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=???]
A country and a city

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/brasil_mexico.mp3|titles=???]
Two countries in American continent

Politicians around the world

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/zapatero.mp3|titles=???]Easy easy (for Spaniards at least)

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/sarkozy_bruni.mp3|titles=???]
Still in Europe, well known couple

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/angela_merkel.mp3|titles=???]
Little bit more north

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/michele_obama.mp3|titles=???]
Not as easy as it sounds

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/bill_clinton.mp3|titles=???]
Easy one. Very well known ex-

Actors and actresses

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/leonardo_di_caprio.mp3|titles=???]
Easy. American

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/penelope_cruz.mp3|titles=???]
Spanish actress at Hollywood

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/tom_cruise.mp3|titles=???]
Love or hate him. American

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/harrison_ford.mp3|titles=???]
Complicated. Family name after a car brand name

[audio:http://nomadscatalans.net/fetataiwan/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/lee_xiaolong.mp3|titles=???]
From Hong Kong

How was it? :)