Can you repeat please?

Spanish people are know for their “special” pronunciation of the English language. That includes using Spanish sounds for English people, music groups, cities, etc…. in a way that is impossible to understand for anyone who doesn’t speak Spanish (or Catalan).

It won’t come as a surprise that Chinese people do exactly the same… use Chinese sounds to simulate English names. It is not easy to understand what they are trying to talk about… not at all!

With the kind help of Lei Shiah (ADB colleague) I’ve prepared a set of audio files where you can try to guess what’s being said in “English”. There is a range from really simple ones to really complicated ones.

Press Play to listen to the audio. Click on the link below (with some hint text) to unfold the answer for each audio. Good luck!

Countries and cities

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/spain_barcelona.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”esp_bcn”]A country and a city[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”esp_bcn” start=”hidden”]Spain and Barcelona[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/brasil_mexico.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”bra_mex”]Two countries in American continent[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”bra_mex” start=”hidden”]Brazil and Mexico[/peekaboo_content]

Politicians around the world

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/zapatero.mp3|titles=???][peekaboo_link name=”zap”]Easy easy (for Spaniards at least)[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”zap” start=”hidden”]Zapatero[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/sarkozy_bruni.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”sarko” start=”hidden”]Still in Europe, well known couple[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”sarko” start=”hidden”]Sarkozy and Carla Bruni[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/angela_merkel.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”angela” start=”hidden”]Little bit more north[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”angela” start=”hidden”]Angel Merkel[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/michele_obama.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”m_obama”]Not as easy as it sounds[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”m_obama” start=”hidden”]Michele Obama[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/bill_clinton.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”bill”]Easy one. Very well known ex-[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”bill” start=”hidden”]Bill Clinton[/peekaboo_content]

Actors and actresses

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/leonardo_di_caprio.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”leo”]Easy. American[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”leo” start=”hidden”]Leonardo Di Caprio[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/penelope_cruz.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”pe”]Spanish actress at Hollywood[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”pe” start=”hidden”]Penelope Cruz[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/tom_cruise.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”cruise”]Love or hate him. American[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”cruise” start=”hidden”]Tom Cruise[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/harrison_ford.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”ford”]Complicated. Family name after a car brand name[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”ford” start=”hidden”]Harrison Ford[/peekaboo_content]

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/lee_xiaolong.mp3|titles=???]
[peekaboo_link name=”lee”]From Hong Kong[/peekaboo_link]
[peekaboo_content name=”lee” start=”hidden”]Bruce Lee (in Chinese Xiao Long Lee, or small dragon Lee)[/peekaboo_content]

How was it? :)