How Many Languages Does Rishi Sunak Speak?

Rishi Sunak is the prime minister of the United Kingdom. He is the first Hindu prime minister, and the first prime minister of Indian origin which brings with it some interesting linguistic baggage. Rishi Sunak can speak three languages: English, Punjabi, and Hindi. Find out more about these languages and Sunak's abilities in them in this video.
Raid the Merch Market!
teespring.com/en-GB/stores/hi...
Go Fund My Windmills (Patreon):
/ historywithhilbert
Join in the Banter on Twitter:
/ historywhilbert
Enter the Fray on Facebook:
/ historywhilbert
Indulge in some Instagram..?(the alliteration needs to stop):
/ historywithhilbert
Send me an email if you'd be interested in doing a collaboration! [e-mail]
#uk #history #interestingfacts

[@rudiruttger]

Like any politician he is fluent in over six million forms of avoiding a direct question.

[@matthewolson175]

😂

[@eddyxc1697]

Best answer

[@-_YouMayFind_-]

hahahaha

[@angelicagaldos]

I'd bet C3P0 was a teacher

[@levinjoseph233]

Agreed

[@vegardarntzen1556]

All those languages yet can't speak the truth.

[@anthonyn.7379]

A politician’s most fluent language.

[@neilz.]

2:36 Bless you Bro

[@historywithhilbert146]

Thank you kindly - as you can see my cold has not influenced my already questionable editing abilities in the slightest...

[@OscarOSullivan]

@@historywithhilbert146Can you do a video on Rugby Union rivalries between clubs?

[@two_motion]

2:36 The Dutch: *clears throat Danish friend: *agrees with you

[@bananenmusli2769]

He probably recited a famous Danish poem there

[@AchyutChaudhary]

2:37 *why did I just hear a cough?* 😂

[@historywithhilbert146]

Because Hilbert is an excellent editor who never leaves any unwanted audio in the recordings..

[@Buna5689]

That cough of 2:30 triggered me to cough the whole video.😂😂

[@KayserOfRum]

For Urdu and Hindi, outside the script, another major difference is that Urdu uses more Persian words in day-to-day speech.

[@manveersingh5780]

Definitely! And since partition Hindi is becoming more Sanskritised, alongside Urdu becoming more Persianised, further changing both languages!

[@frenzalrhomb6919]

Well, being a Politician, it would all depend upon what side of his mouth he's speaking to you out of.

[@caseclosed9342]

Fun fact: Sunak took his parliamentary oath of office on a copy of the Bhagavad Gita - the same book Oppenheimer thought of during the Trinity test.

[@halmycroft194]

It's amazing that Mr Sunak could theoretically converse with 827M people and, as a Tory, have nothing of any use to say to any of them.

[@halmycroft194]

Also of note: Anthony Eden was apparently very fluent in Arabic and annoyed the hell out of Nasser by speaking with him in that language when they met.

[@rafail2303]

Too bad none of them matter unless he speaks the truth

[@edwardloomis887]

Winston Churchill was recording speaking French in his own unique, unmistakable style.

[@HassanUmer]

Great video as always but the Punjab flag used is not a recognised Punjabi flag, it's something from Reddit that centers Sikhism, so actually would alienate majority Punjabis who are Muslim, as well as Hindu Punjabis.

[@mariahamilton5305]

He presumably did some modern language GCSEs as well, so I'd be surprised if he can't speak a bit of French, German and/or Spanish as well.

[@mildlydispleased3221]

Most people did modern languages at GCSE and most Brits remember nothing.

[@cerebrummaximus3762]

GCSE doesn't teach you much, and most schools it is compulsory to do a language. Don't be like the Americans who say they speak Spanish, but know only "Holla, amigo"

[@faithlesshound5621]

@@cerebrummaximus3762 You need foreign languages to get into most universities, and especially Oxford. Winchester probably had better language facilities than most schools.

[@OsamasStory]

2:38 glitch?

