43 replies to this topic

[Chelios57]

Yah, he has no excuses haha

He's surrounded by SWEDES! Haha, he probably speaks swedish more than english in that room.

[Uncle Danny]

English and Russian are very different forms of language. The reason Swedish players have such ease with English is because they are both tier one languages. Russian is a tier three language and is very very difficult language to learn. It's not hard to understand the least bit that most of the guys in the non rich parts of Russia don't learn English until they are required to move to the states.

I challenge any of you to learn Russian and see how far you come in 8 years I've been learning it for two years, it is a very difficult language to learn and I would like to think I am pretty intellectual (toot toot)

I've been learning it sporadically for a couple years now as well, and I have to agree. It's a very different language, from the alphabet on up. They conjugate freaking everything. I married a native speaker, and even with her help, it's tough. From what I gather, learning English as a Russian speaker is equally difficult.

She moved here around 17 years ago, and, while she's miles ahead of Dats, I still find myself correcting her english at least once a day (she has a standing order for me that I do so). English is so full of exceptions and odd pronunciations that it's damn near impossible to get it right from a textbook. I mean, look at how many native English speakers can't even get "there, their, they're" or "your, you're" right.

Based on my wife's experience, English speakers have a much harder time with accents or small pronunciations than people learning Russian, for exactly that reason. If you mangle a pronunciation, but follow the rules of the Russian language, they'll pick up on your meaning, whereas if you mess up a single vowel sound or emphasize the wrong syllable in English, it often leads to a "huh?"

Sorry for the ramble. Guess I coulda just said: "cut Dats some slack."

Edited by Uncle Danny, 07 January 2009 - 09:48 PM.

[selkie]

Russian players in general seem to have a hard time with english.. same goes for Finnish players, who might learn the language but they just never seem to be able to get the pronounciation correct. I guess it has to do with what Konnan is saying, those languages are very different from most others.

Finnish is definitely a weird one- not related linguistically Russian, Swedish, Norwegian, or Danish in any way shape or form, and it's classified in the same language family as Estonian, and I think Hugarian.

[Wings_Rule_1010]

Anyone remember when the Wings had that celebration thing at the Joe after they won the cup in 2001-2002, where the players said speeches? Pavel after being in the US for a year, got up in front of thousands of people and read his speech. The English was hard to understand, but I loved how he finished it, "Thank you....all....of....you". How many people would get in front of all those people and speak a language you hardly know?

[stactum]

I've been learning it sporadically for a couple years now as well, and I have to agree. It's a very different language, from the alphabet on up. They conjugate freaking everything...

Well, I have to agree and disagree at the same time.

While I agree that both languages are extremely different I don't think English is that hard to learn for Russians. I moved to US in 2001 which is pretty much when Dats had his rookie season. My English knowledge was zero to none at that time and while I am considering myself a slow learner I think I can give pretty decent speeches now even I tend to think that I am a bit shy and I had language barrier a bit longer than some of my friends that came at about same time.
So the bottom line - Dats should've progressed more as far as his language skills go all things considered (only russian on the team, played for a long time, etc.)

[Hockeymom1960]

Russian players in general seem to have a hard time with english.. same goes for Finnish players, who might learn the language but they just never seem to be able to get the pronounciation correct. I guess it has to do with what Konnan is saying, those languages are very different from most others.
Swedish people have a pretty easy time learning english, but we also start learning it very early in school. Still, Holmstrom's english is more in line with the way most swedes talk than Lidstrom who sounds like he's lived in the US his entire life.

..well, actually Holmstrom is pretty damn bad at it even by Swedish standards..

You're right, it's Swenglish!!!

[dekeyuk]

True this is for I have now come to this country from the Russia for many years ago and to me to speak this way is now for me not shabby as to some it may be to seem to you!

[Uncle Danny]

Well, I have to agree and disagree at the same time.

While I agree that both languages are extremely different I don't think English is that hard to learn for Russians. I moved to US in 2001 which is pretty much when Dats had his rookie season. My English knowledge was zero to none at that time and while I am considering myself a slow learner I think I can give pretty decent speeches now even I tend to think that I am a bit shy and I had language barrier a bit longer than some of my friends that came at about same time.
So the bottom line - Dats should've progressed more as far as his language skills go all things considered (only russian on the team, played for a long time, etc.)

Could be -- I wonder how much of what we see is related to him speaking to millions of people instead of a roomful, though I know I'd be gunshy! From what I've been told, it also has a lot to do with the age of the person when they come over. For example, my cousin-in-law came over at 13 and has no accent at all, my wife came over at 16 and is absolutely fluent, but has an accent. Her father came over at around 50, and is conversational, but stumbles a lot and has a rather thick accent. If Pavel came to the US at 22-23, could that have something to do with it?

BTW, if this post is any indication, your English is great for someone who's only been speaking it for 8 years. Where in Russia did you live, if you don't mind me asking (PM me if you'd rather)?

[Pskov Wings Fan]

I've been learning it sporadically for a couple years now as well, and I have to agree. It's a very different language, from the alphabet on up. They conjugate freaking everything. I married a native speaker, and even with her help, it's tough. From what I gather, learning English as a Russian speaker is equally difficult.

