On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 16:41:36 -0800, "C J Campbell"
wrote:

The whole Berliner gaff is actually an urban legend. "Ich bin ein Berliner"
is grammatically correct.

I speak fluent German. What he said was, nominally, "I'm a jelly
donut". I bought them fresh in the Zurich Migros every week. One of my
roommates, a Berliner himself, confirmed it.

So there was
not tittering and no guffaws -- what he said was right.

Supportive Berliners knew what he meant, knew he was an American, knew
he was reaching out, and they all translated the gaffe into "Ich bin
Berliner", and cheered until their lungs contained only vacuum.

It's a kindness good hearted Germans usually extend to good hearted
visiting foreigners, in my experience, especially the ones that show
solidarity with them.

Rob

--
[You] don't make your kids P.C.-proof by keeping them
ignorant, you do it by helping them learn how to
educate themselves.

-- Orson Scott Card