Monday, January 04, 2016

Speaking style of Saudi foreign minister

Exactly as I remember from graduate school, Adel Jubeir speaks only in idiomatic American cliches and has a hard time improvising expressions.  Notice how often he says: all option are on the table, or we did not take off options off the table; we will cross the bridge when we reach it; tomorrow is another day; the proof is in the pudding; trust but verify (which is a Russian proverb); the devil is in the detail; an apple a day keeps the doctor away; and my favorite from Rocky's Sylvester Stallone: you gotta do what you gotta do.  Such eloquence.