The Detroit Wed Wings

[Guest DetroitIan]

Has anyone else ever noticed how frequently announcers will call the Red Wings, the Detroit "Wed Wings?" Or even sometimes "Wed Rings?" I mean, I know they're not purposely saying it. But it's funny how much of a tongue twister it can be for announcers. I've even caught Ken Daniels doing it a few times through the years. And right now Im watching San Jose/Edmonton, and their announcers brought up something about the Red Wings. And the guy was like "Wed Wings" er, uh, Red Wings." And it just sorta made me laugh. Cause it's been something I've noticed before.

[Rice 42]

Hm...no.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I gotta say, I've never noticed that. But what I have noticed is that Bob Cole pronounces "Detroit" like "De-troy-ut"

[Shy Ranger 0]

Haven't heard that happening, but I did know a friend in high school who adored the Wings - and pronounced #19's name "A - zer - men." He, uh, was still pronouncing it that way despite hearing it correctly on television.

[Guest DetroitIan]

Haven't heard that happening, but I did know a friend in high school who adored the Wings - and pronounced #19's name "A - zer - men." He, uh, was still pronouncing it that way despite hearing it correctly on television.

I remember when the Wings won the Cup in '97, Bill Clinton called Steve Yzerman, Steve Izerman. It defintely made me laugh.

I gotta say, I've never noticed that. But what I have noticed is that Bob Cole pronounces "Detroit" like "De-troy-ut"

[KevinD 1]

nm.

k.

Edited October 5, 2007 by KevinD

[betterREDthandead 58]

I gotta say, I've never noticed that. But what I have noticed is that Bob Cole pronounces "Detroit" like "De-troy-ut"

That's a Canadian-accent thing. As in, "Let's talk aboot Detroyit for a bit, eh?" I've heard a couple different Canadian announcers pronounce the city that way.

[betterREDthandead 58]

I love it when Grapes talks a-boot Dee-troy-it hockey...eh?

Detroyit hawkey, that is....

[Rob the Badger 0]

The only time I really notice it is when Elmer Fudd calls the games.

[timothy1997 0]

they do play on wednesday a lot.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Not so much.

Sidenote: Has anyone heard the announcer for the Avalanche (Altitude Network) say "Lehtinen". Its really obnoxious how much he tries to pronounce his name as grammatically correct as possible. LET-AH-NEN! LET-AH-NEN!

Edited October 5, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[auxlepli 17]

I know some people who mess it up. Some talking heads do to. Many have speech impediments, it's ironic but that's one reason they got into the industry. On a similar note, a buddy of mine always says Winona Wyder.

Edited October 5, 2007 by auxlepli

[Gizmo 21]

That's a Canadian-accent thing. As in, "Let's talk aboot Detroyit for a bit, eh?" I've heard a couple different Canadian announcers pronounce the city that way.

Hmmm... I always thought that was just a Gordon Lightfoot thing!

BTW, after a victory my wife likes to say "Wed Wings Win!!!"

[Legionnaire11 0]

Detroyit hawkey, that is....

hey BTRD... better watch out for my Blue Raiders tomorrow!!!!

nah, virginia will double them up probably. But it will be fun to actually see an ACC team in Murfreesboro!

[betterREDthandead 58]

hey BTRD... better watch out for my Blue Raiders tomorrow!!!!

nah, virginia will double them up probably. But it will be fun to actually see an ACC team in Murfreesboro!

We will see.....if there's one thing I've learned in seven years of UVA football (and basketball) it's never ever ever take a road game for granted. There's all kinds of teams that we have insane win streaks against at home but the road is a whole other story.

Keep an eye on #91, Chris Long. Got a famous dad by the name of Howie, and you'll probably get sick of seeing him in the backfield IMO, the best D-lineman in the country.

[FUUFNF 1]

those wascaly wabbits.

[zzz 0]

I'm surprised not more people have heard it. I hear it all the time, especially in the short commercials they have for Wings coverage.

[Guest jaytan]

Haven't heard that happening, but I did know a friend in high school who adored the Wings - and pronounced #19's name "A - zer - men." He, uh, was still pronouncing it that way despite hearing it correctly on television.

Did he have an accent or something? I've heard people call him "Why-zerman" a lot.

[Shy Ranger 0]

Did he have an accent or something? I've heard people call him "Why-zerman" a lot.

Nah, he just honestly thought that Yzerman was pronounced with a hard A.

Why-zerman is what I've heard many other people around here say, though. I'm one of, I dunno, two people in the area who can say his name correctly.

[Chase 0]

Nope, Ive never really noticed before.

I have noticed LiNdtrom, instead of Lidstrom. That drives me nuts.

[55fan 5,133]

I've just started referring to them as the Wings. It saves me the embarrasment of Detwoit Wed Rings. Then again, I played 5 years of basketball without being able to say three fro, er, free throw.

Elmer Fudd- that's my laugh so hard I spit orange juice post for the day.

[Stu in Israel 0]

English speakers and particularly Americans always Anglicize or Americanize foreign names and words. Detroit was settled by the French and the original name of the city was "de troit," (with a French pronunciation of the "r") meaning (city) "of the straits" because the Detroit River narrows at the point where Detroit is opposite Windsor, Canada. The island in the river was called "bois blanc," meaning "white wood" because of the birch trees on that island. However, Americans "simplified" that name of "bois blanc" to Bob-lo island!.

To Americans, Secretary General of the U.N., 1953-1961 (from Sweden), Dag Hammarskjold (Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjold, with the "j" pronounced as a "y") became "Hamershield," and the greatest Arab hero of all-time became "Saladin" whereas his real name is Salah-e-din," etc.

and yes, some names become tongue-twisters and in the speed of announcing sometimes become humorous.

[betterREDthandead 58]

English speakers and particularly Americans always Anglicize or Americanize foreign names and words. Detroit was settled by the French and the original name of the city was "de troit," (with a French pronunciation of the "r") meaning (city) "of the straits" because the Detroit River narrows at the point where Detroit is opposite Windsor, Canada. The island in the river was called "bois blanc," meaning "white wood" because of the birch trees on that island. However, Americans "simplified" that name of "bois blanc" to Bob-lo island!.

To Americans, Secretary General of the U.N., 1953-1961 (from Sweden), Dag Hammarskjold (Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjold, with the "j" pronounced as a "y") became "Hamershield," and the greatest Arab hero of all-time became "Saladin" whereas his real name is Salah-e-din," etc.

and yes, some names become tongue-twisters and in the speed of announcing sometimes become humorous.

True all of that, but adapting pronunciations to your native language is definitely not an English-only phenomenon. The Japanese, for example, turn "America" into "Ah-may-ree-kah" because they don't use any of the vowel sounds we use in saying that word ("uh", "ih" as in "fish", etc.)....not to mention the famous Asian way of turning L's into R's because they don't have the L sound.

[joshy207 156]

My brother and I caught the end of the Red Wings' preseason special on FSD earlier in the week. The host--I don't know who he was, voice didn't sound familiar--has a speech impediment. Several times I heard him say "Wed Wings", and he even told the viewers to tune in during the season for episodes of "Wed Wings Weekwy". We have DVR, so we rewound the segment several times just to make sure we weren't hearing things... but he definitely said "Wed Wings Weekwy".

[55fan 5,133]

When my Godson was young, I was a strong influence in his life. He couldn't say L or R, (which is cruel for a kid who wanted to be a wace caw dwivew). Back then, if you asked him his favourite football team, he'd proudly say "Detwoit Wions". Now he says "Dallas Cowboys". I need to spend more quality time with that kid.