Tour of Britain, etc. commentary

suffolk rider

I have enjoyed watching some of the Grand Tours this summer, especially the Tour de France, and now the Tour of Britain. The commentary has been generally good as far as the cycling is concerned. But is it really asking too much - now that foreigners are no longer seen as some sort of oddity - that the commentators could spend a little time in learning how to pronounce their names properly? Some of the renditions of names like Nibali ("Nibberly"), Knees, Bialoblocki, etc. are frankly pathetic

Cleat Eastwood

Mmm not really - people can pronounce names as they wish and unless you're a native speaker you will almost always get the syllabic accents wrong. There is an italian commentator who pronounces a riders name Cameron My-air. People are people and as such have an in built ability not to please everyone at all times - I love that difference, give it a go, lifes better if you don't get het up about thongs (not a misspelling by the way).

suffolk rider

you're entitled to your opinion

Cleat Eastwood

suffolk rider wrote:

you're entitled to your opinion

Gee, thanks.

skinnypunter

I know what you mean, but one of the joys of listening to Sherwin & Liggett is their wilful mis-pronunciation. I'm sure it's a game - there was one stage this year where, irrespective of Liggett's pronunciation of Nibali (including a glorious "Nibberrrrrrrrly"), Sherwin would proffer a subtly different version which Liggett would then fail to copy, as he invented another one.

I don't think it's casual racism, and it would be nice for them to get it right, but like Cleat says, each to their own?

That said, if the Beeb covered the cycling, they'd surely get the pronunciation dept involved.

Velonutter

Agree with Cleat, so what? :roll:

More important things in life to worry about that just pronunciation! :shock:

jordan_217

For most ITV cycling coverage, getting the correct name would be a good start, never mind the pronunciation.

I tune in to watch the race and the riders themselves so I'm not too fussed on the commentary. (I also love the scenery too!)

option_click

I'm not too bothered about the pronunciation either.

I generally enjoy most of the commentating teams (although I do find Sean Kelly fairly hard work), however the exception being the commentator on ITV4 for the Vuelta - abysmal.

capt_slog

Velonutter wrote:

Agree with Cleat, so what? :roll:

More important things in life to worry about that just pronunciation! :shock:

Yup, I'm sure there are, and there are probably forums where they are discussed, luckily this isn't one of them.



But anyway, I didn't notice the commentary as much as the amount of pre-race and after-race talk. The programs were short enough as it was after we'd had the adverts, they could have done with more race and less gas.

Frank the tank

Hugh Porter can't pronounce the names of the teams,never mind the riders.

Bunneh

Liked it, and didn't care about name pronunciation it's irrelevant to me. At least it wasn't littered with 'here's a 12th century church, built by drunk monks' which is my pet hate about Le Tour presentation.

mouth

suffolk rider wrote:

I have enjoyed watching some of the Grand Tours this summer, especially the Tour de France, and now the Tour of Britain. The commentary has been generally good as far as the cycling is concerned. But is it really asking too much - now that foreigners are no longer seen as some sort of oddity - that the commentators could spend a little time in learning how to pronounce their names properly? Some of the renditions of names like Nibali ("Nibberly"), Knees, Bialoblocki, etc. are frankly pathetic

Listen with the sound off? Or write to Ann Robinson at Points of View?

Frankly my dear I don't give a damn.

rolf_f

I'm sure they are doing it deliberately. I mean, they've got to the point with the orange Basque team that they are bunging in all five vowels before the first consonant

Aeeiioouuuskaltel Aeeiioooouuskadi....

ju5t1n

Rob Hayles trying to pronounce foreign names is very entertaining

skinnypunter

ju5t1n wrote:

Rob Hayles trying to pronounce foreign names is very entertaining

Rob Hayles trying to pronounce "Rob Hayles" is very entertaining, too.

Bobbinogs

I think one of the best things about the ToB is that Rob Hayles seems to have rediscovered his zip. I have been quite disparaging about his very hum drum performances on The Cycle Show but I think he has been excellent on the ToB...like a little kid excited about the day's racing. Brilliant, me too. Don't give a fig about whether Knees is pronounced Ker-Nees or Nees, more bothered about filling the void between the World Championships and the Tour Down under...

OffTheBackAdam

Bunneh wrote:

At least it wasn't littered with 'here's a 12th century church, built by drunk monks' which is my pet hate about Le Tour presentation.

And I like that part of Eurosport's coverage. When there's sfa going on, racing-wise.