-German sentiments seriously gets you, have a look at this column by the journalist Julie Burchill, who is one of the UK's best-known journalists, which was published in the Guardian, the UK's leading "liberal" broadsheet newspaper. Then try to magine a liberal, left-of-centre newspaper publishing a similar piece about African Americans, Pakistanis, Native ... See more No doubt the person who signed off his link with "Heil Hitler" was just joking as well.
If you want to see where not taking anti-German sentiments seriously gets you, have a look at this column by the journalist Julie Burchill, who is one of the UK's best-known journalists, which was published in the Guardian, the UK's leading "liberal" broadsheet newspaper. Then try to magine a liberal, left-of-centre newspaper publishing a similar piece about African Americans, Pakistanis, Native Americans etc. etc.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,556024,00.html
The whole link should be active:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,556024,00.html
[quote]Maria Teresa Taylor Oliver wrote:
1) Isn't this posted under the heading "The Lighter Side of Translation/Interpretation"? or am I having hallucinations?  As the lyrics of one of my favorite songs go --> Why sooo seeeriouuus?
[Edited at 2003-11-03 14:09] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | But who says it's about Germans? | Nov 5, 2003 |
John Bowden wrote:
No doubt the person who signed off his link with "Heil Hitler" was just joking as well.
If you want to see where not taking anti-German sentiments seriously gets you, have a look at this column by the journalist Julie Burchill, who is one of the UK's best-known journalists, which was published in the Guardian, the UK's leading "liberal" broadsheet newspaper. Then try to magine a liberal, left-of-centre newspaper publishing a similar piece about African Americans, Pakistanis, Native Americans etc. etc.
I'm sorry, but that is just ONE opinion of ONE individual, nothing more, and nothing less. So what if that columnist thinks like that? I'm sure there are many others who have similar or completely opposing views, since differing opinions are as numerous as there are human beings on this planet.
That is called "freedom of speech", I believe. And while I certainly did not enjoy her article, because I considered it in very bad taste (and my dislike has nothing whatsoever to do with it being about Germans, it could've been any ethnic group), that is, again, only MY opinion.
And what's all this talking about Germans, anyway? The person who started the thread only wanted to make us smile by posting a joke, and that was my point: this is, after all, the "Lighter Side of Translation" forum.
Tolerance works both ways.
That said, I don't want to stir up any (more) controversy.
Thanks.
| | | | OlafK
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 23:49
angielski > niemiecki
+ ...
| The mere mention of, arghhh, cough, bubble, | Nov 6, 2003 |
Julie Burchill makes me foam at the mouth.
This is not about poking fun at each other, the problem is that tiresome business of national stereotyping perpetuated by (mostly monolingual, monocultural, insular) media people and politicians. But I must admit I rather liked it when a certain politician (disparagingly) described a number of countries, among them my home country, as "the chocolate producing countries". Nothing wrong with that.
| | | | | Have you actually read my comments? | Nov 6, 2003 |
[And what's all this talking about Germans, anyway?
I explained that the majority of people who post this joke specifically underline the fact that it is meant to refer to a German style of pronouncing English, and to perceived German ambitions to dominate Europe, thus harking back to Nazi steroetypes. To a native speaker of English, there is *no other* nationality that is suggested by the semi-phonetic transcription of the text, and that *is* the joke - if you can't recognise tha... See more [And what's all this talking about Germans, anyway?
I explained that the majority of people who post this joke specifically underline the fact that it is meant to refer to a German style of pronouncing English, and to perceived German ambitions to dominate Europe, thus harking back to Nazi steroetypes. To a native speaker of English, there is *no other* nationality that is suggested by the semi-phonetic transcription of the text, and that *is* the joke - if you can't recognise that, I'm afraid I can't help you. ▲ Collapse
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Russell Jones 
Wielka Brytania
Local time: 23:49
włoski > angielski
NOWY TEMAT | The world changes | Nov 8, 2003 |
I am not wholly unsympathetic to the points John is making. Neverthless it seems to me (as a Briton who has lived since 1946) that to equate "a German style of pronouncing English" with "perceived German ambitions to dominate Europe" is a view frozen in history.
Certainly today, as we approach Remembrance day, many Britons are wearing poppies and using the slogan "Lest we forget" but that is out of respect for our grandmothers. There is also recognition of the need to forgive, in the sen... See more I am not wholly unsympathetic to the points John is making. Neverthless it seems to me (as a Briton who has lived since 1946) that to equate "a German style of pronouncing English" with "perceived German ambitions to dominate Europe" is a view frozen in history.
Certainly today, as we approach Remembrance day, many Britons are wearing poppies and using the slogan "Lest we forget" but that is out of respect for our grandmothers. There is also recognition of the need to forgive, in the sense of recognising that yesterday's world didn't and couldn't live by today's standards; were "German ambitions" any worse than British colonialism?
It is a major sign that we have put such (dare I say stereotypical) attitudes behind us that we can joke about our differences without malice. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | And have you actually read MINE, anyway? | Nov 8, 2003 |
John Bowden wrote:
To a native speaker of English, there is *no other* nationality that is suggested by the semi-phonetic transcription of the text, and that *is* the joke - if you can't recognise that, I'm afraid I can't help you.
I have said it twice already, and I'll say it one more time, because it seems it is YOU who cannot recognize what I'm saying: This is a forum for JOKES. Please do kindly take your negative comments to another forum. Thank you.
As I also said before: Tolerance works BOTH ways.
I hope this is the end of this (yeah right) *sigh*
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