Country non specific question: Your thoughts political candidates speaking other languages in debates and campaigns?

Poll - Total Votes: 9

It doesn't matter to you.

It matters in the context.

You are fine with it in all cases.

You are fine with it as long as there is a translation.

The language of the majority should be spoken

Only the official language should be spoken.

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You can only vote on one answer.

As an example. Would it matter to you if a candidate spoke in Mandarin or Russian?

Poll is country non specific. Please vote if you are not from the United States.

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Northwest · M

Unless someone is asking them to translate, or the question was in a different language, they should stick to the natives’ tongue. It’s patronizing.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Northwest Not saying you are wrong. Yet one case there would still be awkward in a panel of candidates if someone should ask one candidate a question in an unknown language of other candidates without translation. Just saying.

Northwest · M

@DeWayfarer Here's my algorithm, when I'm a speaker:

1. What's the primary language of the event?

2. If question is not in the primary language, then I would assume that the person who asked the question, can understand the language (otherwise, what would they be doing there in the first place), and then repeat the question in the primary language, and answer the question in the primary language, and then check back with the person, in their native language, to see if it was understood.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Northwest Yet what of the other candidates who may or may not understand or worse only partially understand and misunderstand the whole question by assumption?

Northwest · M

@DeWayfarer [quote]repeat the question in the primary language[/quote]

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@Northwest Not certain if that actually would work. Self translations tend to be biased.