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A cheap way to learn about a culture is from politicians. When they switch languages, it's because that particular constituency likes those languages, right?
So, watching Stephen Harper, the Canadian Chief, switching back and forth between Canadian and French when he speaks to Ukrainian TV, you immediately get to thinking about the languages of the Ukraine. Pretty smart, right?
It turns out Mr. Harper mixes those 2 languages when he addresses Chinese, Israelis, Londonese. He is a biglot, not only as an ability, but by overt practice. And his speeches are biglot speeches.
I still don't know what is the point of this post, except:
A- Cheap way to learn about culture can be wrong.
B- Stephen Harper is not only a polyglot, but a rare one, who habitually cycles his glots in flight.
C- Or, it seems, he is just using public times to practice his French. (His first glot being Canadian. He is trying to be a triglot, adding Spanish.)
and D- A biglot is not a big lot, nor triglot a trig lot.
RobertB said: A cheap way to learn about a culture is from politicians. When they switch languages, it's because that particular constituency likes those languages, right?
Man, I would never attempt to extract cultural meaning from what politicians say, or much of any meaning for that matter. I'm reminded of that famous gaff by JFK when he declared "Ich bin ein Berliner." Or GHW Bush's pronunciation of Sarajevo with a Spanish "J = H" sound. Or any number of politicians who insist on saying "nuke-you-ler". I could go on and on, but it would just make me sound like I'm saying politicians can't even speak their own language, much less that of their constituents or foreign audiences. But I guess I just did. 
I am not familiar with Stephen Harper, but it sounds like he needs some basic lessons in public speaking.
Heimhenge said
I am not familiar with Stephen Harper, but it sounds like he needs some basic lessons in public speaking.
Maybe instead of a BigLot, he's an OddLot?
(If you don't understand my joke, http://www.biglots.com/corporate/news-center/history)
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