leeo-pard!

neeb
neeb Posts: 4,473
edited March 2011 in Pro race
Noticed that the Versus commentator in the T of Oman did actually pronounce leopard trek as "leeo-pard", as farcically demanded by the team's PR department. Is this going to stick? Surely not?!?
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Comments

  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,600
    i liked david harons comments from qatar along the lines of "we've been told its pronounce lay o pard, but we won't be doing that nonsense"
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    On the other hand, had the commentator pronounced Klemme's name wrong then there would be people on the internet saying how rubbish the commentators are, why can't they get it right, blah,blah, blah. They can't win.


    Klem or Klem-ay? Probably the latter. I don't know.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    RichN95 wrote:
    Klem or Klem-ay? Probably the latter. I don't know.

    If he's German it would be 'Klem-ay', just as when Leopard is French or German or Luxemburgish it would be 'Lay-opard'; in fact, it would be 'Lay-opard' in Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and probably all other languages apart from English. 'Ay-Gee-Two-Are' or 'Ah-Jay-Duhs-Air'
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,473
    just as when Leopard is French or German or Luxemburgish it would be 'Lay-opard'; in fact, it would be 'Lay-opard' in Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and probably all other languages apart from English.
    Oh OK, I didn't know that. In that case I suppose it's not so unreasonable for them to ask English speakers to pronounce it properly.

    On the other hand, BMC don't insist on us calling them Bay Em Say instead of Bee Em See...
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    neeb wrote:
    Noticed that the Versus commentator in the T of Oman did actually pronounce leopard trek as "leeo-pard", as farcically demanded by the team's PR department. Is this going to stick? Surely not?!?

    Why shouldn't it? They are from Luxembourg, that's how it's pronounced.
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,473
    Why shouldn't it? They are from Luxembourg, that's how it's pronounced.
    A bit of a grey area surely? The word leopard is spelled the same and means the same in English, so it's not unreasonable for it to be pronounced in English when speaking in English.

    Actually BMC (Bee Em See or Bay Em Say) and other acronymn-named teams are the only other examples I can immediately think of where the name means the same in English but has a different pronunciation. Obviously there is only one correct way to pronounce Vacansoliel or Euskaltel-Euskadi in any language...
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    neeb wrote:
    Obviously there is only one correct way to pronounce Vacansoliel or Euskaltel-Euskadi in any language...

    I can imagine people around the UK pronouncing both of those team names in a different way than was intended :wink:
  • Gingerflash
    Gingerflash Posts: 239
    If it's Bee-an-key, Cam-pan-yolo and Vak-an-so-lay then it's Lay-O-Pard.

    As an aside, I wonder how the French pronouce Sky? Ski, as it would be if French or do they use our pronunciation?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Gingerflash wrote:
    As an aside, I wonder how the French pronouce Sky? Ski, as it would be if French or do they use our pronunciation?

    I wonder what they do with Kennaugh. Even the Brits don't seem to know for sure.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    Canon-dar-lee? ;)

    I know that the French call Doug, Dooooog
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Gingerflash wrote:
    If it's Bee-an-key, Cam-pan-yolo and Vak-an-so-lay then it's Lay-O-Pard.

    As an aside, I wonder how the French pronouce Sky? Ski, as it would be if French or

    The call Vlaanderen, Flanders and most English presenters seem to call Boonen as it's phonetically spelt rather than "B-oh-nen" where the "oh" is said like Nessa from Gavin & Stacey, so pronounciation is pretty academic anyway.
    _
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    As are all matters that don't involve the big man, eh Rick? ;)
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    As are all matters that don't involve the big man, eh Rick? ;)

    *nods*
    _
  • disquieting_museeuws
    disquieting_museeuws Posts: 601
    On a similar vein, I remember watching some German coverage of the TDF start in the Armstrong / Ullrich years. There was an interview with Armstrong, and the German presenter made a particular point of referring to Ull-Rick when talking to Armstong - but it's Ull-Rish to most German speakers, and was for the rest of the programme.

    I guess it's all context and usage - the bike race goes from Par-ee to Roubaix, but we go to Par-iss when we get on Eurostar.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    RichN95 wrote:
    Gingerflash wrote:
    As an aside, I wonder how the French pronouce Sky? Ski, as it would be if French or do they use our pronunciation?

    I wonder what they do with Kennaugh. Even the Brits don't seem to know for sure.
    Saw some of the Giro di Sardegna coverage on youtube and they got it right (as far as I know). They didn't know much about him so started talking about Cavendish...
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    disquieting_museeuws wrote:
    On a similar vein, I remember watching some German coverage of the TDF start in the Armstrong / Ullrich years. There was an interview with Armstrong, and the German presenter made a particular point of referring to Ull-Rick when talking to Armstong - but it's Ull-Rish to most German speakers, and was for the rest of the programme.

    I guess it's all context and usage - the bike race goes from Par-ee to Roubaix, but we go to Par-iss when we get on Eurostar.

    I refer to it as Par-iss Roubaix.

    I believe Sean Kelly does to.

