Switzerland player pronunciations

Language Corner
1
Hello everybody,

I have an unusual request. I'm a football commentator and I'm covering England's game with Switzerland tomorrow evening. I was hoping someone might be able to help me with the pronunciation of the Swiss players?

Pascal Zuberbuhler,

Fabio Coltorti,

Diego Benaglio;

Valon Behrami,

Mario Eggimann

Stephane Grichting

Stephen Lichtsteiner,

Philippe Senderos,

Christoph Spycher,

Steve von Bergen;

Tranquillo Barnetta

Fabio Celestini,

David Degen

Gelson Fernandes,

Daniel Gygax,

Benjamin Huggel,

Gokhan Inler,

Xavier Margairaz,

Johan Vonlanthen ,

Hakan Yakin,

Reto Ziegler

Eren Derdiyok

Blaise N'Kufo

Think I have a few but could do with a little help. Many thanks in advance

2
How can anyone help you online? You planning to phone the person that voluntaries?

3
With phonetic spelling.

ie Novak Djokovic is pronounced Jock-o-vitch

4
I see. I wish I could help but I can just about spell my own name. I hope someone helps you. Maybe just pronounce them however they comes to you. Your English audience won't care.

5
Well that would reduce the list to less than half..

6
Most of them are pronounced how they look. Here are the ones that are a bit different:

PS All pheonetically according to my football mad workmate.

Pascal Zuberbuhler, Tsooberbooler

Fabio Coltorti,

Diego Benaglio; Benallio

Valon Behrami, Berrami

Mario Eggimann

Stephane Grichting Gri CH ting (the CH is hard as in the Scottish)

Stephen Lichtsteiner, Li CH tst EI ner (EI rhymes with pie)

Philippe Senderos,

Christoph Spycher, Shpee CH er

Steve von Bergen; Fon Bergen

Tranquillo Barnetta

Fabio Celestini, Selesteeni

David Degen D(air)gen (the "r" is silent)

Gelson Fernandes,

Daniel Gygax, Geegax ( G' s as in Golf)

Benjamin Huggel, Hoogel

Gokhan Inler,

Xavier Margairaz, Margeras

Johan Vonlanthen , Fonlanten

Hakan Yakin,

Reto Ziegler Tseegler

Eren Derdiyok Derrdyok

Blaise N'Kufo

HTH

7
Do as the Swiss do and shorten the names:

Zubi (Zoobee)

Colti (Coltee)

Beni (Benee)

etc. etc.

8
Don't have to worry about Züberbühler anymore , so that's one difficult one off the list .....

9
Thats pretty good. But Alan wont know the "CH" is a scottish one ie "k" sounding so Spycher more like "shpy-ker" and Lichtsteiner "lickt-steyner"

You only need to use your short term memory though... no point cluttering up your memory for the long term!

What channel are you on, so we can check you've done your homework?

10
Many thanks for the help guys...really appreciate it.

I work for a commercial radio news agency so its hard to tel who use my reports or not.

Have a flick around the dials and you may hear.

Thanks again

11
Well he should do if he's ever heard a Scots accent. The "CH" as I intended in my original post is like a clearing of the throat and not a "K" sound.

12
I'd like to add that for Mario Eggimann the 'gg' is pronounced similar to a 'ck'.

So instead of 'eggy-man' say 'ek-i-man'.

HM

13
Maybe not.

They shorten the first names

for example

Roland Schumacher = Roli Schumacher

and not Roland Schumi or Roli Schumi

So you have

14
Also some have umlauts

Pascal Züberbühler, Tsiooberbiooler

in fact the sound is an i mixed with an u, so put your mouth like to say oo and actually say i .

15

I read you post as "CH as in Scotti sh ". Duh... need more caffeine.

16
Having no interest whatsoever in footy or its participants, I didn't bother to check if these guys had umlauts or not. I took the original post to be correctly written.

17
Here was me hoping it was actually Alan Green, oh well :-)

18
On our team one of the guys surnames is Stauffacher, and everyone calls him Stauffi, so they do shorten the last names (possibly as well as the first names)

19
was it not a coincidence that Motty had the names down? He was spot on.

Does he have a first name, this Motty bloke?

20
John Motson.............................