[@joaovitormatos8147]

That's not a glitch, that's a cough

[@-_YouMayFind_-]

No its a sneeze@@joaovitormatos8147

[@luisluis5306]

No its Dutch

[@arpanabinaswar1811]

5:11 Ofcourse Urdu As Language was born in India around Lucknow and Delhi. Ut was Ahmediya community who took the Language with them to Pakistan ( In Pakistan the dominant Language is Punjabi thats why they Speak Urdu with very Heavy Punjabi Accent ).

[@micahistory]

Interesting video, never thought about it before

[@balpreetsingh6834]

What is that flag in the thumbnail to represent Punjabi? Its not the Khalsa (Sikh Army) flag or the Khalistani (Sikh Homeland) flag.

[@bruhmate5295]

i often see the flag to represent indian punjab - like a defacto flag

[@TripsandFeasts1]

The flag for England wasn’t displayed either.

[@brancaleone8895]

2:36 Death With Hilbert

[@jamesmccallum8641]

There appears to be an audio glitch around 2:46

[@Emanon...]

Two: Money and Power

[@MuZeSiCk77]

"Cue THE music" I love it!!

[@alansmithee8831]

Hello Hilbert. At university, Alok Sharma asked me if the radio would pick up BBC World Service up north. He explained that he listened to it in India as a child, so he had learned "BBC English". You might note that Rishi soon moved him on from the cabinet when he became PM. Despite being a northerner, I had family who moved to Hastings in Sussex, where I visited as a child and got an interest in history. I know from this that Southampton is in Hampshire.

[@BarrySuridge]

I think Australia had the best PM (re language) in that Kevin Rudd could fluently speak, read and write Mandarin.

[@Lilygirl283]

And he could speak bullshit too😂

[@ajzmn3538]

He is also fluent in snake and bull edit: 05:02 you have provoked a gang war

[@tonythesopranos5310]

Bloke only speaks pure bollocks

[@edwardhubbard5425]

His father was born in present day, Kenya, his mother in present day Tanzania. I’ve never before heard Uganda mentioned in connection with the family.

[@rogink]

Probably confused with other ministers like Priti Patel?

[@jbk19xx57]

This is VERY interesting, I ALWAYS thought that Hindi and Urdu are DIFFERENT languages but they’re the same, just written DIFFERENTLY. This kinda reminds me of Serbian and Croatian, apparently they’re ALSO the SAME language except Serbian is written in Cyrillic and Croatian is written in Roman alphabet.

[@frmcf]

I have never heard the word 'diaspora' pronounced like that before, Hilbert. You are a learned man and something of a linguist, so I'd be surprised if you were just wrong. Where does this pronunciation come from? (As opposed to /daɪˈæspərə/, which would be more familiar to me.)

[@karlhans8304]

It sounds like a really "original" way to pronounce it aka in a greek-latin way

[@jinjunliu2401]

He might have picked this up by hearing it from a Dutch context first. As this is how a Dutchman could anglicize the word "diaspora"

[@timoresetermite625]

Thanks for the f1 outro

[@JediSimpson]

0:53 - Southampton is in Hampshire, not Sussex. 2:00 - His parents were both from East Africa. His father was from Kenya, his mum, modern-day Tanzania.

[@thebestevertherewas]

Ancestry from punjab. Some indians worked in British colonies as labour and officers.

[@emmanuelgoldspleen2905]

You think his parents were African? Of course not, they were Indians who lived and worked in Africa, just as so many others were.

[@JediSimpson]

@@emmanuelgoldspleen2905- No. I didn’t say they were African. I said they were from East Africa, because that’s where they were born and raised. Hilbert said his parents were from Punjab, but they weren’t; their parents were. Rishi is from England. That’s not the same as saying ‘Rishi is ethnically English’. His parents and he are Punjabi, but not from Punjab.

[@faithlesshound5621]

While Sunak's parents may have origins in India, they were actually born in Kenya and Tanganyika, so it's likely that they also knew Swahili, but may not have felt the need to speak it in England. Sunak himself went to Stroud (prep) school and Winchester College and it's unlikely that he did GCSEs in Punjabi and/or Hindi there. It's far more likely that he studied modern European languages, probably French and/or German, like most English schoolboys. With Winchester's reputation as an academic hothouse it's also likely that he studied Latin and possibly Ancient Greek. It's clear that he was a clever student (he has a first class degree from Oxford), so in keeping with British and especially Conservative tradition he has to downplay his academic success. We don't even know what A Levels he took.

