2016 Postmortem

senseandsensibility

(17,065 posts) Sat Jul 23, 2016, 07:25 PM Jul 2016

Like most of you, I was floored by Kaine's speech, but I have a little suggestion...

I taught in a majority Spanish speaking school district for over thirty years. I've seen countless talented bilingual educators conduct public meetings. Sometimes they speak a paragraph in English, then translate it into Spanish for the
entire speech. It sounds awkward, but it really isn't when it's done skillfully. I'm not suggesting that Kaine do that. However, I think that for the very small amount of Spanish he actually used, it would have been effective to translate it into English immediately after. Just an idea.

He is very impressive, warm, and accomplished, and I think we are lucky to have him.

4 replies

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Like most of you, I was floored by Kaine's speech, but I have a little suggestion... (Original Post) senseandsensibility Jul 2016 OP

I would agree, but he was talking to an audience that was probably mostly bilingual. timlot Jul 2016 #1

I may be wrong, but for the most part, he seemed to use Spanish to emphasize and drive home a point Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #2

Plus it pisses the GOP off, because they can't wrap their tiny minds around it. n/t FSogol Jul 2016 #3

This was Miami. I respectfully disagree. Native Jul 2016 #4

timlot

(456 posts)

1. I would agree, but he was talking to an audience that was probably mostly bilingual.

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Sat Jul 23, 2016, 07:44 PM

Jul 2016

He would have seemed to forced if he stop every time and said, "now let me translate". He highlighted he can fluently speak the language in a conversational way. I thought it was ok. Now if he went into a longer dialog in Spanish he would have to translate that for the tv audience.

Brother Buzz

(36,444 posts)

2. I may be wrong, but for the most part, he seemed to use Spanish to emphasize and drive home a point

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Sat Jul 23, 2016, 07:48 PM

Jul 2016

I know enough Spanish to mostly understand what he was saying. I thought it was an effective technique, and at the end of the day, it didn't require translation; everyone knew exactly what his message was.

FSogol

(45,488 posts)

3. Plus it pisses the GOP off, because they can't wrap their tiny minds around it. n/t

Reply to Brother Buzz (Reply #2)

Sat Jul 23, 2016, 07:52 PM

Jul 2016

Native

(5,942 posts)

4. This was Miami. I respectfully disagree.

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Sat Jul 23, 2016, 08:57 PM

Jul 2016

He's been in public service for a very long time. I'm sure he knows how best to use his 2nd language to advantage. I was born in Miami and raised in Florida. I think it would have been a bit too distracting if he had translated what little Spanish he used at the rally.

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