Mark Williams-Thomas suggests Madeleine woke, wandered and was abducted.

[Vertigo Swirl]

That question has already been answered.

Perhaps you should take your own advice, and go to your doc to get your memory checked.

There is nothing wrong with my memory.  The last time the question was asked the answer you gave was that pre-1990s there were 8 years of mandatory English lessons in Portuguese state schools.  OK, what is the mandatory number of years of English lessons since the 1990s in Portugal?  Is it the same or more?  When in the history of the Portuguese education system were English lessons not mandatory, or mandatory for fewer years than 8?  Over to you, the expert. 

[Holly Goodhead]

Yes.  Mandatory 8 years minimum.

Bonjour

Same as me with French and I can barley string a basic sentence together.

Au revoir

 

[Holly Goodhead]

Quite the opposite.  English is based on Norman French which was largely spoken in England.  A lot of the words that you use are French, but one doesn't see this until one has been here for some time.

Such an elegant language it is.  Elegante is a French word.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k9urPHwg3k0

[ShiningInLuz]

Bonjour

Same as me with French and I can barley string a basic sentence together.

Au revoir

Therein lies the rub.  Simply because English is taught for 8 years does not mean each child learns it or uses it thereafter.

So while my family's experience is that the officers we have met all spoke good English, it does not follow that all such officers spoke good English.  From memory, the sergeant in charge of GNR Lagos stated that he did not speak to the McCanns because his English was insufficient.

It's a critical point in understanding what went on when Madeleine disappeared.

[Holly Goodhead]

Therein lies the rub.  Simply because English is taught for 8 years does not mean each child learns it or uses it thereafter.

So while my family's experience is that the officers we have met all spoke good English, it does not follow that all such officers spoke good English.  From memory, the sergeant in charge of GNR Lagos stated that he did not speak to the McCanns because his English was insufficient.

It's a critical point in understanding what went on when Madeleine disappeared.

I'm just reading a mag 'How the brain works' and as you might imagine there's much evidence of time critical periods to master language.  I can't find the page now but it was pre-school.  It makes the point it's not impossible to catch up but much easier to learn earlier.  I know lots of couples who originate from different countries and their children are bilingual from an early age. 

I believe RM's father was Portuguese and his mother English hence he was bilingual. 

[G-Unit]

I'm just reading a mag 'How the brain works' and as you might imagine there's much evidence of time critical periods to master language.  I can't find the page now but it was pre-school.  It makes the point it's not impossible to catch up but much easier to learn earlier.  I know lots of couples who originate from different countries and their children are bilingual from an early age. 

I believe RM's father was Portuguese and his mother English hence he was bilingual.

RM's mother was also proficient in Portuguese. No interpreter was used in her interview.

[Eleanor]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k9urPHwg3k0

Que?

[Holly Goodhead]

Tasmin Silence volunteered to make a statement. It also says 'when asked', so those words in a statement are not a sign that the PJ instigated the interview.

It also states:

"Comes to the process as a witness. Understands the Portuguese Language, as she has been living in Portugal since the age of two months (approximately eleven years ago). Still, an interpreter is present [name withheld].

It also states despite the fact TS understood the Portuguese language an interpreter was still present.

I can't speak for Portugal (but surprised if different from UK) but in UK wit stats are considered extremely important docs that are often later relied upon in court etc.  If those giving and recording statements/interviews are not capable of communicating the same language at the same level it would make a mockery of the process.  Lawyers would have a field day and simply argue away that he/she was misunderstood etc, etc.

Also there's being able to speak a language, understand and write.  Consider our own system of GCSE/A Level/Degree.  I doubt anyone employed by police to act as an interpreter would meet the criteria below degree level. 

In this case all the wit stats I've read make reference to an interpreter being present.  None of them refer to police officers on the basis they were competent in English.

[Vertigo Swirl]

Bonjour

Same as me with French and I can barley string a basic sentence together.

Au revoir

In English or French!

[Holly Goodhead]

In English or French!

Both!

[Nicholas]

MWT involves himself in high profile cases eg MM and the murder of Jill Dando but I can't see why anyone would consider his opinions anymore valid than anyone who posts here?  These cases have one off features about them and therefore I don't see how MWT being a police officer many moons ago for about 12 years makes him an authority?  The same can be said for David James Smith who doesn't even have the police experience to draw upon. 

I think 'This Morning/Lorraine' might be better off having the likes of you and I 

David James Smith was a CCRC commissioner Holly

And appears good at what he does

It's a very interesting and informative article by David James Smith, reproduced on the Icke Forum. Here is a link to the original story in the Sunday Times;
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/its-official-there-was-no-child-abuse-in-jersey-5xcb0j2xd7b\

[Eleanor]

David James Smith was a CCRC commissioner Holly

And appears good at what he does

That article is a very good find, Nicholas.

[Nicholas]

That article is a very good find, Nicholas.

G-Unit posted it http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=1620.msg586500#msg586500

[Mr Gray]

The article has been seen here before....not sure if its entirely accurate but does contain this...

The dog was brought in. The cadaver dog that alerts to human remains, the same dog that nearly did for Kate and Gerry McCann after it alerted at the boot of their car. Unlike the Portuguese police, apparently, Harper's team understood that the dog's alerts were not evidence of a crime being committed, merely an indicator of something to be explored. I have heard that Harper's replacements have spoken cynically about the dog, implying that its handler, Martin Grime, fixes the dog's demonstrations by priming it in advance with his own scent.

[Eleanor]

G-Unit posted it http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=1620.msg586500#msg586500

Yes, I know.  But a repeat didn't go amiss.