Is Nick Clegg English?

[Steve Morson]

Miliband doesn't even look English

What does he "look"?

[serb]

What does he "look"?

Ashkenazi Judean, he could pass for Greek or Turkish, but he does not look English.

[Patman Post]

But not so unusual as to make anyone think he isnt English. Now that would be truly bigotted stereotyping, comparable to suggesting say that a stand up comedian was unlikely to be Asian.

I think my stereotyping is more appropriate than yours. If you list all the Asian stand ups you've seen on TV and then list all the multilingual (not bilingual, mind) English you know, I think my list would be the most minuscule...

[flamingreen]

I think my stereotyping is more appropriate than yours. If you list all the Asian stand ups you've seen on TV and then list all the multilingual (not bilingual, mind) English you know, I think my list would be the most minuscule...

Don't be so ridiculous. I do happen to know quite a number of mutilingual English people but my personal count is not necessarily typical and thus it *proves* nothing. The fact that a large number of British are monoglots does not mean that British people lack multilinguals. I listened to an very interestign discussion about this on the BBC and it was said that although far more Brits than Europeans are monoglot (for the obvious reason that the latter almost all speak at least some English) that when it comes to unusual languages that Brits do very well and feature more commonly among interpretors of unusual languages at conferences and so on. Most people around the world, other than in border regions or multilingual countries, are just bilingual ie mother tongue and some English.

At least those Brits who are multilingual are not in that position due only to positive discrimination!

[internetcynic]

At least those Brits who are multilingual are not in that position due only to positive discrimination!

Too right, i speak passable japanese, and it was learned the hard way, by living in Japan for two years...................

[Patman Post]

At least those Brits who are multilingual are not in that position due only to positive discrimination!

WTF does that mean? What sort of positive discrimination makes people multilingual?

[flamingreen]

WTF does that mean? What sort of positive discrimination makes people multilingual?

I was talking about $hite Asian stand ups!

[Patman Post]

I was talking about $hite Asian stand ups!

You talk $hite about most things, though I don't understand why Asian stand ups should come into the conversation.

I have the feeling you're trying to goad me. But as I am neither Asian nor a stand up, you are not getting anywhere. However, I do have a few languages other than English, which has sometimes given me employment over the English, so I guess that must rankle some people slightly...

[flamingreen]

You talk $hite about most things, though I don't understand why Asian stand ups should come into the conversation.

I have the feeling you're trying to goad me. But as I am neither Asian nor a stand up, you are not getting anywhere. However, I do have a few languages other than English, which has sometimes given me employment over the English, so I guess that must rankle some people slightly...

No Pat twas you trying to goad everybody by projecting bigotted negative stereotypes of English people apparently almost never being multilingual.
I suggest you reread the thread if youve failed to follow how standups came into it.

We all know about your languages already btw - you bring it up at every opportunity!

[Citizen67]

Don't be so ridiculous. I do happen to know quite a number of mutilingual English people but my personal count is not necessarily typical and thus it *proves* nothing. The fact that a large number of British are monoglots does not mean that British people lack multilinguals. I listened to an very interestign discussion about this on the BBC and it was said that although far more Brits than Europeans are monoglot (for the obvious reason that the latter almost all speak at least some English) that when it comes to unusual languages that Brits do very well and feature more commonly among interpretors of unusual languages at conferences and so on. Most people around the world, other than in border regions or multilingual countries, are just bilingual ie mother tongue and some English.

At least those Brits who are multilingual are not in that position due only to positive discrimination!

All English speakers are victims of English being the lingua franca of the World. What is the obvious language for English speakers to learn? Youraba? Danish? Latvian? maybe Zulu?