How to pronounce Skaters' Names

[dorispulaski]

Finally!

At least for athletes, including skaters, who are at the Olympics, a feature of each bio is the loudspeaker symbol next to the athlete's name, provided the skater has provided the info!

If you click on it, you get to hear the athlete say their own name twice!

Did you ever wonder how to pronounce Saulius Ambrulevicius?

Loading…

www.olympics.com

Now you know!

So:
All skaters (147 of them) at the Olympics:

Loading…

www.olympics.com

I am hoping someone sends this link to Chris Howarth!

Who else needs this list?

Thanks to @CaroLiza_fan who talked about this in Emilea Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik's fan fest!

By the way, other fan fest owner's may like to add a link to pronunciation to their fan fests!

Now if the ISU would only add this feature to their fancy new bio layouts!

If you know who to contact, please tell them!

 

[sissy7]

Youtube has recommended to me IBU's video in which at least one athlete from every nation says all the names of the athletes as a pronunciation guide....ISU you are falling behind!!!

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Thank you @dorispulaski for creating this thread.

I will add one caveat.

When I was trying to find out how to extract the addresses for the recordings, I came across a page on another site from 2024 where people were discussing some amusing recordings on the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics profiles. For example, somebody started laughing after they said their name.

However, when I went to the profiles mentioned to hear the recordings for myself, they were no longer there.

So, please be aware that the same will probably happen with the recordings from these Olympics.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[skatedreamer]

Many thanks from me, too!

I especially appreciated hearing Ilia say his name.

He pronounced it with the accent on the first syllable: MA-lih-nin (with a short "a" as in "bat"). I always thought the correct way was Mah-LEE-Nin.

 

[Mathman]

Many thanks from me, too!

I especially appreciated hearing Ilia say his name.

He pronounced it with the accent on the first syllable: MA-lih-nin (with a short "a" as in "bat"). I always thought the correct way was Mah-LEE-Nin.

Oh, that's very interesting. I always supposed that the accent on the first syllable is the American English way to say it, and that the accent on the second syllable would be how to say it in Russian. Sort of like, what is the correct pronunciation of Paris? Is it PAIR-iss or Pah-REE?

 

[el henry]

Oh, that's very interesting. I always supposed that the accent on the first syllable is the American English way to say it, and that the accent on the second syllable would be how to say it in Russian. Sort of like, what is the correct pronunciation of Paris? Is it PAIR-iss or Pah-REE?

Depends on where you are. In the US, Paris. (and for my accent, that would be Paaah ris), and in France, well, I can't transliterate rolled r's

Ilia is American. His native language is American English. So it makes sense that is how he pronounces his name,(Doesn't matter what his parents speak at home. The US is filled with wonderful children of wonderful immigrants who speak a language other than English at home. Their native language is still English).

I first saw a Donovan fan social media post refer to this page, I think it is great!

 

[el henry]

Sorry for the double post:

I also found it fascinating that Jun said "Jun Hwan Cha" rather than "Cha Jun Hwan". I love languages and I love this add on.

 

[skatedreamer]

Oh, that's very interesting. I always supposed that the accent on the first syllable is the American English way to say it, and that the accent on the second syllable would be how to say it in Russian. Sort of like, what is the correct pronunciation of Paris? Is it PAIR-iss or Pah-REE?

Yes, it surprised me as well.

A Russian-speaking friend told me that "Mah-LEE-nin" is the correct pronunciation, so I'm a bit fatootzed. Still, it's Ilia's name; I figure he gets to make the call.

 

[el henry]

Yes, it surprised me as well.

A Russian-speaking friend told me that "Mah-LEE-nin" is the correct pronunciation, so I'm a bit fatootzed. Still, it's Ilia's name; I figure he gets to make the call.

I think that is the issue: in Russia, it would be pronounced that way, but Ilia is not in Russia and as you said he gets to pronounce his name the ways he wants.

Please forgive a diversion here for a television clip that has stuck with me for over 60 years. A young lady from Philadelphia with the last name Rizzo was speaking with a New York exegete. The New York exegete decided to show off and call her "Miss Reet-so". A few times. She looked at him with eyes very narrowed and finally said "I don't know who Reet-so is. It's Rizzo" (pronounced with the English short "I" and English Z.")

I go with what the skater tells me. It's only manners.

 

[Fetinia]

Many thanks from me, too!

I especially appreciated hearing Ilia say his name.

He pronounced it with the accent on the first syllable: MA-lih-nin (with a short "a" as in "bat"). I always thought the correct way was Mah-LEE-Nin.

Corrext Russian pronunciation is Mah-LEE-nin, americanized version is MA-li-nin. Ilia is an American with Russian background, hence he uses American version, but i am pretty sure within their family the use a Russian version.

 

[skatedreamer]

I think that is the issue: in Russia, it would be pronounced that way, but Ilia is not in Russia and as you said he gets to pronounce his name the ways he wants.

