Now that Monsieur Fukudome is headed to U.S. shores perhaps we should try and nip this thing in the bud once and for all. If only for entertainment purposes.
Why do sportscasters feel the need to change the pronunciation of some guys name, just to avoid saying a ‘bad word’? I mean, come on, nobody refrains from using the term ‘Bitch’ during dog shows do they?
Case in point – Willie Colon, Tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers
For some ungodly reason, announcers have taken it upon themselves to change ‘Co-lon’ to ‘Cologne’. Like ‘Willie Perfume’ is really a whole lot worse then ‘Willie Ass’… for pete’s sake.
Case in Point – Sam Koch, Punter, Baltimore Ravens
Look, take this name and show it to any European and he’ll tell ya that ‘Koch’ is pronounced ‘Cock‘ ok? It’s not Koosh or Kosh or Kuch or any of those other silly versions that various announcers have come up with. The mans name is Sam Koch – deal with it, I’m sure he has. It’s probably the reason he became a punter.
There are numerous ‘Gay’ s in sports these days and we aren’t trying to change their surnames are we? Let’s just drop the whole charade now ok?
December 16, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Actually, Sam Koch’s last name is pronounced “cook”, as in the guy hanging out next to all the kitchen utensils. Don’t ask me why; it’s a silly Nebraska thing, I suppose.
(That said, don’t let me rain on your parade: resume calling him “cock”, by all means)
December 16, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Actually in Japanese it’s Foo-koo-doh-may. Think Austin Powers and Fukumi (actually a girl’s name in Japanese) and Fukuyu (not even close to a name in J-go). He has it right, it’s foo…even if it looks like the f-word.
Anyway, it works in reverse. Anyway named “Deb” here would be laughed at in Japan as that mean “fat” in japanese. Don’t even get me started on Ed as “ED = Erectile dysfunction” and there are tons of ads in Japan that call it “Ed.” Another anomaly, that whole can’t get it up is a “Western” thing, eh, hence the non-translation into a J-term. And that’s too much info for most of youse.
December 16, 2007 at 11:56 pm
I can’t read anything but “FuckYouDoMe.” but you know, I’m classy that way.
December 16, 2007 at 11:59 pm
[...] Can We Get Past This Whole Mispronouncing For Politeness Business? [image]Now that Monsieur Fukudome is headed to U.S. shores perhaps we should try and nip this thing in the bud once and […] [...]
December 17, 2007 at 2:42 am
Yeah, I don’t know about Colon, but you’re definitely 0-for-2 on Koch and Fukudome.
Koch = Cook
Fukudome = Foo-koo-DOH-may
Nice try.
December 17, 2007 at 2:59 am
Once taught a Chinese student in London called Fanny Fuk Oh. Really. All the teachers had seen enough odd names that just “Fanny Fuk” might not have even got a mention, it was the last exclamation that really got us.
December 17, 2007 at 4:36 am
Colon is pronounced like the fragrance as well – it’s Spanish, just like Bartolo Colon and like “Cristobal Colon” is Spanish for Christopher Columbus. Nice post – do some research next time.
December 17, 2007 at 4:38 am
You sir are an ignorant slut. Colón is a common Spanish surname, and it’s pronounced just like the “polite” announcers are doing it. My guess is that the Steelers player, from the Bronx, is Latino and that they’re pronouncing his name correctly.
December 17, 2007 at 5:13 am
Have you ever met anyone not named Bob Jones?
December 17, 2007 at 7:42 am
Well gee… thanks for sucking the fun out of it everyone.
Sheesh.
December 17, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Well, I enjoyed it.
May I humbly and politely refer you to my post on a similar, equally improper take on professional athletes’ names?
http://steviethek.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/stevie-the-k%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9call-poopie-xi%e2%80%9d/
BTW, there is a Japanese restaurant near us called “Fugakyu”, to which my reply is inevitably, “Fugakyu too!”
December 17, 2007 at 2:54 pm
It’s possible he pronounces Koch as Cock. It’s a family name of mine (we pronounce it Cook) but I’ve seen it pronounced like it’s spelled (as in former NYC mayor Ed Koch) and met people who pronounce it Coke as well.
December 17, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Be thankful the Canadian brewery Kuntz isn’t in business any more …
December 17, 2007 at 4:14 pm
This is beautiful. I went to school with a family named Dyche (pronounced “dyke”) and when I ran into them 20 years later they pronounced it “Du-chay”. Now what’s a lesbian supposed to say to that?
December 17, 2007 at 5:48 pm
In German Koch is pronounced – Coke at least that is how H&K, the company that produces firearms, pronounces it.
December 17, 2007 at 8:34 pm
There is also Sam Koch, the coach of the UMass soccer team, and he pronounces it “coke” as well.
December 17, 2007 at 10:39 pm
So that’s 0-3 on name pronunciations. Have you been right about anything, ever?
December 23, 2007 at 4:17 am
Boy, most of your readers are really humorless douchebags, aren’t they?
December 29, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Ha! Yep, but I love them all anyway!