# Does Teresa Heinz Kerry speak English? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 11, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510 "2004-07-11T02:03:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brandus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Brandus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brandus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/1 "2004-07-11T02:03:31Z")
From watching Larry King, Theresa seems like she can barely speak english. Is english her second language? I’ll concede that she was probably incredibly nervous, but can She be first Lady? Can a billionaire, camera-shy, non-fluent-in-english woman really represent the women of America? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/2 "2004-07-11T02:06:22Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever, in my entire life, met a woman who felt in any way “represented” by the first lady. Mind you, it’s not something that routinely comes up in conversation, but still. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/3 "2004-07-11T02:06:23Z")
If the ballot paper says “Kerry +1”, then fine, judge him on his partner. I for one was under the impression that you were electing a president, not an entire family. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/4 "2004-07-11T02:19:40Z")
Cripes! Lay off the woman already. I’m as conservative a Republican as you’ll find. I went to Ronald Reagan’s viewing. I’ve sent money to the Bush campaign. But Theresa Heinz Kerry hasn’t made herself a political issue, as far as I’ve seen. And she’s a good woman. I’ve met her on several occasions, mostly when she was still married to John Heinz. She’s been an asset to the Pittsburgh area, and has done a lot of charitable work. She’s very liberal. Sure. Can’t help that. But her name isn’t on the ballot, and I’ll find plenty of reasons to vote for Bush that don’t involve her. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/5 "2004-07-11T02:20:40Z")
> [@Brandus](#): > > Can a billionaire, camera-shy, non-fluent-in-english woman really represent the women of America? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought it was the job of the **President and Congress** to represent the women of America. You know, being elected and all. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/6 "2004-07-11T02:22:45Z")
Of course she doesn’t. Massachusetts Ivy-League liberals all speak French, remember? They ain’t real people like you’n me. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/7 "2004-07-11T02:29:15Z")
> **[Teresa Heinz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Heinz_Kerry)** > > Teresa Heinz (born Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira; October 5, 1938), also known as Teresa Heinz Kerry, is a Portuguese-American businesswoman and philanthropist. Heinz is the widow of former U.S. Senator John Heinz and the wife of former U.S. Secretary of State, longtime U.S. Senator, and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Heinz is Chair of the Heinz Endowments and the Heinz Family Philanthropies. > Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira was born in the city of Lourenço M... This link will explain why she speaks with an accent. And why she possibly speaks/understands more languages that most of us. As for the rest of your questions, **Brandus** , start a thread in IMHO or GD. Your only valid GQ question has been asked and answered. Closed. **samclem**. GQ Moderator ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/8 "2004-07-11T02:32:48Z")
Hey, I thought the deletion of posts wasn’t allowed. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/9 "2004-07-11T02:34:47Z")
Just so you know what my post was that I deleted, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa\_Heinz\_Kerry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Heinz_Kerry) I was trying to give you a factual response as to why she speaks more languages that you or I. > [@](#): > > She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Romance Languages and literature from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. She graduated from the Interpreters School of the University of Geneva (Switzerland) before moving to the United States to work at the United Nations as a translator. She is fluent in five languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, and her native Portuguese. I didn’t realize the thread had been wisely moved to the Pit when I posted. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/10 "2004-07-11T02:36:23Z")
> [@spectrum](#): > > Hey, I thought the deletion of posts wasn’t allowed. It’s not. You’re just imagining things. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/11 "2004-07-11T02:37:41Z")
I know she speaks English and Portugese. She also spent her college years in South Africa and Switzerland, so I assume she has at least a passing familiarity with Afrikaaner, German, and French. After schooling she got a job as a translator for the UN. A little bit of Googling tells me that she is fluent in five languages, although in one interview she says she’s rusty in all of them due to lack of use. Tell me, **Brandus** , how many languages do you speak, and does that qualify you for the role of First Lady? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/12 "2004-07-11T02:38:05Z")
Brandus- she not only speaks English, but several other languages- and all likely better than you do. Not to mention she’s smarter, better looking AND richer than you are or _ever will be_. :wally ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/13 "2004-07-11T02:39:55Z")
> [@spectrum](#): > > Hey, I thought the deletion of posts wasn’t allowed. Mods are omnipotent. They have x-ray vision, and can fly. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/14 "2004-07-11T02:41:01Z")
Does rictus-grinning, stick-up-her-ass, stepford-wife Laura Bush represent the women of America? Cripes, I hope not. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/15 "2004-07-11T02:41:16Z")
> [@chique](#): > > blahblahblah And had I done a bit more Googling prior to posting I’d have quoted the same thing **samclem** did. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/16 "2004-07-11T02:46:11Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought it was the job of the **President and Congress** to represent the women of America. You know, being elected and all. Well said, you ol’ Canadian, you. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/17 "2004-07-11T02:49:02Z")
Who wants to take bets that she speaks French? ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/18 "2004-07-11T02:50:47Z")
> [@milroyj](#): > > Who wants to take bets that she speaks French? Who wants to take bets that **milroyj** is talking out of his ass? Again. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/19 "2004-07-11T02:54:32Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > Who wants to take bets that **milroyj** is talking out of his ass? Again. Isn’t that the only way he knows how to speak? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510/20 "2004-07-11T02:55:36Z")
> [@milroyj](#): > > Who wants to take bets that she speaks French? See Post #8 above. Rinse and repeat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-teresa-heinz-kerry-speak-english/254510.md?page=2)