# Mark Cavendish is speaking Italian



## Skip Madness (31 Oct 2009)

In this video from 0:30 to 0:58 he is asked about next year's Giro. He doesn't speak much, he doesn't speak it well, but he is speaking it.

It always makes me wince a little bit when he gets interviewed in English at the Tour and the Giro (probably a hang-up about foreigners accommodating my own linguistic shortcomings whenever I've been abroad, and perceptions about anglophones generally). It was understandable in his first rides there, but I thought he'd have been better prepared in this year's races, and was beginning to worry he was going to stubbornly refuse to bother learning Italian or French. Nice to see he's trying to integrate.


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## MajorMantra (31 Oct 2009)

Yeah, it's good to see some effort being made. The Brits in general have a (deservedly) terrible reputation for bothering to integrate and speak to people in their own language.

Matthew


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## yello (31 Oct 2009)

His understanding of French was pretty good during the tour last year. A few times, he was responding (in English) to questions asked in French when he didn't have the ear piece in. Okay generic answers to generic questions, but none-the-less he was clearly able to understand, so fair play to him. The fact he's learning Italian just makes me more impressed (though I suspect the new girlfriend is an incentive!)

I was impressed by many of the (usually older) riders in last year's tour, listening and responding in French. Thor Hushvold for instance. Not their native tongue, and you know they speak English too. 

That said, Cadel Evans was a tad embarrassing year before last. He was trying, to credit him, but the interviewers reverted to English because I suspect it was easier for them!

I'll refrain from responding (in any depth) to the integration thing... suffice to say, I know of Brits that have lived here in France for many years and still don't really speak a word of French. Each to their own etc but I just couldn't do it.


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## Skip Madness (31 Oct 2009)

yello said:


> (though I suspect the new girlfriend is an incentive!)


I thought that too!


> I'll refrain from responding (in any depth) to the integration thing... suffice to say, I know of Brits that have lived here in France for many years and still don't really speak a word of French. Each to their own etc but I just couldn't do it.


Me neither. As you say, if it works for them it works for them. But I feel it's respectful to at least demonstrate that you've made an effort, especially if you are mixing with the natives a lot.


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## iLB (31 Oct 2009)

new GF??? in his autobiography he's engaged to someone as i recall...


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## Keith Oates (31 Oct 2009)

There is nothing like a 'long haired dictionary' to help you learn a language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Crankarm (1 Nov 2009)

Depends though what words she teaches him ......... .


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## maurice (2 Nov 2009)

ilovebikes said:


> new GF??? in his autobiography he's engaged to someone as i recall...



Miss Italy, no less


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## Cathryn (3 Nov 2009)

DAMN being pregnant...I speak Italian, I ride a bike. What's wrong with me apart from the bump???

More seriously, I'm sad. I clearly know nothing and this isn't 'Hello' but I'm always sad when a long term couple break up and the bloke gets a flashy new girlfriend.


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## Hont (3 Nov 2009)

I think riders are mostly wary of being mis-interpreted and mis-quoted by the press if they speak in a language that is not their first language. The higher profile the rider the more noticeable this tendency (Armstong and Contador usually prefer to speak in their native tongues for example).


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## aldensmith1979 (3 Apr 2010)

Skip Madness said:


> In this video from 0:30 to 0:58 he is asked about next year's Giro. He doesn't speak much, he doesn't speak it well, but he is speaking it.
> 
> It always makes me wince a little bit when he gets interviewed in English at the Tour and the Giro (probably a hang-up about foreigners accommodating my own linguistic shortcomings whenever I've been abroad, and perceptions about anglophones generally). It was understandable in his first rides there, but I thought he'd have been better prepared in this year's races, and was beginning to worry he was going to stubbornly refuse to bother learning Italian or French. Nice to see he's trying to integrate.



Hi,
I will suggest you learn Italian Language because demand for this language is growing very fast. This can benefit you in your future. I too have benefited from learning this language.


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## Cathryn (3 Apr 2010)

Anch'io parlo italiano, ma credo che tu sia un troll, signore! Ti piace il ciclismo?


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## rich p (3 Apr 2010)

E troll una parole in Italiano, Caterina?


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## raindog (3 Apr 2010)

Nico Roche speaks excellent French and David Millar's pretty good too. Nice to see Cav having a go in Italian. Apparently he loves Italy.


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## Skip Madness (3 Apr 2010)

aldensmith1979 said:


> Hi,
> I will suggest you learn Italian Language because demand for this language is growing very fast. This can benefit you in your future. I too have benefited from learning this language.


Già ho imparato un po' d'italiano prima di andare ad Italia per vedere il Giro scorso anno!


rich p said:


> E troll una parole in Italiano, Caterina?


Credo sì. Anche un verbo. Siamo _trollati_.


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## PpPete (3 Apr 2010)




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## Cathryn (3 Apr 2010)

Trollare. 

Io trollo
Tu trolli
Lui/lei trolle
Noi trolliamo
Voi trollate
Loro trollano


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## catalan chris (3 Apr 2010)

I'll put my two-penneth worth in here for Catalonia. A lot of the Garmin Slipstream squad have learnt Catalan given their training base is in Girona, Catalunya.

Visca la terra!!


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## rich p (3 Apr 2010)

catalan chris said:


> I'll put my two-penneth worth in here for Catalonia. A lot of the Garmin Slipstream squad have learnt Catalan given their training base is in Girona, Catalunya.
> 
> Visca la terra!!



Not a lot of use to Cav in Italy though, Chris
More importantly, is there a Catalan word for troll?
txacxzacx perhaps?


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## Skip Madness (3 Apr 2010)

rich p said:


> Not a lot of use to Cav in Italy though, Chris
> More importantly, is there a Catalan word for troll?
> txacxzacx perhaps?


You're getting Catalan confused with Basque. Catalan would be more like llatrollat or something else stupid with lots of l's and ending in a t or c.

I can't believe I'm making this post.


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## rich p (3 Apr 2010)

Skip Madness said:


> You're getting Catalan confused with Basque. Catalan would be more like llatrollat or something else stupid with lots of l's and ending in a t or c.
> 
> I can't believe I'm making this post.



 You're right, I was and I can't either!


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## Cathryn (3 Apr 2010)

In French, it would be 'troller'. In German, Trollen.


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## ColinJ (3 Apr 2010)

I don't think it was trolling as such - more like seeing a marketing opportunity where one shouldn't exist!


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