Get some lessons, Olli. Please.

Jeff Babchuk · 02-09-2010, 07:45 PM

You'd think that 10+ seasons in the NHL, most of em on a U.S. team, would polish your English pronunciation, but no...
Olli Jokinen - most embarassing pronunciation of all the (long-term) Finns in the NHL?
http://rangers.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp --> Exclusive interview with Olli Jokinen

Btw, my new favorite is Tuukka Rask - nice english!

And only 22 years old.
Olli, call Tuukka.
Now!

Brun0 · 02-10-2010, 11:33 AM

mentally retarded?

mattihp · 02-11-2010, 09:19 AM

not all people have the ability to learn other languages easily. especially when the language is ENORMOUSLY different of one's own. heck, finnish isn't even an indo-european language...

Vinny Prospal was way worse.

illone84 · 02-11-2010, 11:55 AM

O.J needs to get his scoring touch back and work on his language skills later.

Jeff Babchuk · 02-11-2010, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattihp

not all people have the ability to learn other languages easily. especially when the language is ENORMOUSLY different of one's own. heck, finnish isn't even an indo-european language...

Vinny Prospal was way worse.

Who said anything about easy?
Excuses, excuses.
If other Finns (i.e. Rask - only third year in N.A., compared to OJ's thirteen)
can learn to speak almost fluent English, so could OJ.

And no need for the language-lesson;
Mä oon asunut Suomessa 22 vuotta, ja kävin kouluss siellä kanss.

Jeff Babchuk · 02-11-2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illone84

O.J needs to get his scoring touch back and work on his language skills later.

Quoted for truth.

Diaboli · 02-13-2010, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craah

Who said anything about easy?
Excuses, excuses.
If other Finns (i.e. Rask - only third year in N.A., compared to OJ's thirteen)
can learn to speak almost fluent English, so could OJ.

And no need for the language-lesson;
Mä oon asunut Suomessa 22 vuotta, ja kävin kouluss siellä kanss.

You do realize you just made two mistakes in that one finnish sentence you just wrote? Actually even more wierd that you're combining book language with slang. Just sayin'.. Actually, make that three mistakes if you count that comma in as well.

Jeepers Creeper · 02-13-2010, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craah

Mä oon asunut Suomessa 22 vuotta, ja kävin kouluss siellä kanss.

Maybe you should work on your Finnish skills since you've lived here 22 years, compared to OJ's 13 in North America.

Tuukka Rask is from younger generation so it's understandable he speaks more fluent English than Jokinen. For his age, Rask is awfully good at speaking English anyway, perhaps better than any other young Finn in the NHL. So your comparison a bit unfair.

Jeff Babchuk · 02-13-2010, 02:50 PM

Haha, yea let's discuss MY second language skills!
Good idea, since I'm the one who needs it in my work, and to be a good representative for my country,
and I must use Finnish every day to make myself understood.
No, wait...

The post was about OJ's obviously bad pronunciation,
not how I write in Finnish.
That's totally irrelevant.
And talk about "unfair comparison":
Wherever you go, look and whatever you listen to nowadays, English is the dominating language.
In movies, commercials, music, etc.
And yea - that goes for Finland too.
I haven't even heard Finnish in the last five years or so.

Anyway, thanks for being so friendly when I tried to be nice and write something in Finnish...

Jeff Babchuk · 02-13-2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackLabel

Tuukka Rask is from younger generation so it's understandable he speaks more fluent English than Jokinen. For his age, Rask is awfully good at speaking English anyway, perhaps better than any other young Finn in the NHL. So your comparison a bit unfair.

I wasn't comparing them.
I mentioned Tuukka as a good example.

mattihp · 02-13-2010, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craah

I wasn't comparing them.
I mentioned Tuukka as a good example.

No he is not. He is not an average finn when it comes to speaking english, he is clearly above average and thus not a good example for comparison. And in Finland I would say finnish is by far the dominating language.

Jeepers Creeper · 02-13-2010, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craah

Wherever you go, look and whatever you listen to nowadays, English is the dominating language.
In movies, commercials, music, etc.
And yea - that goes for Finland too.

English wasn't as prominent language in Finland 20 years ago as it was 10 years ago. Kids these days have an access to the Internet which is a huge factor most of them learn to speak English so well. Jokinen didn't have that privilege.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craah

Anyway, thanks for being so friendly when I tried to be nice and write something in Finnish...

Didn't mean it as offence. I just found your post rather ironic that's all.

MrSports* · 02-21-2010, 10:45 AM

I think, it's just a matter on how do they practice other (second)
languages in their personal time. Maybe, Olli Jokinen uses his primary languages often compared to Tuukka Rask. Or maybe, OJ often talk with his family and friend with their natural (finnish) language. It is somehow improves your second language if you practice it often.

HackandLube · 02-25-2010, 01:36 AM

From a Flames fan - Jokinen's english is at least better than Kiprusoff's english. Haven't heard Hagman's yet.