If diplomacy is all about Communication, a lot depends on the interpreters.

Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski visited the United Kingdom in late 2006. After a good private discussion at No 10 the President and PM Tony Blair faced the usual joint media event. A Polish journalist asked the President if more should be done by the Polish authorities to help Poles who had come to the UK to look for work but had been unsuccessful and were now living in dire circumstances.

President Kaczynski gave a lengthy and solid reply, the gist of which was that most Poles who had come to the UK since Poland joined the European Union had done well and enjoyed a good reputation; that each country, Poland included, had its share of people who did struggle to succeed, some of whom looked for a better life away from their own country; and that Poland should not shirk its responsibilities in this area.

Fair enough, to someone listening in Polish.

Unfortunately the Polish side’s official interpreter in the heat of the moment unwisely and arguably wrongly deployed the curious English word ‘feckless’ to describe Poles who had fallen on hard times. And some of the British media pounced. 

So what, you no doubt wonder, is the best use of the word ‘feckless’ in rock/pop music? Rudie Can’t Fail by The Clash of course scores strongly. But my vote goes to Hope For Us All by Nick Lowe.  Buy them both.