QueenZone discussion #313001
Question about Brian....
| Mayboy 01.02.2004 15:01 |
I just thought about this the other day, Anyone know if Brian can speak different languages? :) Just when they toured wherever it was, at the beginning of the audience participation sections e.g Love of my life etc Brian introduces and speaks to the crowd Just wondered if those bits were rehearsed depending on the language of the area they were touring or whether he could speak the lingo |
| Iam the one 01.02.2004 15:03 |
I belive spanish,french,italian. |
| Iam the one 01.02.2004 15:04 |
I belive spanish,french,italian. |
| Daburcor? 01.02.2004 15:05 |
I wouldn't put it past him to be able to speak atleats a few different languages. He's very smart! :D |
| Brian's sweet sister 01.02.2004 16:12 |
Try reading 'Queen and I: The Brain May story' If you haven't...it is most likely to say in there. I think it said he spoke German French and Latin. Italian? what the????? I don't think so...but I suppose it is possible. |
| SallyJ. 01.02.2004 16:15 |
didn't he also study german...? he does sound very sweet when he says "goedenavond" (good evening)and "groningen"(dutch place)in dutch but then again...all brits sound sweet when they try to speak dutch ;-) :D |
| Hitman 01.02.2004 16:22 |
about my language, italian, i'm afraid he only knows a little number of words...prepared for the occasions he went in my country. But maybe spanish was in his studies someway. Anyway it's a very kind present to the audience talking a bit with another language.Thanks Brian!! |
| inu-liger 01.02.2004 17:50 |
Wasn't Brian on that Spanish comedy variety show last year speaking Espanol? |
| Penetration_Guru 01.02.2004 20:54 |
Get a grip. I could recite the chorus to Teo Torriatte but that doesn't mean I can speak Japanese. Monty Python did an entire episode in German, but none of them spoke it - they just had it translated and learnt it parrot fashion. SO, Otro Lugar & an appearance on TV does not make Brian a Spaniard. |
| MercuryArts 02.02.2004 12:49 |
I have Queen & I and I do not remember reading anywhere that he spoke another language. I could be wrong though. |
| Sebastian 02.02.2004 13:46 |
> Otro Lugar & an appearance on TV does not make Brian a Spaniard. exactly |
| RMT 02.02.2004 13:49 |
I seem to remember BHM saying that he'd picked up some Spanish when he was living in Tenerife doing astronomy. I guess he also picked up a basic knowledge of German whilst the band were recording in Germany. As for any other languages, I wouldn't be surprised if he had at least a basic command of at least several more! |
| Flashman 02.02.2004 14:03 |
"Flashman no es un imbecile. Hecho." (B. May 2001) |
| inu-liger 02.02.2004 14:18 |
"La gente es idiotas. Soy elegante. Guardaré en la re-grabacio'n mi propia música" Brian May, 2004 |
| inu-liger 02.02.2004 14:19 |
"Nimrod das erste wird eingeladen, auf der folgenden Abdeckung unseres eigenen Lieds zu singen" Brian May, 2004 |
| Sonja 02.02.2004 14:37 |
"Nimrod das erste wird eingeladen, auf der folgenden Abdeckung unseres eigenen Lieds zu singen" But..what the heck does he mean?? |
| MexQueenFM 02.02.2004 15:29 |
""La gente es idiotas. Soy elegante. Guardaré en la re-grabacio'n mi propia música"" The people is idiots. I'm elegant. I'll keep in the re-record of my own music hmm? |
| inu-liger 02.02.2004 15:31 |
I was making jokes about Brian's insisting on re-recording WWRY over and over for money |
| MexQueenFM 02.02.2004 15:33 |
er, thanks for clearing that up |
| Antici...pation 02.02.2004 20:44 |
" "Nimrod das erste wird eingeladen, auf der folgenden Abdeckung unseres eigenen Lieds zu singen" But..what the heck does he mean??" its german... and its sad that i CAN'T make it out and im holding a friggin' german dictionary... but i did find this much... Lied = song singen (isn't it obvious?) zu = at/to eigenen = own auf = on/upon so yeah... my dictionary is also from the 1960's... hope someone else can translate it better than i tried, lol!!! |
| geeksandgeeks 02.02.2004 21:07 |
I speak a little German - I'm in my first year. But I don't know what that means. |
