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No, Chirac Didn't Say 'Shut Up'
The New York Times ^
| 02/22/2003 (for editions of 02/23/2003)
| Eleanor and Michel Levieux
Posted on 02/22/2003 5:46:31 PM PST by GeneD
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1
posted on
02/22/2003 5:46:31 PM PST
by
GeneD
To: GeneD
Well what about the French ambassador to the U.K. when he referred to Israel as "that sh!tty little country". I'm sure that was a translation error as well.
2
posted on
02/22/2003 5:48:43 PM PST
by
magellan
To: GeneD
It wasn't rude because of any particular word used. What a bunch of B.S. It was rude because he suggested their input was not needed and threatened them in order to make them be quiet.
To: GeneD
Surprise! The paper of record for left-wing liberals has come to the aid of France.
To: GeneD
Oh my god...NYT suck up BS...
LOL...
What a joke the NYT is
To: GeneD
Yeah, but all those non-EU countries sure thought that's what he said, too. I guess we're all just wrong about poor, misunderstood France.
To: GeneD
Everyone knows that in the language of diplomacy, the more neutral the statement, the more hostile.
7
posted on
02/22/2003 5:52:25 PM PST
by
js1138
To: GeneD
Il dépend de que la définition du mot est, est.
To: GeneD
The verb Mr. Chirac chose, "se taire," was neither elegant nor rude, simply neutral. You can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig.
He tried to boss other countries around. Telling someone to be quiet is the same as telling them to shut up. And that is not neutral in any language. That is just plain rude. Which is exactly how it was meant
9
posted on
02/22/2003 5:55:22 PM PST
by
Harmless Teddy Bear
(Sometimes "peace" is another word for surrender.)
To: GeneD
This IS outrageous -- and stupid, to boot.
se taire means nothing but to silence one's self (shut up). Even high school students are taught that taisez-vous means SHUT UP!.
Wow. I never cease to be amazed.
10
posted on
02/22/2003 5:55:38 PM PST
by
BfloGuy
(The past is like a different country, they do things different there.)
To: GeneD
HEY NY Times,"ont manqué une bonne occasion de fermer leur gueule"
11
posted on
02/22/2003 5:55:44 PM PST
by
philetus
(Keep doing what you always do and you'll keep getting what you always get)
To: GeneD
Did President Jacques Chirac of France actually tell half of Europe to shut up last week?He was just pretending to be John McCain.
To: GeneD
I take this to mean that he told them to shut up in a somewhat nice way. "Johnny, I wish that you would refrain from speaking."
13
posted on
02/22/2003 5:58:59 PM PST
by
Nick Danger
(Freeps Ahoy! Caribbean cruise May 31... from $610 http://www.freeper.org)
To: GeneD
The article says what wasn't said and what could have been said, but doesn't reveal what WAS said.
Regardless, the insulting part was what Chirac meant, and the hypocrisy of it all.
14
posted on
02/22/2003 5:59:06 PM PST
by
Gumption
To: Gumption
The article says what wasn't said and what could have been said, but doesn't reveal what WAS said. I'm glad some else notices that. And yes, it was the intent, not the words.
15
posted on
02/22/2003 6:00:11 PM PST
by
js1138
To: GeneD
Oh, puh-leeze. For crying out loud, this is more of the meaning of "is" "is" crapola.
He meant "SHUT UP." They got "SHUT UP."
16
posted on
02/22/2003 6:01:16 PM PST
by
fightinJAG
(FOR SALE: French Army rifle. Never been used. Dropped once.)
To: GeneD
***WATERED DOWN EXCUSE MAKER ALERT***
17
posted on
02/22/2003 6:03:58 PM PST
by
VaBthang4
(Behold, a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.)
To: GeneD; All
You all have got the story straight.
Not only is the NY Times defending Chirac, but the NY Times is contradicting what it said a few days ago.
This article seems to be saying that Chirac didn't intend his comments to be a severe "put down" of Eastern Europe. But, on February 18th the NY Times said: Chirac Scolding Angers Nations That Back U.S
The French president, in an unusually emotional outburst in Brussels after the European Union meeting on Monday about Iraq, derided the Central and Eastern European countries that have signed letters expressing their support for the American policy on Iraq for being "badly brought up," and having missed "an opportunity to keep quiet."
I'd guess that some East European leaders understand French well enough to know what Chirac said.
Chirac has a PR problem on his hands, and the NY Times is trying to rescue him.
18
posted on
02/22/2003 6:09:15 PM PST
by
syriacus
(French leaders got their kicks from pushing RU-486.)
To: GeneD
And that, my friend, is why
Fronch is the official language of diplomacy... so that you can get your rude point across with plausible deniability.
Ees all in zee nuance
Damned frogs.
XEHRpa
19
posted on
02/22/2003 6:10:03 PM PST
by
XEHRpa
To: GeneD
20
posted on
02/22/2003 6:10:55 PM PST
by
tictoc
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