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BBKing · 05-11-2005, 08:47

wikipedia articles are freely distributable, aren't they?

I think there is a bit of truth in the original story, though. I've known it since before 1988*, and it's certainly not unknown in Germany, where it is indeed thought of as an unintentional pun, hence the souvenirs. Germans do actually have a sense of humour, one not wholly unlike ours. Most Germans would think 'Berliner' means both a doughnut and an inhabitant of Berlin, as we might think a 'Yorkie' was a Yorkshireman or a chocolate bar. They wouldn't necessarily think it was the funniest gag on the planet, however.

* I'm pretty sure my Mum told me it back in the 80s when I started learning German - she's actually half-German and has spent a fair bit of time there with friends of my grandmother who stayed there when she was forced to come to the UK in 1938.

05-11-2005, 08:47	#5
BBKing R.I.P. Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: London Services: 20Mb VM CM, Virgin TV Posts: 5,983	Re: Ich bin ein Berliner wikipedia articles are freely distributable, aren't they? I think there is a bit of truth in the original story, though. I've known it since before 1988, and it's certainly not unknown in Germany, where it is indeed thought of as an unintentional pun, hence the souvenirs. Germans do actually have a sense of humour, one not wholly unlike ours. Most Germans would think 'Berliner' means both a doughnut and an inhabitant of Berlin, as we might think a 'Yorkie' was a Yorkshireman or a chocolate bar. They wouldn't necessarily think it was the funniest gag on the planet, however. I'm pretty sure my Mum told me it back in the 80s when I started learning German - she's actually half-German and has spent a fair bit of time there with friends of my grandmother who stayed there when she was forced to come to the UK in 1938.