# Reporting aboard!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-aboard/623300>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 28, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-aboard/623300 "2012-05-28T01:13:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![davestef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@davestef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davestef)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-aboard/623300/1 "2012-05-28T01:13:28Z")

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I’m delighted to find this message board and joined immediately. I arrived with a question to which I found pretty much the answer here after some searching. The question was in the usual conversational form vs. keyword, that is, “When Merkel and Sarkozy meet for a chat, as they have done frequently in the past year, in what language is their conversation? And when they are joined by the Premiers of Greece and Italy? Should I look for the little earpiece or the whisperer over each shoulder?” So, mirable dictu, my question was mostly answered. Thank you all so much, and I look forward to being here. I guess the thread is long gone, but I would only have added that all military officers of most European countries are required to know pretty good English. As an aside, my understanding is that Irish foreign service officers are required to pass an exam in Irish, which in many cases requires an extended vacation/study period in the Western Isles.

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**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-aboard/623300/2 "2012-05-28T01:15:12Z")

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You posted in General Questions. What is your question?

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**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-aboard/623300/3 "2012-05-28T01:19:29Z")

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Welcome!

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-aboard/623300/4 "2012-05-28T01:55:51Z")

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Glad you found the answers useful. “Welcome” threads usually go in MPSIMS, so I’ll move this over there.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator

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**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-aboard/623300/5 "2012-05-28T05:04:04Z")

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How do you feel about squid?

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**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-aboard/623300/6 "2012-05-28T12:27:39Z")

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Hello **davestef**. Be welcome. Enjoy your stay.