Do politicians need to speak a foreign language?

hello 22 | 890

15 Oct 2007 / #1

So we know Kwasniewski (LID) can speak and write English very well; he proved it on many occasions in the media.

How about Kaczynski (PIS) and Tusk (PO) - do they know English or other foreign languages well?

one who knows

15 Oct 2007 / #2

There is a video clip attainable at YouTube presenting Polish politicians speaking English.

IMO:
Surprisingly, Kaczynski deals with it.
The best was Giertych (League of Polish Families).
The worst case: Olejniczak (leader of the Left and Democrats).

I do not know about Tusk, however, obviously he know some German (it seems it is not a foreign language for his family).

As concerns Kwasniewski - there are [YouTube] video samples of his English. I am not sure whether his prononciation is as good as expected. Please, listen it for yourself.

hello 22 | 890

15 Oct 2007 / #3

Yes, I know Kwasniewski doesn't speak English very well - but at least he's not afraid to speak it. He seems to know Russian well, too (obviously).

lesser

16 Oct 2007 / #4

Kaczynski doesn't speak English and I have never seen Tusk speaking this language.

didibalm

25 Oct 2007 / #5

And exactly how many politicians in the world speak a second language? Have you ever seen Tony Blair or George Bush speaking fluently any other language?

Why then put emphasis on any Polish politician speaking English?

What does that have to do with running a country?

z_darius 14 | 3960

25 Oct 2007 / #6

Have you ever seen Tony Blair or George Bush speaking fluently any other language?

Actually, I have always Bush speaking a foreign language and he has been always fluent. I could understand the words but I couldn't make any sense out of them.

randompal 7 | 306

25 Oct 2007 / #7

What does that have to do with running a country?

it suggests that they are educated and worldly, as opposed to undereducated and closed-minded...the more languages you speak the more aware of the world around you you seem-good thing for a leader to be. nothing like a closed-minded bumpkin who is afraid of his neighbors and cant even say hello in their language.

didibalm

25 Oct 2007 / #8

Ok fair enough.
How many politicians are so well educated that they speak Polish?

And if a politician does not speak a foreign language he has translators present with him. So please do not discredit a candidate just because he does not speak as many foreign languages.

Hueg - | 320

25 Oct 2007 / #9

Have you ever seen Tony Blair speaking fluently any other language?

youtube.com/watch?v=P6Cu9187tCY

Amuse-toi bien

foolingaround

25 Oct 2007 / #10

Bush speaks French, he even knows that the Frenchmen don't have their own word for an "entrepreneur"

lesser 4 | 1311

25 Oct 2007 / #11

English is widely considered to be international in diplomacy. Good politicians cannot depend from translator.

OP mafketis 38 | 10818

22 Oct 2010 / #12

You mean 'depend on translators'. I disagree. I'd rather they depend on qualified interpreters than chance misunderstanding something at a crucial moment. (This applies to politicians from many countries, not just Poland).

convex 20 | 3928

22 Oct 2010 / #13

Tusk speaks German pretty well.

Putin speaks German too

youtu.be/2FRVOPGwXf0

Angie speaks Russian and English

bydgoszczanin - | 14

22 Oct 2010 / #14

Putin speaks German too

Nothing special as he was the KGB agent in East Germany for five years...

convex 20 | 3928

22 Oct 2010 / #15

Condi speaks Russian quite well :)