Igor: so he still needs an interpreter after 3 years here?

[kerrabria]

Hmm...on ESPN's game 7 NYR-Carolina game, I learned that Igor has been here about 3 years, yet still needs an interpreter. I don't closely follow the Rangers, so wasn't aware.

Is this disappointing, or only somewhat disappointing (if at all) to the Rangers, their fans and the NHL that any player, esp. a star, hasn't learned enough English after 3 years to engage in a quick intermission interview?

I realize some or many Russian NHL players (and maybe others?) have thick accents even after many years in North America, but after 3 years, don't most or all seem to be able to function in simple interviews without an interpreter?

Is this common in MLB or the NBA? I do recall interpreters, maybe even currently, in other sports, but isn't it usually for the player's first year or so, not three years later?

I am American, and sadly only know English despite foreign language courses in high school and even a few advanced French courses in college, decades ago. I do realize how hard it is as an adult to learn a new language if not immersed in it, which I never was. But hockey players are indeed immersed in English in the NHL, so isn't three years too long to still need an interpreter?

Any current pro stars in other North American sports require an interpreter?

...

Oh, and Canes fans never serenaded Igor tonight (or all series?) unlike Pens fans. They should have started at puck drop! No excuse.

It's very, very difficult for an adult Russian-speaker to learn English. And maybe he doesn't see himself living in the US long-term. Even if he does, he can clearly get by fine without speaking fluent English.

Honestly find it really embarrassing and insecure when people piss themselves over athletes not being interested of going through the slog of learning a new language when they're clearly succeeding without it.

 

[Nowotny]

English is a very hard language to learn

Quite the contrary.English is one of the easiest languages to learn.You just have to get used to different accents

 

[CalgarySnow]

Always assumed my husband was linguistically stupid, english (as in English born and bred), went to France every year and apart from please and thank you didn’t get it (we learnt French in school as a matter of course), in an Italian restaurant in Antwerp (Flemish speaking) and he didn’t even realize they were speaking a different language. Went to Germany and he got it, he finds German logical (he is an engineer so probably figures) so may be it depends on the language. English is difficult to learn even my bestie who is Afrikaans said it’s hard with all the different pronunciations and different meanings.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Hmm...on ESPN's game 7 NYR-Carolina game, I learned that Igor has been here about 3 years, yet still needs an interpreter. I don't closely follow the Rangers, so wasn't aware.

Is this disappointing, or only somewhat disappointing (if at all) to the Rangers, their fans and the NHL that any player, esp. a star, hasn't learned enough English after 3 years to engage in a quick intermission interview?

I realize some or many Russian NHL players (and maybe others?) have thick accents even after many years in North America, but after 3 years, don't most or all seem to be able to function in simple interviews without an interpreter?

Is this common in MLB or the NBA? I do recall interpreters, maybe even currently, in other sports, but isn't it usually for the player's first year or so, not three years later?

I am American, and sadly only know English despite foreign language courses in high school and even a few advanced French courses in college, decades ago. I do realize how hard it is as an adult to learn a new language if not immersed in it, which I never was. But hockey players are indeed immersed in English in the NHL, so isn't three years too long to still need an interpreter?

Any current pro stars in other North American sports require an interpreter?

...

Oh, and Canes fans never serenaded Igor tonight (or all series?) unlike Pens fans. They should have started at puck drop! No excuse.

Some guys can but just prefer not to, to make sure they don't misuse something/say the wrong thing. Can't fault him for it. I bet his english is actually good, too.

Always assumed my husband was linguistically stupid, english (as in English born and bred), went to France every year and apart from please and thank you didn’t get it (we learnt French in school as a matter of course), in an Italian restaurant in Antwerp (Flemish speaking) and he didn’t even realize they were speaking a different language. Went to Germany and he got it, he finds German logical (he is an engineer so probably figures) so may be it depends on the language. English is difficult to learn even my bestie who is Afrikaans said it’s hard with all the different pronunciations and different meanings.

English is just 3 languages in a trench coat.

 

[Rempe73]

English is a very hard language to learn

Really? To me it’s the easiest

 

[jgatie]

I used to travel overseas for work a lot, and the number one meme was:

Q: What do you call a person who speaks 3 languages? A: Trilingual.
Q: What do you call a person who speaks 2 languages? A: Bilingual.
Q: What do you call a person who speaks 1 language? A: American

 

[Taluss]

Quite the contrary.English is one of the easiest languages to learn.You just have to get used to different accents

From what I’ve read it’s apparently one of the more harder ones. Although I’ve also heard the opposite from others besides you lol. I don’t understand how it can be on both sides.

(Beautiful dog in the pfp btw!)

 

[Chimpradamus]

From what I’ve read it’s apparently one of the more harder ones. Although I’ve also heard the opposite from others besides you lol. I don’t understand how it can be on both sides.

(Beautiful dog in the pfp btw!)

Quite the contrary.English is one of the easiest languages to learn.You just have to get used to different accents

It's all relative to the language that is your first language or mother tongue. For a Japanese or Korean person English is extremely difficult, for a Dutch or Scandinavian person English is very easy. Russian as a Slavic language has its own alphabet and not similar grammar. At least they write from the left to the right. That Russians struggle with English isn't strange. They also dub their TV shows and programs while the Dutch and Scandinavians just put subtitles and keep the original language.

I bet Shestyerkin understands alot of English and might even speak some but he's obviously not comfortable talking broken English in front of potentially millions of viewers.

 

[Bostonzamboni]

I am the OP.

I mentioned how I took a couple of advanced French courses at an American college decades ago, but can't do much with it. I was never immersed while learning it, and haven't had a realistic chance to pursue it in America as an adult.

