The Cyclocosm Audio Mailbox System
Jun 23 2010
Ever since I began the making How The Race Was Won videos, my propensity for mispronunciation has become more and more embarrassing.
In many ways, it’s not my fault—well over 90% of the information I consume on the sport comes from web text, which doesn’t do a great job of conveying linguistic nuance. In the rare instances when I do get access to an Anglophone talking about cycling in English, it’s usually Phil Liggett, who’s been known to maul a surname or two.
But while it’s clear that I’m not the only one screwing things up, I’d like to be the first to make a serious effort to fix the problem. I’ve set up a Google Voice account which will record and make downloadable copies of voice messages.
The next time I bungle a cyclist’s name, a foreign phrase, or a finishing town—or if you’d like to correct a past mistake/make a pre-emptive strike against a future flub—you can call and record your own properly-pronounced version. The number is (646) 801-2010; I’m in the US, so add the +1 for International calls. While the service is free, any normal charges from your carrier will still apply.
Of course, there’s no technical reason to limit this service to pronunciation, so if you’d like to leave a message on another topic, feel free. Keep in mind that the system will record whatever number you call from (though I will do my best to keep that information private), and unless you specify otherwise, I reserve the right to re-use your messages.
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Your VM inbox will be the reason Google goes to a tiered services structure.
Sounds like fun. How do you pronounce pronounce?
Brilliant idea. Started the festivities with “Dauphiné” pronounced as stated. And sent me a mail if you know of a cycling publication/web site looking for a French copy editor! :-)
More than Phil Liggett, you should be taking (esp. French pronunciation) cues from Paul Sherwen! Man has it down!
Needed driver for my car whilst i ride TDF for 13th time ! Prefer Blonde sex maniac but other offers considered !
Contact skippi@ausi.com with your info please !
Great thing about Phil is that he’s got about 3-4 different ways to pronounce every non-Anglo name, none of them being quite right in many cases.
For a lot of Dutch names and placenames you can use http://www.fluency.nl
Hard names like Kruiswijck and Mollema work on there ;)
Nobody pronounces better than Bob “Tour Day France” Roll. The funny part is that he’s actually quite fluent and comfortable in both French and Flemish.
http://rapidshare.com/files/404783030/names.wma
Here is a little audiofile for names of the swiss, german and austrian riders at the Tour de France.
I hope the quality is good enough to be understood clearly.