"Say what?": Jockey-speak

Heidilady · Postby **Heidilady** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 4:05 pm

Sometimes the new faces in horse racing are harder to understand for the fans at home. Bless their hearts but Julien Leparoux and Fernando Jara both got a heck of a lot across today, at least to me, despite being relatively new to the U.S. Their English isn't that stellar but they know certain phrases to use when they do well or do poorly probably and they're clearly both talented so they'll have opportunities to use those good phrases plenty I bet. Fernando seemed like a nice guy after listening to him try to get through his Belmont awards presentation interview. He seemed like a warm person. I was excited to finally hear an interview with Julien after seeing him ride so many awesome races lately.

Are there any jockeys you still can't understand even after several years? Any that've made amazing strides? (no pun intended) I used to just get confused but either my understanding of thick accents has improved or they're quicker at picking up English nowadays. I'm sure they want to get mounts like anybody and making the trainer comfortable helps with that. Biancone rides Leparoux a lot so they probably can get away with using French. I heard Lukas insists on good English grammar in his barn. True?

PS That guy Brent from the ABC coverage has this really neat voice. I don't really remember him but he sounds really interesting--kinda a throwback in tone. Obviously he's a native English speaker but I was hearing him as I typed this and thought it was semi-on topic.

austique · Postby **austique** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 4:21 pm

Okay I just want to point out that I am having to watch the Belmont on tape delay coverage because of golf. I am in hell.

Is it just me or is Jara kind of hot? :oops:

Prado's English is still pretty rough. We had a Puerto Rican rider who like Kenny from South Park...you only caught like every third or fourth word :lol:

Barbaro06 · Postby **Barbaro06** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 4:44 pm

I can usually understand the guys with the heavy accents. My dad had a heavy Slavic accent all his life. And you have to remember, they are thinking in their native languages and translating it back into English...not an easy thing to do.

sunday_silence · Postby **sunday_silence** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:11 pm

Having studied several languages, I must say you learn better if you don't try to translate, but actually see in your mind what the word represents. To use one example, don't think, "HORSE. What is the word in German?" Attach the image of a horse in your head to the word "Pferd." I don't know if that's how everyone does it, but a good number of the people I know who've mastered another language (and didn't do it at a very young age) do it that way. Translating in your head can be tricky, since some things just don't translate.

Georgerz · Postby **Georgerz** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:30 pm

I still have a thick spanish accent, even after being here for 25 years. I have a very good command of the English language, but sometimes I'm hard to understand because the enunciation (or lack of) and inflexion of my verbal speech, but I never, ever think in Spanish if I am speaking or communicating in English, and viceversa.

Jorge · Postby **Jorge** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:01 am

I agree with both perspectives. You have to learn to think in English in order to acquire mastery, but it takes time, accompanied with incorporating lots of root words.

On trying to speak other languages I must add that each time you incorporate a new one (language), the easier it becomes to learn more and more languages because you are incorporating lots of root words and root words is a medular working tool. Thats the reason why people like the late Pope knew so many languages, because the broader the easier.

But in general, whenever I witness these situations I try to picture myself trying to comment an unusual 1-1/2 mile race in another language, like say, speaking Danish and immediately feel great empathy on the person.

All the Best,

Double_Jay · Postby **Double_Jay** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:41 pm

Often I do have some trouble understanding every single word from certain jockeys (like Edgar, Alex Solis, Leparoux, Bejarano) but that's perfectly fine, I understand everything I need to know from them when they're riding their mounts. They are speaking "Equis". :wink:

I took four years of Spanish in high school and college. By the end of my second year I was thinking, and even dreaming, in Spanish, as a regular thing. I had to make a conscious effort to translate back into English whenever I wanted to talk to anyone other than people in my Spanish class. They say that when you start dreaming in the language that's not your native tongue, then you've got it down.

But it's true - if you don't use it you lose it, and I've forgotten so much of the Spanish I learned.

Double_Jay