I am amazed at how some can speak, understand and/or read two or even several languages, especially if they did not start the second one until later in childhood or adulthood -- and those taking college courses is so impressive.

My mother learned English at about age 34, high school grad only, moving from Quebec province to America. Yes, it helped that she had a lot of immersion here, as no relatives lived here. But still commendable. Had an accent, of course. So maybe learning English in adulthood, with or without an accent, can be relatively easy for some, depending on which is their native tongue? (as some here have suggested).

I get the feeling that many or most of my fellow Americans are very content with just English. Canadians also? In fact, I am a bit embarrassed about only knowing English, when America offers plenty of chances to learn Spanish.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

Malkin used a translator for many years.
Fleury and Mario used a translator when they arrived to Pittsburgh, although they picked up English much faster than Malkin.

Swedes and Finn's speak perfect English. I don't remember a single scandanavian player who needed a translator.

I vaguely remember a story where Adam Foote was Patrick Roy's translator when Roy was traded to Denver. He was around 30 at the time.

 

[Governor]

Why does it matter if Igor needs a translator for interviews? The guy can stop pucks like one of the best, it shouldn't matter one bit if he needs a translator or not.

 

[lakeshirts37]

Mods close this up. This is ridiculous.

 

[Chimpradamus]

Malkin used a translator for many years.
Fleury and Mario used a translator when they arrived to Pittsburgh, although they picked up English much faster than Malkin.

Swedes and Finn's speak perfect English. I don't remember a single scandanavian player who needed a translator.

I vaguely remember a story where Adam Foote was Patrick Roy's translator when Roy was traded to Denver. He was around 30 at the time.

Finland isn't part of Scandinavia but part of the Nordic countries. They share a very similar culture with Scandinavians but the Finnish language is an entirely different beast. It's a Finno-Ugric language.

That's why Finns usually have a bit more of an accent speaking English than Swedes for example, it's not an Indo-European language. Like the famous Rally Finnish accent. Still, Finns are as all Nordic people taught English from a very early age (7-8 years old). They also only put subtitles on foreign films and TV shows and never dub things unless it's for children.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Finland isn't part of Scandinavia but part of the Nordic countries. They share a very similar culture with Scandinavians but the Finnish language is an entirely different beast. It's a Finno-Ugric language.

That's why Finns usually have a bit more of an accent speaking English than Swedes for example, it's not an Indo-European language. Like the famous Rally Finnish accent. Still, Finns are as all Nordic people taught English from a very early age (7-8 years old). They also only put subtitles on foreign films and TV shows and never dub things unless it's for children.

Pretty sure Indians are an example of that not mattering when it comes to accents.

 

[42]

Really? To me it’s the easiest

Let me guess, you learned it as a toddler?

I'd say ship him back to Russia. There is no room for non-fluent English speakers in the NHL.

 

[tom leafers]

Pretty common in MLB I believe, among Dominican and Japanese players for example
In fact, 2 top MVP finalists from last year and superstars (Guerrero and Ohtani) both regularly use interpreters

not sure if someone else mentioned this but look at Hyun-Jin Ryu. dudes been in the MLB for 10 years and still uses an interpreter.

 

[OddManRush]

Russians are stubborn. Geno had next to non-existent English for several years as well

 

[Rempe73]

Let me guess, you learned it as a toddler?

I'd say ship him back to Russia. There is no room for non-fluent English speakers in the NHL.

Sorry. Supposed to be a Norm MacDonald reference and I couldn’t help myself.

 

[HanSolo]

Knew a guy in my high school who moved to the states from Russia (I'd say friend but he turned out to be a huge dickhead). By sophomore year he spoke near perfect English with almost no accent. Met his dad after senior year and he was still struggling heavily with the language. And not for lack of trying.

Some people just get it easier than others. English isn't an easy second language to learn.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I used to travel overseas for work a lot, and the number one meme was:

Q: What do you call a person who speaks 3 languages? A: Trilingual.
Q: What do you call a person who speaks 2 languages? A: Bilingual.
Q: What do you call a person who speaks 1 language? A: American

I heard Brits are like that too. English is pretty universal and there's less of a need to learn other languages.

 

[Leafblooded]

Russians don't really want to speak your English

 

[Chimpradamus]

Pretty sure Indians are an example of that not mattering when it comes to accents.

What? Indians have their own English accent that is very prevalent. You can immediately tell if someone is from India or close to that region.

 

[rangersfansince08]

What? Indians have their own English accent that is very prevalent. You can immediately tell if someone is from India or close to that region.

I know. My point is that their(most Indians) languages being Indo-European doesn't prevent them from having ginormous accents. If Finns have bigger accents than Swedes its not because Swedish is an Indo-European language and Finnish is Uralic. It might be because Swedish is Germanic.

 

[ecemleafs]

From what I’ve read it’s apparently one of the more harder ones. Although I’ve also heard the opposite from others besides you lol. I don’t understand how it can be on both sides.

(Beautiful dog in the pfp btw!)

its probably a technically difficult language, but so many speak it around the world and its so commonplace in media and entertainment that the exposure makes it much easier for one to learn.

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

English is a really difficult language to learn if you didn't grow up with it, and, let's be honest, we native speakers don't particularly cover ourselves in glory on that front, either.

Then there's the completely different alphabet, and the fact that Slavic languages involve sounds our Western tongues struggle with; reverse that. It's a really challenging switch just on a pronunciation level, let alone sorting grammar, syntax, idioms, etc.

Factor in any general hesitancy about public speaking and the very rational concerns about being *misinterpreted*, particularly in the current climate for Russian players, it makes perfect sense he'd want an interpreter with a mic in front of his face.