[@manveersingh5780]

Would be interesting to know how he feels about his Punjabi heritage considering the political shenanigans by the Indian state over the past 40 odd years! Crazy stuff

[@user-so7ke9ex5g]

Dear @historywithhilbert146, I'd like to offer a correction/clarification at 2:09 . Punjab is pronounced in India as // puhn·jaab// (that is, 'u' sounds as 'a'). Also, in India, we have no 'Provinces'. Rather, there are States (28) and Union Territories (8).

[@faithlesshound5621]

However, when Sunak's grandparents lived in India it did have provinces.

[@user-so7ke9ex5g]

@@faithlesshound5621 That's right. But at 2:07, the present tense is used to refer to 'provinces'. That might be anachronistic and hence nomenclaturally misleading.

[@MasonBryant]

You forgot parcel tongue

[@johnnyjazzman]

“Nick Clegg was deputy prime minister when I was a child…” says History with Hilbert. This was only nine years ago!

[@roka3960]

The main thing is that he speaks Ukrainian 👌

[@MasonBryant]

How'd you mean?

[@Boric78]

He speaks one - Gimp

[@avremke24]

I’m not fond of the flag used for English. English comes from England, so I don’t know what the US flag is so prominent.

[@emmanuelgoldspleen2905]

Like when the Brazilian flag is used to denote ‘Portuguese’. 😬🙈🙊🙉 TRIGGERED!

[@cerebrummaximus3762]

I bet you get triggered when people use the Argentina flag for Spanish, San Marino for Italian, Moldova for Romanian, N.Macedonia for Bulgarian, or Montenegro for Serbian.

[@redflame21]

10/10 Ending 😂😂

[@MrBrianyoruk]

H E T W I L H E L M U S

[@johnfenn3188]

Southampton is in Hampshire, not Sussex. Different dialect, actually! South Saxon v West Saxon.

[@meowenstein]

Now, if he could just speak the language of the common man...

[@WerewolfViking]

Southampton is in Hampshire, not Sussex. You also misplaced Southampton on the map. 1:00

[@nickvickers3486]

He speaks hedge fundese, posh tory and utter bollocks!

[@sohopedeco]

Will you ever makeba video explaining your own ancestry, Hilbert? Why do you look so swarthy and Latino despite being Dutch?

[@rogink]

He's a Geordie. Nuff said.

[@belstar1128]

he just tans or maybe he had an Italian ancestor at some point they are everywhere .

[@sohopedeco]

@@rogink is it true though? I didn't know the Northern English were so swarthy. I had to google what Geordie meant.

[@sohopedeco]

@@belstar1128 It's probably something like that, but I'm still curious.

[@rogink]

@@sohopedeco Hilbert doesn't often appear in his videos in person, but I'd say he looks about as pale skinned as most people from Northeast England.

[@amistry605]

I've never heard him speak before. I thought he would've sounded like Apu.

[@simongrushka983]

seperating hindustani into two but grouping all arabic together is a weird way. arabic languages differ way more than hindi vs urdu

[@whocares264]

He is fluent in lying

[@user-yh1nm1vy3i]

How many languages do *you* speak, history with hilbert?

[@heinrichbuitendach]

Ten minste twee

[@ComradeDukakis]

Too many

[@Jamal-Ahmed786]

Hindi was obvious.

[@mildlydispleased3221]

He definitley speaks bollocks.

[@noahbrock349]

A curious subject for a video. By the way, Southampton is in Hampshire, if that matters.

[@rogink]

And the point on the map looked like Gosport :)

[@rodjones117]

Of course it matters - if he even gets that wrong, what else is wrong in this video?

[@noahbrock349]

@@rodjones117 I'm just trying to be polite, but I see what you mean.

[@tzufbb]

it is pronounced Panjab

[@watch-Dominion-2018]

the only one that matters is English

[@simongrushka983]

great, he can bullshit us in so many languages!

