# Are there any foreign leaders who speak English better than King Abdullah? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 7, 2015, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032 "2015-02-07T08:48:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/1 "2015-02-07T08:48:58Z")
In countries where English isn’t the main or an official language, that is. Abdullah’s English is almost flawless. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/2 "2015-02-07T13:28:17Z")
> [@Cardboard](#): > > In countries where English isn’t the main or an official language, that is. > > Abdullah’s English is almost flawless. Is it really so remarkable? I mean, Abdullah was educated in England and the US, and served in the UK armed forces, it’s no surprise he speaks English well. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/3 "2015-02-07T13:37:03Z")
> [@Cardboard](#): > > In countries where English isn’t the main or an official language, that is. > > Abdullah’s English is almost flawless. What are the “flaws” therein? As it is the wiki article [on languages in Jordan says](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan#Languages) [QUOTE=Wiki] English, though without an official status, is widely spoken throughout the country and is the de facto language of commerce and banking, as well as a co-official status in the education sector; almost all university-level classes are held in English. [/QUOTE] So it is a main language there. OTH, here is [then Prince Filipe of Spain speaking English](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPYENc8uwfU) ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/4 "2015-02-07T16:41:13Z")
I would think that Bashar al-Assad and Fidel Castro would be candidates. Assad studied ophthalmology in London, and Castro is famous for his long speeches. And for certain values of “leaders” there is also Queen Noor, the widow of King Hussein–she’s actually a native American (“native” in the PROPER sense of the term). ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/5 "2015-02-07T16:50:12Z")
He certainly speaks better English than [Jean Chrétien](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Chr%C3%A9tien) **!** ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/6 "2015-02-07T17:02:40Z")
Bibi Netanyahu. (Oh, never mind. English is an official language.) Abdullah’s mother was British. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/7 "2015-02-07T17:24:00Z")
> **[Queen Noor of Jordan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Noor_of_Jordan)** > > Noor Al-Hussein (Arabic: نور الحسين; born Lisa Najeeb Halaby; August 23, 1951) is an American-born Jordanian philanthropist and activist who is the fourth wife and widow of King Hussein of Jordan. She was Queen of Jordan from their marriage on June 15, 1978, until Hussein's death on February 7, 1999. > Noor is the longest-standing member of the Board of Commissioners of the International Commission on Missing Persons. As of 2011, she is president of the United World Colleges movement and an advo... Queen Noor is British only in the same sense that all people of Swedish and Syrian descent born in America to American citizens in D.C. are British. That is, not at all. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/8 "2015-02-07T17:55:24Z")
What is your point? Abdullah’s mother is not Queen Noor. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/9 "2015-02-07T18:11:01Z")
Didn’t Leonid Brezhnev (U.S.S.R.) and Chou en-Lai (China) speak English? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/10 "2015-02-07T18:16:57Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > I would think that Bashar al-Assad and Fidel Castro would be candidates. Assad studied ophthalmology in London, and Castro is famous for his long speeches. > > And for certain values of “leaders” there is also Queen Noor, the widow of King Hussein–she’s actually a native American (“native” in the PROPER sense of the term). Just what is the PROPER sense of native? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/11 "2015-02-07T18:26:42Z")
Fidelissimo speaks English? ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/12 "2015-02-07T18:55:30Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > [Queen Noor of Jordan - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Noor_of_Jordan) > > Queen Noor is British only in the same sense that all people of Swedish and Syrian descent born in America to American citizens in D.C. are British. That is, not at all. So? King Abdullah’s mother is [Princess Muna al-Hussein](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Muna_al-Hussein), born Antoinette Avril Gardiner in the United Kingdom to U.K. citizens. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/13 "2015-02-07T19:03:48Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > I would think that Bashar al-Assad and Fidel Castro would be candidates. Assad studied ophthalmology in London, and Castro is famous for his long speeches. Here’s [Assad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHMtgKyh9Z0) speaking English. And here’s [Castro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_OQBEDgwOc). ---
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/14 "2015-02-07T19:33:47Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > What are the “flaws” therein? > > As it is the wiki article [on languages in Jordan says](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan#Languages) > > So it is a main language there. > > OTH, here is [then Prince Filipe of Spain speaking English](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPYENc8uwfU) I had no idear. On the country’s Wikipedia page it said their official language is Arabic, so I assumed that would be what everyone spoke. ---
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/15 "2015-02-07T19:35:44Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Is it really so remarkable? I mean, Abdullah was educated in England and the US, and served in the UK armed forces, it’s no surprise he speaks English well. A lot of leaders were educated in the USA, but still speak with super heavy accents. But King Abdullah’s English is without much noticeable accent. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/16 "2015-02-07T19:44:16Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Didn’t Leonid Brezhnev (U.S.S.R.) and Chou en-Lai (China) speak English? I don’t see how Brezhnev could have spoken English when he could barely speak his native Russian properly. ---
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/17 "2015-02-07T19:48:24Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I don’t see how Brezhnev could have spoken English when he could barely speak his native Russian properly. Brezhnev’s counterpart Josef Tito spoke decent English if I recall. I’ve heard Assad speak before, he’s understandable but a little lispy as I recall. Another one who speaks English decently is Angela Merkel. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/18 "2015-02-07T20:10:06Z")
[Helle Thorning speaks it fairly well.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6wMTxo3tx4) Her husband is British. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/19 "2015-02-07T22:40:11Z")
> [@Cardboard](#): > > Brezhnev’s counterpart Josef Tito spoke decent English if I recall. > > […] I read somewhere that Tito claimed he learned Esperanto in jail! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032/20 "2015-02-07T22:40:16Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Just what is the PROPER sense of native? Merriam-Webster– “Belonging to a particular place by birth.” I felt it necessary to point that out, due to the PC crowd who has hijacked the term “native American” and twisted it to mean only a certain ethnic group. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-foreign-leaders-who-speak-english-better-than-king-abdullah/712032.md?page=2)