Please forgive a diversion here for a television clip that has stuck with me for over 60 years. A young lady from Philadelphia with the last name Rizzo was speaking with a New York exegete. The New York exegete decided to show off and call her "Miss Reet-so". A few times. She looked at him with eyes very narrowed and finally said "I don't know who Reet-so is. It's Rizzo" (pronounced with the English short "I" and English Z.")

I go with what the skater tells me. It's only manners.

I had to look up "exegete." TIL...

Can you just imagine how Betty Rizzo (of "Grease" fame, immortalized by Stockard Channing) would have responded to the aforementioned exegete ?

 

[skatesofgold]

I think that is the issue: in Russia, it would be pronounced that way, but Ilia is not in Russia and as you said he gets to pronounce his name the ways he wants.

Please forgive a diversion here for a television clip that has stuck with me for over 60 years. A young lady from Philadelphia with the last name Rizzo was speaking with a New York exegete. The New York exegete decided to show off and call her "Miss Reet-so". A few times. She looked at him with eyes very narrowed and finally said "I don't know who Reet-so is. It's Rizzo" (pronounced with the English short "I" and English Z.")

I go with what the skater tells me. It's only manners.

I have a German last name that has a pronunciation that is different in Germany than the way my family decided to pronounce it when they came over to the U.S. in the 1800s. Most people, especially students, pronounce it phonetically, which is wrong in both cases. I have to explain to my students that I get to decide the way my name is pronounced. It's not always what's easiest to remember or traditional.

 

[Mathman]

I remember back in the day when international skaters would participate in competitions and shows in the United States, the announcers and commentators had no clue about how to pronounce their names nor any interest in learning. So they just blurted out whatever, and then the coach would give the skater a little push on the back that meant, "that's you, sweetheart, go."

I think the skaters took it in stride. (Hey, it's the announcer who looks like a fool, not me. )

 

[dorispulaski]

..

I go with what the skater tells me. It's only manners.

Exactly my point of view!

 

[Mathman]

The US is filled with wonderful children of wonderful immigrants who speak a language other than English at home. Their native language is still English.

I think that there was a cultural sea change in the U.S. somewhere around the 1970s. In previous decades many immigramnts wanted to become as American as possible as quickly as possible, and especially so for their children. And for good reason -- each successive wave of immigration occasioned new targets for prejudice and discrimination.

Over the last several decades I think that there has been an upsurge in taking pride in one's roots and a greater interest in preserving for the new generations the values and traditions of the "old country."

 

[moonvine]

I love this!!!!

 

[iluvtodd]

When we were @ 2016 Worlds in Boston, I asked Michal Brezina how to pronounce his last name (after his practice session). Some commentators would say "Breh' zinah" & others would say "Breh -Zeen' -ah. Michal confirmed it for me, & pronounced it as Breh - Zeen'- ah.

 

[Weathergal]

Finally!

At least for athletes, including skaters, who are at the Olympics, a feature of each bio is the loudspeaker symbol next to the athlete's name, provided the skater has provided the info!


View attachment 10884



If you click on it, you get to hear the athlete say their own name twice!

Did you ever wonder how to pronounce Saulius Ambrulevicius?

Loading…

www.olympics.com

Now you know!

So:
All skaters (147 of them) at the Olympics:

Loading…

www.olympics.com

I am hoping someone sends this link to Chris Howarth!

Who else needs this list?

Thanks to @CaroLiza_fan who talked about this in Emilea Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik's fan fest!

By the way, other fan fest owner's may like to add a link to pronunciation to their fan fests!

Now if the ISU would only add this feature to their fancy new bio layouts!

If you know who to contact, please tell them!

I love this thread! And wow I thought spelling Saulius's last name was challenging - so is pronouncing it. LOL

To answer your question (I bolded above): Ted Barton. Sorry, no hate intended, but...I think he needs this more than Chris.

In addition to learning the correct way to say skaters' names, which is really nice to know, it's fun to hear skaters talk since we don't get to hear them all get interviewed, etc.

 

[reneerose]

I was watching the local news today and both newscasters speaking about the upcoming primetime Olympic events were Asian women, I live in the Bay Area a very diverse part of the U.S. I am Asian so I can kind of see how this would happen. One of the ladies said Danny O'Shea's last name as.... wait for it....Danny O-shi-uh. I was LOLOLOL And I mouthed off to the TV, it's "Oh-SHAY" He's Irish-American!

 

[bartlebooth]

I was watching the local news today and both newscasters speaking about the upcoming primetime Olympic events were Asian women, I live in the Bay Area a very diverse part of the U.S. I am Asian so I can kind of see how this would happen. One of the ladies said Danny O'Shea's last name as.... wait for it....Danny O-shi-uh. I was LOLOLOL And I mouthed off to the TV, it's "Oh-SHAY" He's Irish-American!

On Italian broadcasting, he became "Oh-shee"