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Interesting. I have heard about this famous speech many times but I have never made the connection to the pastry "Berliner" (or heard anyone mention this associ
by chki 4y ago
Interesting. I have heard about this famous speech many times but I have never made the connection to the pastry "Berliner" (or heard anyone mention this association).
Also, as a native German speaker, saying "Ich bin ein Berliner" is not unusual if you are talking about being a citizen of Berlin.
I don't think that was a common association at the time as well. Especially since (pastry) "Berliners" are not called "Berliners" in Berlin but "Pfannkuchen" instead.
- locallost 4y agoIt's just an urban legend. Most people don't speak German so you can tell them anything you want :-). Speaking of which, good thing Kennedy never visited Hamburg.
- mc32 4y agoWell, you're in luck, he did visit Frankfurt.
- weard_beard 4y agoOr Frankfurt!
- HPsquared 4y agoI suppose that raises the question, if people from Berlin do indeed call themselves Berliners - do people from Hamburg call themselves Hamburgers? (genuine question)
- triceratops 4y agoYes. Hence also the names Frankfurter and Wiener (Wien is Vienna, in German).
- tasuki 4y agoI don't see why not. Hamburger means "of Hamburg". If you're thinking about the food item, it isn't a funny coincidence or anything, its name is derived from Hamburg. I'm not German nor a linguist, YMMV.
- Symbiote 4y agoYes. Compare "Danish" as an American term for a Viennese pastry, "he's Danish" doesn't sound odd. We don't generally abbreviate foods named after places, but: "Cheddar is 200 miles from both Sandwich and Stilton." These are all places in England.
- verst 4y agoBerliner and Pfannkuchen are very different pastries (at least in the Northwest of Germany). Pfannkuchen literally implies it is made in a pan, whereas a Berliner is typically deep fried. It often has a fruit jelly filling, but you will also find those without a filling. I agree that no native speaker would think of the pastry when hearing "Ich bin ein Berliner." Just like I wouldn't think of a sausage if someone were to say "Ich bin ein Frankfurter."