Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: We ... WHAT!?

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  • Joe Wylie, in reply to David Hood,

    OMG, it is the newsbiscuit article come to life
    urthquike article

    Brilliant. Unfortunately Bill Leak's cartoons are behind the Murdoch paywall now, along with his take on Gillard's strangled vowels:
    "So you'll be sending more Australian troops to Afghanistan to die?"
    "Well not todie but miebe nixt week."

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Will de Cleene,

    If the US has problems transcribing an English speaker, Dagg help their Arabic and Chinese translators.

    Raumati • Since Jul 2011 • 107 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    John Key did not have sex with that woman, Hilary. He had seven, FFS.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh,

    Consider me firmly in the camp that blames equally both John Key's diction and the State Dept transcriber - and considering the American fascination with getting machines to do everything for them, I wouldn't be surprised if they were using some kind of transcription software, in which case the State Dept's systems are to blame rather than an individual transcriber.

    I can understand the appearance of (inaudibles) because there are several points where Key mashes words together in the back of his throat replacing all the vowels with that Kiwi 'uh' that gets us in so much trouble and barely making a minimal effort at enunciating any consonants. That's just straight out lazy speech and there's no excuse for it in somebody whose job involves so much oral communication.

    Having said that, there really is no excuse for "in the next conflicts", as the recording makes clear that there was a pause timed the way one usually times these things to indicate the end of a sentence, as would be represented by a full stop then space in writing, followed by intonation indicating the start of a new sentence, as would be represented by a capital letter in writing, and 'context' is one of those words Key actually bothers to enounce as if he's talking to the public and expecting to be clearly understood rather than just muttering to himself as he paces the floor of the 9th floor of the Beehive plotting the next step in the privatisation of the government.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Aston,

    Call me paranoid but how often does this happen?
    Yeah sure John Key has a difficult relationship with his consonants but try understanding a Glaswegian accent or an middle eastern accent for that matter.
    Why did they transcribe it in the first place it sounded like he was reading a prepared speech which could have been given to the US people .

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to James Butler,

    It took nary more than a raised eyebrow to get rid of Judge Harvey.

    That was, however, his own doing. No suggestion that pressure was applied on him by those who are acutely sensitive to the raised eyebrows of Foggy Bottom's residents.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Lyndon Hood,

    I see the State Dept transcript is now corrected, at least as far as those two sentences go.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Donaldson,

    Kava - it's a helluva drug.

    "Secary Clinton n'I discuss a board range of issues in the Asia Pacific region, as we look towards the APEC summit in Russia in around ten days time. New Zilnd woolmy supports the Unied States rebouncing towards the Asia Pacific and we welcome th optunities to coperate further. In THAT CONTEX we discussed our ongoing efforts ta negotiate alongside a nummer of other countries a transpacific partnership agreemin. "

    Auckland • Since Sep 2012 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Richard Aston,

    I don't expect Key to lose his Kiwi accent, but to be capable of speaking clearly when the situation demands. He wasn't enjoying a cold beer with his mates in his backyard, he was communicating to an international audience in a formal situation. This context demands a shift in register and an effort to speak clearly. This is something competent Glaswegians and Middle Easterners - indeed, competent people generally - are perfectly capable of.

    Why did they transcribe it in the first place it sounded like he was reading a prepared speech which could have been given to the US people .

    Poor decision making by whoever was charged with getting a copy of his speech online? An oversight from Key's team? A combination thereof? Something broken in State Dept policies or procedures? Who knows?

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher, in reply to Danielle,

    Remember the first time you ordered water in a restaurant over there? And the second time? And the third? And every other time until you just put on an American accent to save yourself some trouble? :)

    Yes! New Zealand's non-rhotic R can cause so much trouble in America. A holidaying friend with the surname Turner had to go to a lot of effort to make people realise it wasn't "Tuna".

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    Yes! New Zealand’s non-rhotic R can cause so much trouble in America. A holidaying friend with the surname Turner had to go to a lot of effort to make people realise it wasn’t “Tuna”.

    Is it any better in the New England states?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Matthew Donaldson,

    rebouncing towards the Asia Pacific

    sounds fun

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Donaldson, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Auckland • Since Sep 2012 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    That was, however, his own doing. No suggestion that pressure was applied on him by those who are acutely sensitive to the raised eyebrows of Foggy Bottom’s residents.