I am not sure about that. I did not find English to be terribly difficult. I doubt that I would ever get rid of the accent but understanding and speaking well enough that native speakers would not cover their ears in pain is not a ten year undertaking. For all its exceptions basic structure of the English (at least to me) appears simpler than that of Russian. On the other hand Russian should be fairly easy to read (convert written Russian into sound, not necessarily understand it). Each letter stands for a certain sound very consistently, which is really not the case with English.
It should not be hard to speak broken Russian. Language is quite relaxed as far as sentence structure goes. You can put noun, verb and the rest of it in any order and in most cases it will be understandable. But I can see that getting it right is a lot of effort.

Edited by Pskov Wings Fan, 08 January 2009 - 12:22 AM.

[finalfilppula]

has any english-speaking folks learned swedish as a secondary, tertiary, etc. language? i'd like to do so after i finish up french.

[Kira]

I am technologically challenged. I did, however, marry a techno genius who loves a challenge. So he has converted the interview and it is loading on You Tube as we speak. Bless Terry's heart for doing this - there is a reason I lovingly call him Dr. Science. As soon as it gets done loading I'll post the link to it.

Hope this works!



It works! Yay! Terry did apologize for the dead air at the end. But hey, for a first time editing job, not half bad! Thanks to my beloved Dr. Science!

Edited by Kira, 08 January 2009 - 02:36 AM.

[sharomyga]

Thanks, Kira, you rock \m/

[Kira]

Thank my other half...he's the one who did it.

[RWK23]

Pavel Datsyuk is a beauty.

[blikst]

I am technologically challenged. I did, however, marry a techno genius who loves a challenge. So he has converted the interview and it is loading on You Tube as we speak. Bless Terry's heart for doing this - there is a reason I lovingly call him Dr. Science. As soon as it gets done loading I'll post the link to it.

Hope this works!



It works! Yay! Terry did apologize for the dead air at the end. But hey, for a first time editing job, not half bad! Thanks to my beloved Dr. Science!

Thanks to the two of you.

That is a hillarious interview.

[wingfan1991]

I am technologically challenged. I did, however, marry a techno genius who loves a challenge. So he has converted the interview and it is loading on You Tube as we speak. Bless Terry's heart for doing this - there is a reason I lovingly call him Dr. Science. As soon as it gets done loading I'll post the link to it.

Hope this works!



It works! Yay! Terry did apologize for the dead air at the end. But hey, for a first time editing job, not half bad! Thanks to my beloved Dr. Science!

Kira youre awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[55fan]

Pat+Terry=Happy Pasha Fans!

Thanks, and have a wonderful time tonight.

[dat's sick]

His English may or may not be so hot, but you know what? Thank the Lord Almighty he doesn't have the hockey player monotone that you hear on 98% of interviews with all hockey players. "Well you know, we just stuck to our game plan out there and just focused on getting the puck went in the net. It was a good game and you know they battled hard, but we stuck to our system..." and on and on and on... and on. From Crosby to Lidstrom to the lowest level player they all do this and it is sooooooooooo boring and rarely informative. There are very few players who can actually present a personality in these interviews and Dats is one. Shanny was another, maybe Osgood too, but that's about it.

Hope he had a nice Russian Orthodox Christmas after all that!

That's so true, these kind of interviews are usually mind-numbingly boring, I wish more players weren't so afraid to show a little personality and not be so diplomatic all the time.
You can't really blame the players though, they do so many interviews that it's only natural that they have some prepared responses and such.

What was great about this was how comfortable and confident Pav looked, usually he seems a bit out of his element in these situations.
So funny too, even though you kinda have to try and kinda interperet what he means by some of it
"I lost stick, I need to be stronger arm"

Thank's a lot Kira (and Dr. Science haha) for posting it!

[selkie]

His English may or may not be so hot, but you know what? Thank the Lord Almighty he doesn't have the hockey player monotone that you hear on 98% of interviews with all hockey players. "Well you know, we just stuck to our game plan out there and just focused on getting the puck went in the net. It was a good game and you know they battled hard, but we stuck to our system..." and on and on and on... and on. From Crosby to Lidstrom to the lowest level player they all do this and it is sooooooooooo boring and rarely informative. There are very few players who can actually present a personality in these interviews and Dats is one. Shanny was another, maybe Osgood too, but that's about it.

I think the most entertaining hockey interview these days would be Dats and Ovechkin after a couple of beers and conducted in Russian with a good quick translator at hand.

[datsyukismyfriend]

His English may or may not be so hot, but you know what? Thank the Lord Almighty he doesn't have the hockey player monotone that you hear on 98% of interviews with all hockey players. "Well you know, we just stuck to our game plan out there and just focused on getting the puck went in the net. It was a good game and you know they battled hard, but we stuck to our system..." and on and on and on... and on. From Crosby to Lidstrom to the lowest level player they all do this and it is sooooooooooo boring and rarely informative. There are very few players who can actually present a personality in these interviews and Dats is one. Shanny was another, maybe Osgood too, but that's about it.

Hope he had a nice Russian Orthodox Christmas after all that!

P.S. Anyone know how to look up takeaway stats? With the NHL's new site design they no longer have this available - from what I can tell. It used to be under a category of something like "RTSS Stats." Gee, what a great new design, I can no longer find the things I used to.

P.S.S. Found it somewhere else: http://stats.hockeya...yertakeaway.php
Malkin is #1 and Dats #2! This just isn't right! :-)

nhl.com still has those stats. they actually have dats up top with 49. malkin is 4th with 42. http://www.nhl.com/i...rtssPlayerStats