English Commentators

[TheLastOne36]

Everyone knows that English Commentators can't pronounce names from other languages, but from time to time, there's that really funny one! Post your Favorite!

My favorite is the Wisla Krakow - Tottenham game, where the English Commentator pronounced Zienczuk's (pronounced Zienchuk) name as "Zinc-Zak" He was saying ZincZak the whole game! Friggen Hilarious!

English Commentators can't say Polish names for some reason. >.>

 

[Oruc]

Nope!

 

[TheLastOne36]

So all of Europe except for England are Asiatic Barbarians?

 

[holy king]

my mother toungue is german and i'd have a hard time figuring out how to pronounce "zienczuk". how in the world could an englishman manage to?

 

[TheLastOne36]

well zien is simple and all you need to know in polish is cz = ch and sz = sh then everything else is simple.

I don't mind it when they say the Ł as an L as it doesn't sound that off. (Eg: B[ł/w]aszczikowski, and Blaszczikowski) Also W is pronounced V but it doesn't sound that far off either. (eg. "kowski" and "kovski"

Also your right, it isn't just english commentators, but other then your own language, it is the language you most often hear, which is why i said English. If you have some from other language commentators feel free to post them.

Also i think the most commonly mispronounced name is Cech's. It's pronounced "Tseh" not "check".

 

[dutchfire]

To be honest, I think most English commentators usually do quite a decent job on the names. I was very impressed when an English tennis commentator managed to pronounce 's-Hertogenbosch in one go.

 

[BirraImperial]

Well, I always have a good laugh when our commentators try to pronounce names such as "Schweinsteiger" or "Hitzlsperger".

 

[TheLastOne36]

^You mean spanish commentators?

Still Zinc-Zak wins.

 

[classical_hero]

So all of Europe except for England are Asiatic Barbarians?

No just Polish and the like.

 

[Arwon]

Well, I always have a good laugh when our commentators try to pronounce names such as "Schweinsteiger" or "Hitzlsperger".

Aside from Spain winning the thing, that was the highlight of Euro 2008 for me. The poor hispanophones don't have dozens of vowels or really complicated consonant clusters. ):

 

[TheLastOne36]

No just Polish and the like.

So why do your commentators mispronounce everyone's names?

 

[holy king]

hey, most of them have finally figured out how to pronounce dirk kuyt. they're trying...

 

[Arwon]

So why do your commentators mispronounce everyone's names?

I bet yours do too

 

[TheLastOne36]

I bet yours do too

Occaisionally yes, but usually a very hard German name, (and by hard, i mean hard, not the kind that spanish can't pronounce) and sometimes Turkish names. But Polish Commentators do better then English Commentators in terms of pronouncating.

 

[dido]

well zien is simple and all you need to know in polish is cz = ch and sz = sh then everything else is simple.

I don't mind it when they say the Ł as an L as it doesn't sound that off. (Eg: B[ł/w]aszczikowski, and Blaszczikowski) Also W is pronounced V but it doesn't sound that far off either. (eg. "kowski" and "kovski"

Also your right, it isn't just english commentators, but other then your own language, it is the language you most often hear, which is why i said English. If you have some from other language commentators feel free to post them.

Also i think the most commonly mispronounced name is Cech's. It's pronounced "Tseh" not "check".

just wondering
do they say Tseck Republic or Check Republic?

 

[holy king]

i guess they say Česká republika

 

[TheLastOne36]

just wondering
do they say Tseck Republic or Check Republic?

Well in Polish cz = ch, so we prounounce check republic. Also if it was spelt 'check' then it would be 'heck' because in Polish Ch = h.

Besides in Polish it is "Republika Czeska"

 

[dutchfire]

I did notice they have major problems with the dutch ui, like in Kuijt or Zuiverloon. They pronounce it like oi.

 

[warpus]

I've been fairly impressed with English commentators pronouncing players' last names - if the player is good/well known enough, they'll usually get it right.. or close enough.

If it's some guy who plays in some random league, who isn't really known on the world stage, I wouldn't expect them to pronounce it right... but if they get someone wrong who they shouldn't get wrong (ie. krzynowek, zurawski), well.. then there's gonna be trouble.

 

[warpus]

I did notice they have major problems with the dutch ui, like in Kuijt or Zuiverloon. They pronounce it like oi.

What's the proper way to pronounce Kuyt? and hwy did you spell it the way you did?

Some announcers are prouncing it kawwwt, which I'm assuming is the proper way to pronounce it.. Kayt just doesn't sound dutch - and most announcers will pronounce his name like that.