Forum home› Road cycling forum› The bottom bracket

How do you pronounce Cinelli?

chriskemptonchriskempton Posts: 1,245
edited May 2010 in The bottom bracket
I've always said shin-elli, but having recently been to Italy and grappling with the lingo a bit, I reckon it probably should be chin-elli. Some people say sin-elli, but I've never heard kin-elli.

Anyone know?
«1

Posts

  • finchyfinchy Posts: 6,686
    Ch
  • freehubfreehub Posts: 4,257
    I always say sinelli.
  • SplottboySplottboy Posts: 3,695
    I'll ask Joe Dolce, ( Dol - ch - aye.)

    He'll probably tell me to "Saddup'a you face!"
  • ProssPross Posts: 31,643
    It's pronounced chinelli. A c in Italian gets pronounced as a hard k sound if it precedes an h e.g. Claudio Chiapucci.

    See here for a better explanation http://www.ilovelanguages.com/Italian/lesson2.html
  • chriskemptonchriskempton Posts: 1,245
    Pross wrote:
    It's pronounced chinelli. A c in Italian gets pronounced as a hard k sound if it precedes an h e.g. Claudio Chiapucci.

    See here for a better explanation http://www.ilovelanguages.com/Italian/lesson2.html

    Thanks Pross I think you have it, but sometimes a 'c' without an 'h' can be a hard sound can't it. e.g. cucina (kitchen) is pronounced koo-cheena ?
  • ProssPross Posts: 31,643
    Yep.
    The Italian c has 2 possible sounds. It can sound like the ch in chip, or like the k in kite. Unlike English, there are very strict rules about when the Italian c sounds like a ch or a k. If the c precedes (comes before) an e or an i, the c will have a ch sound. For example, undici. If the group ci precedes an a, o or u, it is also pronounced as ch AND the i is mute : ciao sounds as English chao. If the c precedes any other letter (a, o, u, or a consonant, although the latter is very rare), then it will have a k sound, as in comodo. If the group ch precedes an i, or an e, it is pronounced as k : chi sounds as English kee. The word cucina has both types of c in it - the first c makes the k sound, and the second c makes the ch sound.

    That said I've always called it Sinelli :oops:
  • disgruntledgoatdisgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    I've always said Chinelli... Proving I am considerably more Euro Cyclist than Yow! :lol:
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • LimburgerLimburger Posts: 346
    Chin-elli, Chip-olini etc
    God made the Earth. The Dutch made The Netherlands

    FCN 11/12 - Ocasional beardy
  • kurakokurako Posts: 1,098
    Italian pronounciation is pretty simple if you remember the rules:

    c is a hard sound if it's followed by a, o or u and a soft sound if it is followed be e or i. (cucina is a good example since it has one example of each).

    the h is required to indicate a hard sound with e or i ( bianchi for instance ).
    Univega 700
    Univega Via Strato
  • will3will3 Posts: 2,173
    Pross wrote:
    It's pronounced chinelli. A c in Italian gets pronounced as a hard k sound if it precedes an h e.g. Claudio Chiapucci.

    See here for a better explanation http://www.ilovelanguages.com/Italian/lesson2.html

    so that's Chlaudio Kiapucci then?
  • owenlarsowenlars Posts: 719
    How do you pronounce Claudio then? :wink:
  • SplottboySplottboy Posts: 3,695
    Chips...and fish...

    Cheeeeps and Feeeeeshh, no?
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    Kurako wrote:
    Italian pronounciation is pretty simple if you remember the rules:

    c is a hard sound if it's followed by a, o or u and a soft sound if it is followed be e or i. (cucina is a good example since it has one example of each).

    the h is required to indicate a hard sound with e or i ( bianchi for instance ).

    so there seem to be 3 possibilities, k, ch or s. . .

    By hard sound you mean K
    By soft sound you mean s or do you mean ch?

    so is cucina = koo china or koo sina?
  • kurakokurako Posts: 1,098
    will3 wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    It's pronounced chinelli. A c in Italian gets pronounced as a hard k sound if it precedes an h e.g. Claudio Chiapucci.

    See here for a better explanation http://www.ilovelanguages.com/Italian/lesson2.html

    so that's Chlaudio Kiapucci then?

    Yep. The the 'Ch' is a 'K' sound. The 'cci' is also soft but a bit of a longer sound. The 'ia' tends to run together so it sound more like just 'a'. A bit like 'Kaput' with a 'chee' sound at the end.
    Univega 700
    Univega Via Strato
  • kurakokurako Posts: 1,098
    alfablue wrote:
    Kurako wrote:
    Italian pronounciation is pretty simple if you remember the rules:

    c is a hard sound if it's followed by a, o or u and a soft sound if it is followed be e or i. (cucina is a good example since it has one example of each).

    the h is required to indicate a hard sound with e or i ( bianchi for instance ).

    so there seem to be 3 possibilities, k, ch or s. . .

