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Please tell me "Charlie" refers to something hilarious, much like "ein Berliner" meant "a donut", more/less. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mu02xUgE4k https:

by nkantar 12y ago

Please tell me "Charlie" refers to something hilarious, much like "ein Berliner" meant "a donut", more/less. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mu02xUgE4k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mu02xUgE4k (Don't mean to take away from the gravity of the situation — merely wanted to share a good laugh.)

arrrg 12y ago
(That's irrelevant. However, it's also an urban legend. Be rest assured that no one in Kennedy's German audience was even for a second confused and didn't understand exactly what he meant. He was perfectly clear. Even if you argue that his choice of words is grammatically questionable – something I disagree with and I think it works quite well as an emphasis and makes it clear that he is speaking figuratively and not simply declaring that he is from Berlin or was born in Berlin – the context of his speech and the preceding sentence as well as the sentence itself make it crystal clear what he is talking about and also insures that no one is thinking of baked things.)
- mitchty 12y ago
  Yep, Kennedy had his speech prepared by a native German speaker. There was no confusion. An equivalent(ish) English example would be saying "I am a New Yorker." Does it mean you literally are a Reuben (or New Yorker Sandwich)? Hell no, it is plainly obvious that is a ludicrous interpretation even without grammatical context of the rest of the speech.
- kibibu 12y ago
  Note: If he'd gone to Hamburg and said "I am a Hamburger" this would have also been totally fine.
alexhughes 12y ago
Is it possible that the "je suis charlie" pdf being shared is an ISIS hack, a planted virus? Anyone?
- IvyMike 12y ago
  I don't understand why you are asking this, multiple times to boot. It seems unlikely to me. Do you have any reason to suspect that?
  - reefab 12y ago
    After the previous attack on Charlie Hebdo in 2011, when their office was firebombed, their website got hacked. Not sure why the previous poster thinks this might be ISIS on the other hand.
sacado2 12y ago
I'm French. There is no hidden pun (at least perceptible by French speakers), sorry.

by nkantar 12y ago

arrrg 12y ago

(That's irrelevant. However, it's also an urban legend. Be rest assured that no one in Kennedy's German audience was even for a second confused and didn't understand exactly what he meant. He was perfectly clear. Even if you argue that his choice of words is grammatically questionable – something I disagree with and I think it works quite well as an emphasis and makes it clear that he is speaking figuratively and not simply declaring that he is from Berlin or was born in Berlin – the context of his speech and the preceding sentence as well as the sentence itself make it crystal clear what he is talking about and also insures that no one is thinking of baked things.)

mitchty 12y ago
Yep, Kennedy had his speech prepared by a native German speaker. There was no confusion. An equivalent(ish) English example would be saying "I am a New Yorker." Does it mean you literally are a Reuben (or New Yorker Sandwich)? Hell no, it is plainly obvious that is a ludicrous interpretation even without grammatical context of the rest of the speech.
kibibu 12y ago
Note: If he'd gone to Hamburg and said "I am a Hamburger" this would have also been totally fine.

alexhughes 12y ago

Is it possible that the "je suis charlie" pdf being shared is an ISIS hack, a planted virus? Anyone?

IvyMike 12y ago
I don't understand why you are asking this, multiple times to boot. It seems unlikely to me. Do you have any reason to suspect that?
- reefab 12y ago
  After the previous attack on Charlie Hebdo in 2011, when their office was firebombed, their website got hacked. Not sure why the previous poster thinks this might be ISIS on the other hand.

sacado2 12y ago

I'm French. There is no hidden pun (at least perceptible by French speakers), sorry.