| Antici...pation 02.02.2004 21:19 |
yeah me too.. that's why im confused as well... |
| dragonzflame 02.02.2004 21:35 |
Very loosely (I think - but I wouldn't put it past me to be wrong): "Nimrod is invited first to sing the following cover of our own song." I haven't a clue what that's on about. And 'Queen and I' doesn't mention which languages he speaks. |
| inu-liger 02.02.2004 21:41 |
Take a look at the first word "Nimrod" closely *hint hint* (And it's a joke) |
| Sonja 02.02.2004 23:51 |
I am German and I still have no clue, sorry. |
| MexQueenFM 03.02.2004 00:15 |
he doesnt' even know what he's saying, even in Spanish he don't make no sense |
| Flashman 03.02.2004 03:25 |
Do we think he's using a 'computer translater' to make himself appear smart? Backfire! |
| iGSM 03.02.2004 06:30 |
Sir, your ideas appeal to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter! I also would like to show my affection for the same implement used to 'translate'.. Boo.. He never drank a beer in his life. |
| Penetration_Guru 03.02.2004 06:40 |
Dark, explaining your jokes to us does not make you funny. It just reinforces you being pathetic. |
| Hank H. 03.02.2004 08:08 |
""Nimrod das erste wird eingeladen, auf der folgenden Abdeckung unseres eigenen Lieds zu singen" Brian May, 2004 " Okay, that's the problem when you're not able to use a dictionary properly. Germans are too lazy to find a German word for "cover" in the musical sense, that's why they use the English word. Nimrod der Erste wird eingeladen, auf dem folgenden Cover unseres eigenen Lieds zu singen. I'm sorry, if it's a joke, it fails to be funny. But I understand what you're trying to say. "Abdeckung" gefällt mir aber gar nicht so schlecht, denn manchmal wird die Qualität des ursprünglichen Liedes dabei ziemlich erfolgreich verdeckt. |
| Sonja 03.02.2004 09:19 |
"Abdeckung des Liedes" is supposed to be "Cover"??? That's why I didn't get it!! |
| Mr. Scully 03.02.2004 09:35 |
If I remember well, Brian's pronunciation of German was very good. But I think he only learnt a couple of words, that's all. |
| Penetration_Guru 03.02.2004 11:18 |
Warum sagst du das? |
| Mr. Scully 03.02.2004 11:25 |
Weil ich ein bisschen Deutsch sprechen kann ;-) |
| siljeoen 03.02.2004 14:09 |
ah,-sehr gut!!:) |
| Flashman 03.02.2004 14:23 |
Donkey shite. |
| Antici...pation 03.02.2004 15:48 |
"Okay, that's the problem when you're not able to use a dictionary properly." hey my german dictionary didn't have half of those long words so its not my fucking damn fault!!! god damn |
| Penetration_Guru 03.02.2004 17:53 |
Ich verstehe |
| Flashman 03.02.2004 17:57 |
Ja. |
| gnomo 04.02.2004 04:11 |
IIRC, Bri studied German as a foreign language in his high school and possibly University years, and he also lived in Germany for some time, so I think he must have at least a basic knowledge of it, enough for a simple conversation - any witnesses? As for Spanish, he must have learnt some while researching in Tenerife and later on on his frequent holidays there, but I think his command of the language is pretty limited. He also knows several French words and phrases, and I think he could put a decent sentence together - with some effort, a French vocabulary and probably Spanish grammar with relevant English interference. But IIRC he even got Dominique Beyrand (Roger's first wife) to help him when he had to deal with French seriously. As for Italian, there's only a handful of words that he can use properly; for his Italian gigs, he had a few phrases written down to introduce the band and the songs, and he tried really hard to get the pronunciation right. He once told me "my Italian is even worse than my Spanish", which is certainly true, but underestimates his communication abilities: for instance, in Rome he innocently started off with "Non rompetemi le palle - which means How are you, I think", knowing perfectly well that it meant "leave me alone", "don't bother me" - hilariously funny, everybody got the message and nobody took offence. I wonder what foreign languages Anita and his children know - it is quite possible that he learned something from them as well... |