    Then again, I also talk about the Tour of France (in the rare occasion I don't refer to it at the Tour) and the Tour of Italy (when not refering to it as the Giro)
    _
  • Homer J
    Homer J Posts: 920
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    disquieting_museeuws wrote:
    On a similar vein, I remember watching some German coverage of the TDF start in the Armstrong / Ullrich years. There was an interview with Armstrong, and the German presenter made a particular point of referring to Ull-Rick when talking to Armstong - but it's Ull-Rish to most German speakers, and was for the rest of the programme.


    I guess it's all context and usage - the bike race goes from Par-ee to Roubaix, but we go to Par-iss when we get on Eurostar.

    I refer to it as Par-iss Roubaix.

    I believe Sean Kelly does to.

    Then again, I also talk about the Tour of France (in the rare occasion I don't refer to it at the Tour) and the Tour of Italy (when not refering to it as the Giro)

    Is that See-an Kelly or Shorn-Kelly
  • disquieting_museeuws
    disquieting_museeuws Posts: 601
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    I refer to it as Par-iss Roubaix.

    I believe Sean Kelly does to.

    Then again, I also talk about the Tour of France (in the rare occasion I don't refer to it at the Tour) and the Tour of Italy (when not refering to it as the Giro)

    Sean also refers to the GC as the 'classement' :wink:
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    I refer to it as Par-iss Roubaix.

    Really, that's interesting.

    Paris really shows the nonsense of pronounciation.

    Here's two questions:

    In which city does the Tour de France finish?
    What monument is known as the Hell of the North?

    The same word and, personally, I'd pronounce it in two different ways to answer those questions.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    I especially use the Anglicised version of the name when talking to English people who aren't familar with bike racing, since they're quite self explanitory.

    No-one may know what the Vuelta a Catalunya is, but the Tour of Catalunya is pretty obvious.

    Having said that, when talking to my parents and grandparents, I do a Dutch accent / Dutch pronounciation of races and names, including refering to LBL as "Luik-Bastenaken-Luik" but that's largely because they would have no idea what "Liege Bastogne Liege" would be.

    That and the conversation is in Dutch.
    _
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,718
    Does it really matter?

    I think saying leeeooo-pard is much cooler than saying leppard.
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • attica
    attica Posts: 2,362
    Leaky gas????!!!!1!!
    "Impressive break"

    "Thanks...

    ...I can taste blood"
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    disquieting_museeuws wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    I refer to it as Par-iss Roubaix.

    I believe Sean Kelly does to.

    Then again, I also talk about the Tour of France (in the rare occasion I don't refer to it at the Tour) and the Tour of Italy (when not refering to it as the Giro)

    Sean also refers to the GC as the 'classement' :wink:

    And he says 'bonifications' or should it be buonifications?
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • disquieting_museeuws
    disquieting_museeuws Posts: 601
    Ms Tree wrote:
    disquieting_museeuws wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    I refer to it as Par-iss Roubaix.

    I believe Sean Kelly does to.

    Then again, I also talk about the Tour of France (in the rare occasion I don't refer to it at the Tour) and the Tour of Italy (when not refering to it as the Giro)

    Sean also refers to the GC as the 'classement' :wink:

    And he says 'bonifications' or should it be buonifications?

    Don't forget 'The Belgiums' (not sure what language that springs from though, lol)
  • curium
    curium Posts: 815
    I don't see any harm in using the English pronunciation when the audience is predominantly English.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    RichN95 wrote:
    Gingerflash wrote:
    As an aside, I wonder how the French pronouce Sky? Ski, as it would be if French or do they use our pronunciation?

    I wonder what they do with Kennaugh. Even the Brits don't seem to know for sure.


    The very Manx Kennaugh name (pronounced locally Kenyuck) is often pronounced off Island Kennow or Kennoff.

    A popular Manx christian name is Juan (pronounced locally Jewan) off Island this is likely to be pronounced at first sight as Whan.

    Just imagine if Peter had in fact been Juan Kennaugh, I wonder how many commentators would have made the faux pas of pronouncing it Whan Kennoff??
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Gingerflash
    Gingerflash Posts: 239
    "I refer to it as Par-iss Roubaix.

    I believe Sean Kelly does to. "

    He's hardly the pronunction-master though is he?

    Louise Leon Sand-cheese?

    Caisse De-Pang?
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Aye but when you've won it twice you can call it whatever you like.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Gingerflash wrote:
    "I refer to it as Par-iss Roubaix.

    I believe Sean Kelly does to. "

    He's hardly the pronunction-master though is he?

    Louise Leon Sand-cheese?

    Caisse De-Pang?

    They weren't especially related sentances.

    It was more: I say it this way, and, coincidentally, so does this guy.
    _
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    Gingerflash wrote:

    He's hardly the pronunction-master though is he?

    No, but he if knows anyone in the spelling police, you're screwed. :wink:


    On Kelly, someone on the forum a couple of years ago described his pronunciation of the "FdJ" squad as "Francis, the Jew"
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'

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