    That's just more evidence of their stupendous power!

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Outrageous Importunity…
    Apparently this is just more outrage from that ‘Russel Brown’ who gets outraged at everything (according to one obviously knowledgeable commenter) – Fairfax get in with a story of their own – while adding to the disinformation theme by misspelling Russell’s name, sigh….

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I wouldn't be surprised if it's just a case of laziness. Who really cares what John Key says? Only the people who will be sure to correct the transcriber anyway. Mission accomplished, the internet has done the proof reading, cheap as chips.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I don’t see how any reasonable person could say Key’s diction was at issue here.

    Indeed. For what was the rewind button invented if not this?

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Aston, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    Fair enough Chris - you are right, an international statesman needs to be able to articulate clearly.

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report Reply

  • Collin2012,

    Firstly, his diction was fine. We must not try to compare the standard of his diction to an American speaker, but rather an ordinary New Zealand speaker.

    Secondly, to those of you who think he should simply change the way he speaks for any given occasion. It appears that he has a mild speech impediment and as we all should know by now; speech impediments are extremely difficult to overcome even with years of speech therapy. It is not a matter of simply "oh this is an important occasion, I'll slow down my speech and pronounce things properly now," he is consciously trying to say the words correctly but his brain/vocal muscles don't follow through. Given his age, it is unlikely that he would ever completely rid himself of the impediment, even with extensive speech therapy.

    Lastly, it is unlikely the State Department would use voice recognition software alone, and if they did use the software they would undoubtedly have someone check it before publishing it.

    This is simply a case of a genuine error by the transcriber, it would be unwise and imprudent to read too much into it. It seems to be that the transcriber (who probably has little if any knowledge about NZ's foreign/diplomatic policies) was trying to make sense out of something he couldn't understand, was rushing the job or thought he had the correct transcription. I don't buy that the Americans would purposefully change the Prime Minister's words, that would be a real PR/diplomatic disaster.

    NZ • Since Sep 2012 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher, in reply to Collin2012,

    This is simply a case of a genuine error by the transcriber, it would be unwise and imprudent to read too much into it. It seems to be that the transcriber (who probably has little if any knowledge about NZ’s foreign/diplomatic policies) was trying to make sense out of something he couldn’t understand, was rushing the job or thought he had the correct transcription.

    This is my instinct too. I'd say the transcriber would have a better than average knowledge of the policies of foreign governments, but in this case, she probably just transcribed what she genuinely thought she heard.

    Transcribing in situations like this done on a tight deadline. Care is given but no one is going over it with a fine-tooth comb to make sure that everyone involved agrees that every sound made was precisely recorded. (Ever compared a Hansard record to an audio recording? It's not a word-for-word transcript.) However, as we have seen, mistakes can happen by they are easily amended.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Something that occurs to me is that in the PM's previous career as an FX trader, he'd have been trading huge amounts of money over the phone. Not being understood in those circumstances can lose your employer lots of money.

    Normally, FX is traded in a London / Essex accent, and I can hear a bit of that in the way Key talks. Maybe he should just revert to full-on East End when giving speeches (although that would detract from the true-blue Keeewee-ness that our politicians aspire to).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Aston, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Maybe he should just revert to full-on East End when giving speeches

    Yeah but I would prefer a soft lilting Southern Irish accent they are soooo beautiful to listen to.

    He could get some help here

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    I don't expect Key to lose his Kiwi accent, but to be capable of speaking clearly when the situation demands. He wasn't enjoying a cold beer with his mates in his backyard, he was communicating to an international audience in a formal situation.

    Can I offer the view that the kiwi accent can be very strong in some individuals? I recently witnessed an entirely baffled Sydney CityRail attendant struggle to assist a kiwi who wanted her "wickly tucket vulidited".

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Paul Williams,

    Can I offer the view that the kiwi accent can be very strong in some individuals?

    Of course! But Key's accent is not the issue here. In that recording, he pronounced some words (e.g. "that context") very clearly, while others he jumbled together into a barely coherent mess. At no point did his accent change, he simply failed to enunciate some words clearly, and it was his enunciation, and certainly not his accent, that caused his failure to communicate.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Normally, FX is traded in a London / Essex accent, and I can hear a bit of that in the way Key talks.

    In keeping with the Nouveau Riche atmosphere of the place, no less. It's also the source of Tony Blair's Essex Man anecdote.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

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