Franzen's Name

[MissyLKS8 6]

Okay, from the many years of watching national sporting broadcasts, I've learned one thing: They don't really know the teams well. They state the most obvious facts, mix up players, mess up last names, etc...

My question from watching the game on CBS, how the heck do you pronounce Franzen's last name? According to Wikipedia [which is always right (sarcasm)], it's Franzen with the "a" almost sounding like "on". This is how I and everyone I know have been saying it for the past five years. However, the play-by-play tonight kept saying Franzen as if the "a" sounded like "an".

WHICH IS THE RIGHT WAY?!?!

Also, I looked up that interview (Two for the Fun of it) where he introduces himself. I'm starting to second guess myself because I can't really hear if he says one or the other.

Edited March 21, 2010 by MissyLKS8

[cjm502 165]

Ken & Mick say it like fron-zin. I think I will stick with that.

[titanium2 867]

Yeah, Frahn-zin.

[zettie85 106]

I say it like "an". I'm not Pierre Maguire. I don't have Swedish accent so just pronounce it as I see it.

During the CBC broadcast tonight I heard them call him Mule a couple times, in a very casual way like it was his real name.

Edited March 21, 2010 by zettie85

[redwingcapt 52]

I pronounce it.... "The Mule"

or my original favorite.... "McSnipples"

youre welcome

[cupforwings 138]

everybody I know pronounces it "ah", Frahnzen... the other way sounds weird and I only here national broadcasters say it

[Yellowknife Redwing 57]

Are you referring to this gentleman, drafted by the Dallas Stars in round 2, #34 overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft?

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=70757

[NorCalGrl 9]

My father's first language is Swedish and when watching the games with him, he always pronounces Franzen as, "Frahn-zaeyn". There is an accent over the "e", which I also have in my last name, effecting the pronunciation. The funny thing is, in February, I was at a tequila bar in San Jose, on the night before the SJ/Red Wings game, and Franzen walked in and sat next to me at the bar. Admittedly being a little tipsy, I totally remember boasting to him that we had the same "e with an accent over it" type of last name, and asked him if Franzen was pronounced "Frahn-zaeyn", which he adamantly contended. We then had a *random as hell* conversation about the band The Offspring.

[InKennyWeTrust 126]

My father's first language is Swedish and when watching the games with him, he always pronounces Franzen as, "Frahn-zaeyn". There is an accent over the "e", which I also have in my last name, effecting the pronunciation. The funny thing is, in February, I was at a tequila bar in San Jose, on the night before the SJ/Red Wings game, and Franzen walked in and sat next to me at the bar. Admittedly being a little tipsy, I totally remember boasting to him that we had the same "e with an accent over it" type of last name, and asked him if Franzen was pronounced "Frahn-zaeyn", which he adamantly contended. We then had a *random as hell* conversation about the band The Offspring.

You are my hero.

[Hell Toupee 21]

My father's first language is Swedish and when watching the games with him, he always pronounces Franzen as, "Frahn-zaeyn". There is an accent over the "e", which I also have in my last name, effecting the pronunciation.

I'm guessing your father is from the south of Sweden. That makes a world of difference.

Listen at 0.10 for the pronounciation.

The a sound is very similar to the english u sound in under.

The é is pronounced like ear without the r, obviously.

The a is short and the é is long.

NHL broadcasters really butcher all the Swedes names though. Except for maybe Douglas Murray, but the Swedish announcers will make a mess out of his name instead so it evens out.

[MissyLKS8 6]

My father's first language is Swedish and when watching the games with him, he always pronounces Franzen as, "Frahn-zaeyn". There is an accent over the "e", which I also have in my last name, effecting the pronunciation. The funny thing is, in February, I was at a tequila bar in San Jose, on the night before the SJ/Red Wings game, and Franzen walked in and sat next to me at the bar. Admittedly being a little tipsy, I totally remember boasting to him that we had the same "e with an accent over it" type of last name, and asked him if Franzen was pronounced "Frahn-zaeyn", which he adamantly contended. We then had a *random as hell* conversation about the band The Offspring.

NorCalGrl: WOW! And The Offspring?! Ha, that's comical. Anything interesting to say on that topic?

Everybody: Thanks for the response. Some odd reason I didn't think to ask my friend who lives in Sweden either.

[Guest mindfly]

Yeah the correct is "Franzén" notice the e when its a lil dot above its pronounced different.

Edited March 21, 2010 by mindfly

[Blueliner 69]

I think it's just anyone that's Canadian pronounces it wrong. Everyone on CBC and TSN always say it wrong.

[Dave Anderson 0]

Here's a tip from a Swede: Think Donald Brashear. The stress is on the second syllable, not the first.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

According to the "NHL Official Guide & Record Book 2010":

(FRAN-zehn, YOH-han)

,with emphasis on the first syllable of both the first and last names.

[Hell Toupee 21]

Here's a tip from a Swede: Think Donald Brashear. The stress is on the second syllable, not the first.

That's actually very good.

[Systemfel 33]

Here's a tip from a Swede: Think Donald Brashear. The stress is on the second syllable, not the first.

Also, the sound the two E's in words like peer and steer.

[Finnish Wing 110]

I think it just add a little extra something when every announcer doesn't do it the correct Swedish way.

[VM1138 1,921]

I don't know the correct Swedish pronunciation but everyone I've ever heard talk about him (except for the occasional retarded national broadcast commentator) calls him "Fron-zen" which I like better than "Fran-zen" which sounds like you have a bad cold or a New York accent.

EDIT: So judging from the grammar rules of you Swedes and knowledgeable people, it's actually pronounced:

Yo-HAHN Fron-ZUN? Is that right?

Edited March 21, 2010 by VM1138

[Guest mindfly]

I don't know the correct Swedish pronunciation but everyone I've ever heard talk about him (except for the occasional retarded national broadcast commentator) calls him "Fron-zen" which I like better than "Fran-zen" which sounds like you have a bad cold or a New York accent.

EDIT: So judging from the grammar rules of you Swedes and knowledgeable people, it's actually pronounced:

Yo-HAHN Fron-ZUN? Is that right?

Listen to the clip posted in this thread, that's the correct swedish pronounciation. it's mostly the "e" sound you yanks have to work on

But yet in saying that the correct version of Fedorov is Fjådoroff...and not feddorovv.. and datsjuk not datsyuk... if you're going to go from the russian alphabet and pronounciation...

Edited March 22, 2010 by mindfly

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

I'm not sure how you say his name, but am I the only one that thinks he looks like gyrocopter guy from Mad Max2: The Road Warrior?

[stormboy 47]

Listen to the clip posted in this thread, that's the correct swedish pronounciation. it's mostly the "e" sound you yanks have to work on

But yet in saying that the correct version of Fedorov is Fjådoroff...and not feddorovv.. and datsjuk not datsyuk... if you're going to go from the russian alphabet and pronounciation...

wow, mindfly is a linguist! if mindfly indeed were a linguist, he would say things like, "well, the correct pronunciation is such-and-such, but you'll probably say it wrong and some angry drunk guy will stab you with a beer bottle."

on a serious note, that actually is pretty interesting. i've seen a couple of youtube vids where a russian was calling the game (in russian, obviously), and when he said datsyuk's name, it sounded...a lot different than how i or TV announcers say his name. i wonder i that's weird...always having people say your name wrong.

but, then i guess...when i spend a semester in west africa, all the ghanaians said my name, which is matthew, like "MAH-chew." it didn't bother me...it was just how the said my name. i guess that's probably how it is.

that being said, i HATE when people say FRAN-zen. FRON-zen just sounds so much better to me...maybe that's just because it's what i'm used to.