I could tell my Niki Lauda jokes, but only a handful would get it probably.

(February 28, 2010 at 7:00 am)downbeatplumb Wrote: A teacher told her class near the end of the day.
'If you can tell me who said a famous phrase I'll let that you go home early'
Bobby thought to himself 'I'm a smart kid I'm sure to get a question right.
The teacher said.
'First question: I cannot tell a lie I chopped down the cherry tree'
Bobby put his hand up.
'Yes Sandy said the teacher'
The little girl said.
'Abraham Lincoln'said the girl.
'You may go'said the teacher'
'Next question, Ich Bien Ine Berliner'
'yes Margaret' said the teacher pointing at another girl.
'John Kennedy' said the girl.
'You may go' said the teacher who then turned to look at the clock.
At this point point Bobby became angry and said.
'I hope someone shuts these bitches up'
The teacher turned to the class angrily and shouted.
'Who said that?,
'Tiger Woods' said Bobby ' can I go now,

Incorrect. George Washington chopped down a cherry tree, not Lincoln. And it is "Ich bin ein Berliner" which coincidentally is a pun as the ein refers to a class of object (in this case Jelly doughnut) instead of simply stating "Ich bin Berliner" meaning I am (of) Berlin.

(March 4, 2010 at 7:07 am)Synackaon Wrote: Incorrect. George Washington chopped down a cherry tree, not Lincoln. And it is "Ich bin ein Berliner" which coincidentally is a pun as the ein refers to a class of object (in this case Jelly doughnut) instead of simply stating "Ich bin Berliner" meaning I am (of) Berlin.

Incorrect.

"Ich bin ein Berliner" means "I am a Berliner" as much as "Ich bin Berliner" does. In fact, as Kennedy was speaking figuratively, "Ich bin Berliner" would have been the incorrect thing to say. It's an ancient urban legend that he said something wrong.

My sources? Wikipedia, and my German housemate.

And the cherry tree is a myth.

(March 4, 2010 at 12:32 pm)Tiberius Wrote:

(March 4, 2010 at 7:07 am)Synackaon Wrote: Incorrect. George Washington chopped down a cherry tree, not Lincoln. And it is "Ich bin ein Berliner" which coincidentally is a pun as the ein refers to a class of object (in this case Jelly doughnut) instead of simply stating "Ich bin Berliner" meaning I am (of) Berlin.

Incorrect.

"Ich bin ein Berliner" means "I am a Berliner" as much as "Ich bin Berliner" does. In fact, as Kennedy was speaking figuratively, "Ich bin Berliner" would have been the incorrect thing to say. It's an ancient urban legend that he said something wrong.

My sources? Wikipedia, and my German housemate.

He's correct. And a Berliner is not a jelly doughnut either. A Berliner is more like a ball filled with either jelly or a kind of custard.

(March 4, 2010 at 7:07 am)Synackaon Wrote:

(February 28, 2010 at 7:00 am)downbeatplumb Wrote: A teacher told her class near the end of the day.
'If you can tell me who said a famous phrase I'll let that you go home early'
Bobby thought to himself 'I'm a smart kid I'm sure to get a question right.
The teacher said.
'First question: I cannot tell a lie I chopped down the cherry tree'
Bobby put his hand up.
'Yes Sandy said the teacher'
The little girl said.
'Abraham Lincoln'said the girl.
'You may go'said the teacher'
'Next question, Ich Bien Ine Berliner'
'yes Margaret' said the teacher pointing at another girl.
'John Kennedy' said the girl.
'You may go' said the teacher who then turned to look at the clock.
At this point point Bobby became angry and said.
'I hope someone shuts these bitches up'
The teacher turned to the class angrily and shouted.
'Who said that?,
'Tiger Woods' said Bobby ' can I go now,

Incorrect. George Washington chopped down a cherry tree, not Lincoln. And it is "Ich bin ein Berliner" which coincidentally is a pun as the ein refers to a class of object (in this case Jelly doughnut) instead of simply stating "Ich bin Berliner" meaning I am (of) Berlin.

It was a joke alright I dont speak german and my grasp on north american political myths is shaky so sue me.

(March 4, 2010 at 1:24 pm)leo-rcc Wrote:

(March 4, 2010 at 12:32 pm)Tiberius Wrote:

(March 4, 2010 at 7:07 am)Synackaon Wrote: Incorrect. George Washington chopped down a cherry tree, not Lincoln. And it is "Ich bin ein Berliner" which coincidentally is a pun as the ein refers to a class of object (in this case Jelly doughnut) instead of simply stating "Ich bin Berliner" meaning I am (of) Berlin.

Incorrect.

"Ich bin ein Berliner" means "I am a Berliner" as much as "Ich bin Berliner" does. In fact, as Kennedy was speaking figuratively, "Ich bin Berliner" would have been the incorrect thing to say. It's an ancient urban legend that he said something wrong.

My sources? Wikipedia, and my German housemate.

He's correct. And a Berliner is not a jelly doughnut either. A Berliner is more like a ball filled with either jelly or a kind of custard.

By "He's correct" did you me him or me?

By "did you me" I assume you mean "did you mean", and I meant you Adrian and your German friend.

(March 4, 2010 at 12:32 pm)Tiberius Wrote: Incorrect.

"Ich bin ein Berliner" means "I am a Berliner" as much as "Ich bin Berliner" does. In fact, as Kennedy was speaking figuratively, "Ich bin Berliner" would have been the incorrect thing to say. It's an ancient urban legend that he said something wrong.

My sources? Wikipedia, and my German housemate.

My sources are a UCLA German professor and my own understanding of German grammar.

Ein applies to objects, not to humans, hence ein Berliner has different connotations than simply Berliner. And if you are going to say "I am one of you (figuratively)" than it is much better to state that instead of clumsily making a statement that barely functions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_bin_ein...ban_legend

Quote:The citizens of Berlin do refer to themselves as Berliner; what they do not refer to as Berliner are jelly doughnuts. While these are known as "Berliner" in other areas of Germany, they are simply called Pfannkuchen (pancakes) in and around Berlin. The theoretical ambiguity went unnoticed by Kennedy's audience. In sum, "Ich bin ein Berliner" was the appropriate way to express in German what Kennedy meant to say.

It was self evident that he was speaking figuratively, seeing as he isn't a citizen of Berlin yet was saying he was to show his solidarity with the people of Berlin.

Quote:The indefinite article ein is omitted when speaking of an individual's profession or residence but is necessary when speaking in a figurative sense as Kennedy did. Since the president was not literally from Berlin but only declaring his solidarity with its citizens, "Ich bin Berliner" would not have been correct.

I guess even UCLA professors can be wrong