Allen Hopkins - Commentating

[measureman]

My grandparents always put the clothes
in warsh.
The veeeehicle in the ga-rarge.
And pallows on the bed.

Lived in Minnesota their whole lives.
Not sure where they got it from.
Their parents emigrated from Europe.


Glad I did not pick up their vernacular.

The Efrem thing does bother me.
It kind of seems derogatory they didn't
make an effort to learn the best players
name, it's not difficult. I don't feel like
that is the case though.

Maybe they picked it up from those sneaky Canadians?

 

[couldnthinkof01]

Maybe they picked it up from those sneaky Canadians?

They did have a french last name.
We are building the wall on the wrong side!

 

[Cornerman]

Many Brits put the r on words that don't actually have it and drop it when it is there- like they say "Heatha" rather than "Heather".

My mom's side of the family is from the NY/NJ area and they all do it too. My brother does such a great imitation of them that it is hard not to laugh just listening to them talk. Once cousin says things like "I saw(r) it, but I couldn't get to it" or "it's against the law(r)"

In linguistics, these languages that drop the /r/ are called "non-rhotic." There are actually a few USA areas aside from eastern / central Massachusetts and the greater New York City area that are non-rhotic. Some areas of Alabama, Georgia and Viriginia are non-rhotic.

Although German is German, the accents of most Germans are typically non-rhotic. Josh Filler's name, for example, is going to be "FEE luh.

What always made me chuckle growing up in Massachusetts is that addition of /r/ in words that really make it more difficult to say like 'sawr' as you brought up:

Drawing - 'DRAW ring' often heard in central and eastern Mass. Something close to 'DROH ring' (can't really write phonetically how it's pronounced) in parts of England.

One of my pals from central Mass says "Mar and Par Shawp" as well as 'gararge' for garage and aurnt (pronounced aren't) for aunt.

 

[8cree]

I liked his commentary as well.

Not too worried about the linguistics and accents. After all, I'm from the island riddled lower coast of South Carolina. We have many different accents just right here. Geechie and gullah, ebonics, southern draw, and just plain ole backwoods slang to name a few.

Plenty of islanders but an "a" with the 'ah' sound on the end of any word ending with the letter R or 'r' sound.

Examples: I have to go to the store-a

The Operating Room=OR turns in to ORa

I hope I explained that well enough to comprehend. It's not that big of a deal, just something to learn.

 

[arnaldo]

"EFRAM" for EFREN

Regarding Efren frequently mispronounced as Efram by more than a few pro players (Hopkins, Sigel, Varner, etc) here IMO is the precise reason (however inexcusable, to some) for it: For many Americans and Canadians -- equally intelligent as you and I -- in that time period (and even now) it was more reflexive to see, hear, and pronounce, the word "Efren" as Ephrem because of the multi-season, hugely popular FBI TV series starring the oddly-named Ephram Zimbalist. In any country, sound-alike prenoms and even surnames are routinely and erroneously conflated even by highly literate folks. Can happen with any language.

The "Efram" thing as mispronounced by certain respected pros -- on mic -- and more importantly in years of casual general conversation between players, had spread contagiously to all levels of players in many regions of the country. I heard it in a number of states where sweators were watching or awaiting some of Efren's matches whether tournament ones or gambling ones. I sometimes felt that it was occasionally a xenophobic, "other-izing" conscious thing, and alternately seemed a cute "moniker-ing", actually diminishing thing to engage in by those on the losing end of a bet. Who knows or cares anymore.

Arnaldo

 

[oldroller]

My nephew came by when he was on leave from the army to play pool in the basement.He announced that he was in the service with a guy who personally new Willie Marconi

 

[Bob Jewett]

My nephew came by when he was on leave from the army to play pool in the basement.He announced that he was in the service with a guy who personally new Willie Marconi

The guy must have been ancient. (Willie in Italian is Guglielmo, more or less)



Bob <-- wishes I had invented radio

 

[straightline]

The Chinese seem to have the worst of it. First they can't spell spoken Chinese and then western commentators will genericanize what they can read. Seems to me they could pull the players over and ASK how to or preference how to say name.