[@Jobe-13]

Multi-lingual diplomats or world leaders are amazing. It’s an invaluable attribute to have in geopolitics.

[@MasonBryant]

And yet what's he achieved other than betrayal?

[@vorynrosethorn903]

Possibly not in his case.

[@_robustus_]

I’m still waiting for someone to tell me why he is such a bellend.

[@weonanegesiscipelibba2973]

> higher dislike to like ratio than normal oh come on guys this video is about languages, it's even in the title, so keep politics out of how you view the video

[@MasonBryant]

How can you say keep politics out of the video when it's about a very decisive politician? It's to be expected

[@xolang]

those of you wondering about the difference between Hindi & Urdu, here's an excellent video with subtitles explaining it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnibgaBphsuVaZo

[@AlbertWettin]

We used to rule India now an Indian leads the government... My friend that's bad karma.

[@ZarlanTheGreen]

Whilst he clearly learned English, as a First/Native Language, it is obviously *_NOT_* his mother tongue, as it isn't the language of either of his parents! Mother tongue is *_NOT_* the same as First language! Your mother tongue is the language(s) of either of your parents, regardless of whether you even know it. A First/Native Language, is one you _absorb_ in early childhood, regardless of whether it is the tongue of your parents (or they even know it, at all) or the country you are in. A Second Language is one you _learn_ (through active study), after early childhood.

[@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek]

He didn't say mother , he said native

[@ZarlanTheGreen]

@@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek He did say mother. At 1:55 "So number one: English, his *_mother_* language." (emphasis mine)

[@MimiYouyu]

Yes, i blame the parents, ill conceived idea of whats most important for your children.

[@rogink]

Kid learns the Queen's English. Kid grows up to become Chancellor, then Prime Minister. And you?

[@Bruh-cg2fk]

none lol

[@harlowida]

Majority of Punjabi’s live in Pakistan. He has no connection to India

[@user-pv5vt5bz3b]

punjabi existed before sikhism why are you showing sikh logo with punjabi most punjabi speakers are in pakistan and muslims

[@derrickstorm6976]

What exactly made you think this is something people are interested in?

[@christopherellis2663]

Rather Posh 😅 Pãjábí It's a bit rich to say that Chinese is a single language, and the varieties of Arabic can be quite different

[@luisluis5306]

2:26 You have no proof he speaks Punjabi. Most Hindu Punjabis speak Hindi.

[@nathanscarlett4772]

I love most of your content, but this one, no one gives a shit about. They are all worms unless for the people.

[@user-hh2is9kg9j]

He speaks weasel.

[@magma9000]

He's from Pakistan Punjab

[@McShave]

He's from Hampshire m8

[@magma9000]

@@McShave he from yours mom Virginia

[@OsamasStory]

🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@cameroonemperor755]

Why

[@OsamasStory]

@@cameroonemperor755 Why not?

[@MasonBryant]

​@@cameroonemperor755You from the UK? If not you may not understand

[@cameroonemperor755]

@@MasonBryant is it sum sum about migration bad this or that or migration good idk

[@cameroonemperor755]

@@OsamasStory are u trying to say something why comes from Im confused

[@richardjames3022]

One language he does not speak is, he does NOT speak for me

[@embersofthewest893]

When will the native British people understand what's happening in Britain. :(

[@user-hh2is9kg9j]

That Hindu nationalists and Israeli elites are ruling the government?

[@Vornez]

Oh sod off with this great replacement theory bollocks

[@kapikoyli]

Who gives a F...

[@zeljkothegreekserb]

The language of hypocrisy - supporting Ukraine's UN borders and territorial integrity, while violating the borders of Serbia, a fellow European UN member whose borders are recognized by the UN resolution 1244 for which the UK itself voted in favour of in 1999.

[@rickyspanish4792]

I really don't care.

[@rawiri8]

Why would I even care? Please go back to more historiography

[@fdumbass]

Not to downplay the difficulty of learning a language, but 3 (arguably 2) languages isn't exactly impressive for a politician. Pretty sure 3 languages is the starting point for most Europeans honestly.