Bono's languages

[rihannsu]

I cringe every time I watch U2 in Milan on the Vertigo tour and right after he says "They don't know what I'm talking about..." he says "excuse moi" in frech ...and he's in Italy.

The thing is with Bono you can never tell when he's doing that kind of screw up on purpose or not.

Dana

 

[last unicorn]

I cringe every time I watch U2 in Milan on the Vertigo tour and right after he says "They don't know what I'm talking about..." he says "excuse moi" in frech ...and he's in Italy.

I'm always amazed at how easily some light-hearted, most probably ironic things can make people "cringe". Don't you have anything else to cringe about? Bono was just playing around, he can be such a dork sometimes.

 

[coolian2]

Sacrebleu

 

[Carek1230]

He probably speaks some Latin along with the Gaelic. I'd imagine he's becoming more improved with his French due to living in the South of France. I think he tries to speak a bit of each language in the countries they perform in. That said, I'd imagine he knows a lot more than any of us could even take a guess at.

 

[u2search]

I remember some TV Live recording in South America where he adressed the crowd. Everything he said in English was subtitled by the TV-station, but the several sentences in either Spanish or Portuguese (I don't recall the country) where not. So: either the translaters didn't understand what he said, or they didn't feel the need for it

 

[last unicorn]

^ Yep. I have the Sao Paolo concert on DVD and every song has Portuguese subtitles, I always find this hilarious. They didn't translate the Bongolese parts, though.

 

[SamuelSmeloc]

Well, as a brazilian that was on São Paulo show, I have to say that he "speaks" portuguese pretty well, at least we all understood what he was trying to say. But actually he is not able to speak portuguese, it is obvious.
And if he really speaks latin (he probably doesn't), he's sobrenatural, because I studied latin for two years, and I have to say that neither my professor can speak latin. I can translate it, also write, but speak? Never.

 

[last unicorn]

That is because Latin is not a language one speaks. We call it a "dead language", because you only have to know the grammar and be able to translate stuff if you're in university, but you don't speak it in everyday life - unless you're in Vatican state, I suppose.

 

[blm]

Bono definately failed his Gaelic at highschool, and got kicked out of the arts uni for that..

You're right Comet, I totally forgot the NRJ speech! that was perfectly fluent french, I perfectly understood what he said.. the pronounciation is another part, but I can forgive him

French is a very difficult language to learn, do you agree GG?

Is there a link to this speech?

 

[bonocomet]

I don't know, but if you don't find it on you tube let me know and I can put it in my save file it if you like.

 

[SamuelSmeloc]

That is because Latin is not a language one speaks. We call it a "dead language", because you only have to know the grammar and be able to translate stuff if you're in university, but you don't speak it in everyday life - unless you're in Vatican state, I suppose.

Yes, you are right, but what I was trying to say is that even he tried to speak latin, he wouldn't succeed... If you say latin is a dead language to a latin teacher he would at least smash you, but you are right, only the Pope is a fluent latin speaker, maybe not even him...

 

[alanah]

Well, as a brazilian that was on São Paulo show, I have to say that he "speaks" portuguese pretty well, at least we all understood what he was trying to say. But actually he is not able to speak portuguese, it is obvious.
And if he really speaks latin (he probably doesn't), he's sobrenatural, because I studied latin for two years, and I have to say that neither my professor can speak latin. I can translate it, also write, but speak? Never.

I agree with everything you said.

 

[Lobe]

Bono said something in Basque at the San Sebastian Vertigo Show (it's our regional language here in this part of Spain).... three years later I'm still trying to figure out what he said....

Well.... ok... he said "uno, dos, tres, catorce" in Basque quite well.... (bat, bi, hiru, hamalau)

 

[Galeongirl]

French is a very difficult language to learn, do you agree GG?

Is there a link to this speech?

actualy for me it was the easiest, probably since I had been going to france for holidays since I was born I had way more trouble with german and latin!

And I don't know how to speak latin either, nobody does, and not even the pope speaks it. Well in some prayers he quotes, but he doesn't 'speak' latin.

 

[vaz02]

.... three years later I'm still trying to figure out what he said....

How time goes by

 

[Carrie Anderson]

Learning a language at school does not mean you become fluent. I learned French but it's "schoolgirl" French and I certainly don't consider myself fluent. The trouble is that a lot of European schools do not use the immersion method, which is the only way IMO to learn a language. Most schools just give you an hour or two a week, and that's not enough.

Bono flunked Irish.... I have a few friends from Dublin who learned Irish but are not really good at it!! .

Our B is a great mimic, and has a great ear for learning things, which is why he sounds so good when he learns the stuff he needs to for his speeches etc. I guess it's like learning "lines" or a song.

Of course, I imagine he is pretty competent at French for obvious reasons

Oh and... Bongolese....!!