    By hard sound you mean K
    By soft sound you mean s or do you mean ch?

    so is cucina = koo china or koo sina?

    Its never 's' in Italian. If they want an s sound they write an 's'.

    Oh! and there's only 21 letters in the alphabet :wink:
    Univega 700
    Univega Via Strato
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    Kurako wrote:
    alfablue wrote:
    Kurako wrote:
    Italian pronounciation is pretty simple if you remember the rules:

    c is a hard sound if it's followed by a, o or u and a soft sound if it is followed be e or i. (cucina is a good example since it has one example of each).

    the h is required to indicate a hard sound with e or i ( bianchi for instance ).

    so there seem to be 3 possibilities, k, ch or s. . .

    By hard sound you mean K
    By soft sound you mean s or do you mean ch?

    so is cucina = koo china or koo sina?

    Its never 's' in Italian. If they want an s sound they write an 's'.

    Oh! and there's only 21 letters in the alphabet :wink:
    great, thanks :) I can tackle it all now (been wondering about the local Italian restaurant - "Cibo" so its "Chibo" :) )
  • CorianderCoriander Posts: 1,326
    Where you split the syllables also matters - it's /chi-nelli/, not /chin-elli/.


    Just in case people are confused it's essentially the opposite in Italian to English

    Italian 'ci' = English 'chi' as in 'che-ese'
    Italian 'chi' = English 'ki' as in 'key'
  • SplottboySplottboy Posts: 3,695
    Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerych-wyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

    Just up the road from me, in Anglesey, Ynys Mon, Mon Mam Cymru...
    ( Why the hell does the island have 3 names?)

    Ok, your turn, boyo!
  • guillianoguilliano Posts: 5,495
    According to the importer it's Chinelli
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilliano/
  • ilm_zero7ilm_zero7 Posts: 2,213
    Splottboy wrote:
    Chips...and fish...

    Cheeeeps and Feeeeeshh, no?

    actually that is exactly how it is said in my local chippy staffed by Chinesse - except it is normally Cheeeeeep - singular!
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
    Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR2
  • hopper1hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Sinelli :wink:
    Rightly, or wrongly, it's Sinelli for me.
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • domhnall_deargdomhnall_dearg Posts: 401
    hopper1 wrote:
    Sinelli :wink:
    Rightly, or wrongly, it's Sinelli for me.
    That would be wrongly then :wink:
    Who you gonna believe? Me or your own eyes?
  • hopper1hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Domhnall Dearg wrote:
    hopper1 wrote:
    Sinelli :wink:
    Rightly, or wrongly, it's Sinelli for me.
    That would be wrongly then :wink:

    It's my bike, and I'll call it what I like! :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • skyd0gskyd0g Posts: 2,540
    hopper1 wrote:
    Domhnall Dearg wrote:
    hopper1 wrote:
    Sinelli :wink:
    Rightly, or wrongly, it's Sinelli for me.
    That would be wrongly then :wink:

    It's my bike, and I'll call it what I like! :wink:

    Overpriced and Italian then? :wink:



    *runs for cover*
    Cycling weakly
  • cycologistcycologist Posts: 721
    Now we've learnt to say Cinelli , boys and girls, we will now move on to "Campagnolo" .
    Two wheels good,four wheels bad
  • mercsportmercsport Posts: 664
    edited May 2010
    cycologist wrote:
    Now we've learnt to say Cinelli , boys and girls, we will now move on to "Campagnolo" .

    "Kampan-yolo" .. is somewhere about what it ought to be.

    But back to the Cinelli business : Although I skimmed most of the answers to this one, I didn't pick up on anyone stressing the 'i' to be pronounced 'eee'. So seemingly the consensus on here is : 'Chin-elli'. Wrong! Try this: 'Chee-nell-ee'. Right

    OK, say it quicky enough it sounds-to our ears- like 'Chin-elli' and isn't so readily apparent, but like 'Grazie', the Italians would say and think 'Grahtz-ee-er' and Chee-nell-ee'.

    Italians though, are an accommodating lot and large enough to let our anglicised fumblings pass without comment.
    "Lick My Decals Off, Baby"
  • hopper1hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    cycologist wrote:
    Now we've learnt to say Cinelli , boys and girls, we will now move on to "Campagnolo" .

    Easy...

    Sampy, innit! :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • bill57bill57 Posts: 454
    Don't forget La Cicciolina............... :wink:
  • SteppenHerringSteppenHerring Posts: 720
    What about Cicero then? Sisero, Chikero or Kikero?

    And I could never forget La Cicciolina.
  • mercsportmercsport Posts: 664
    SteppenHerring wrote:
    What about Cicero then? Sisero, Chikero or Kikero?

    And I could never forget La Cicciolina.

    Remember, 'i' is pronounced 'ee' : 'Chee-che-r'oh' and 'Lah Chee-chee-oh-lee-na'

    Yikes! !!

    1145016054_extras_fotos_gente_1.jpg
    "Lick My Decals Off, Baby"
Sign In or Register to comment.