| Sonja 04.02.2004 06:19 |
He lived in Germany, as well? Thought it was just Freddie who lived in Munich for a while. By the way, I love it when English people speak German. Sweet accent! :-) |
| Penetration_Guru 04.02.2004 08:39 |
I could have sworn Brian did Astronomy at University... |
| Sonja 04.02.2004 10:00 |
He did! But I think you can still take other subjects besides your main subject can't you? And you can do German in English schools if you want to. Correct me if I'm wrong but many people in England learn German at school... |
| inu-liger 04.02.2004 12:01 |
At St. Joe's High School, we only have ESL classes for foreign students, and for English speaking students: French (of course), Spanish, Italian |
| Maz 04.02.2004 12:06 |
"I could have sworn Brian did Astronomy at University..." Many doctoral programs require one, if not two, foreign languages, regardless of the actual area of study. Though I don't know for sure, I wouldn't be surprised if Brian faced a similar requirement. |
| Penetration_Guru 04.02.2004 12:18 |
Are you sure that's the case in the UK too? |
| Maz 04.02.2004 12:24 |
Not entirely. I do know that Canada, which is much more British in its univeristy system than the US, also has foreign language requirments. It's my understanding that these requirements are not a US thing, but rather are derived from the old country. |
| Bohardy 04.02.2004 12:45 |
You definitely don't need any language qualifications to do a Masters or PhD here. I know numerous people who are doing them/have done them who don't know more than the most rudimentary GCSE French. |
| Maz 04.02.2004 17:03 |
Lucky bastards |
| dragonzflame 04.02.2004 20:34 |
We aren't forced to do foreign languages here either. I take German, but that's because having done it all the way through high school it seems silly to give it up now. |
| Guy 05.02.2004 00:20 |
Woops |
| Hank H. 05.02.2004 09:45 |
Kate: "hey my german dictionary didn't have half of those long words so its not my fucking damn fault!!! god damn" My comment was not aimed at you, but at the creator of that wonderful German sentence. But anyway, if your dictionary doesn't have all those words you should consider buying a new one. Or look for the infinitive / nominative instead of the derived / inflectional forms, which are in no dictionary. Talking about Brian and German, Scully once taught me that there is a German version of TMLWKY. Is there no German owner of such a recording who could judge Brian's pronunciation? Same goes for the Spanish version of that song. Foreign languages and PhD: In Germany for most of the humanities at first you have to know two foreign languages to be allowed to start studying. For Doctor Degrees you need latin sometimes, no matter how many other languages you speak. For natural sciences it might be different. But without English of course you have no chance at all because most of the literature is in English. |
| Joma 05.02.2004 16:43 |
As far as I am concerned (as a native German with 'higher' education), there's no such word as 'nimrod'. But then - I may NOT be concerned! Brian's pronunciation (in German) is not special, just with a strong English accent - sorry Bri :-( I also taught German in England (both GCSE and A-levels, and I tell you, you cann pass and still don't understand anything! So I suppose after 35 (!) years Brian's German is definatley gone, perhaps he knows some from his Munich days (krrruzefixxx!) |
| inu-liger 05.02.2004 18:37 |
I'm referring to myself with the word "Nimrod". Geez, don't ALL of you guys know Pim's (or Iron Eagle's?) nickname for me by now? |
| Babel_esp 06.02.2004 12:13 |
Brian has a strong accent when he speaks spanish. I don't like the spanish version of "Another world" since you can realize it's a foreigner who is singing (I can remember those AWFUL Roxette spanish versions). When you listen to a song I think that strong accent is not nice to hear since it catches your attention instead of letting you hear what he says or how the music is played. Just mu opinion though! |