Question Concerning Tarso Marques

[Tim Northcutt]

On yesterday's telecast of the race, there were two different pronunciations of his name:

Bob Jenkins referred to his as "TAHR-ZOH MAHR-KEE"

Tommy Kendall called him "TAHR-SOH MAHR-KEHZ"

Bob Varsha on "Speed News" last night used the same pronunciation as Tommy Kendall....

Why I ask???

Since Tarso Marques is a Brazilian, I was wondering which one is correct....

I work for an Orchestra....there is a composer with the last name of
"Villa-Lobos"

If this guy would've been born in a Spanish-speaking country, his name would be pronounced "VEE-YAH LOH-BOHSS"

But he is Brazilian...and the proper pronunciation of his last name is actually:

"VEE-LAH LOH-BOH-SHH"

The "L" is not silent, and the "S" sounds like you're "shushing someone.....

Since there are two pronunciations of the same name on the Spike TV telecasts, I was just wondering which one is correct....

Once we establish that, I'll gladly send an e-mail to SpikeTV, so that both Bob and Tommy can pronounce it the same way...whichever is correct...

The world does not need another Paul Page....who butchers up race drivers' names on virtually every telecast he commentates...he drives me nuts!!!!

Thanks!

[Jordi]

It's probably Tarso Marqueshhh, like MAHR-KESSH, but I'm sure Muzza will be of more help.

[boom boom]

When he last raced CART I always remebered hearing it pronouced "TAHR-SOH MAHR-KEHZ"

[Muzza]

Cheers Tim and Jordi,

1.) Argh! Unfortunately the Carioca variety of Brazilian Portuguese is once again taken as the right pronounciation of something...

2.) There are significant accent (quasi-dialectal) variations of Brazilian Portuguese, and Carioca is only one of them. Unfortunately (or fortunately to them) the people from Rio is pretty good on "selling their fish to tourists" and many foreigners are led to believe that the Carioca pronounciation is the "only" or "right" one.

3.) This would be the same as having non-American believing that a Texan, Kentuckyan or Bostonian accent would be the only way of pronouncing a name. Of course, it is not.

4.) Only in Carioca the final s sounds like "sh" (and usually on an slight manner; youngsters tend to be more emphatic than men on this regard). Most (the far majority) of Brazilians do not pronounce words ending in "s" that way.

5.) As Villa-Lobos was from Rio, you are more than welcome to call him Vila-Lohbohsh if you want, but be warned that most Brazilians will use Vila-Lohbohs, without the "sh" sound at the end.

(the underlined syllable denotes the stressed, tonic sound)

(Jordi, you may relate well to that; as you are Catalan, you may have been more exposed to Portugal's Portuguese - the real one... - to which Rio's Brazilian Portuguese variety is indeed more similar)

6.) Well spot, Tim: the double l in Portuguese does [B]not[B] sound like "y", bland "dj" or "j" as in Spanish. It is just like an l. Also, there are no double ls in Portuguese grammar. It is present in Villa-Lobos' name only for historic reasons (same for Senna in Ayrton Senna).

7.) About Tarso Marques, the pronounciation is Tahr-so Mahr-ques. Please note that both words are paroxyton - the emphasys is on the first syllable. It is horrible to hear Jenkins calling him Mahr-quee or Mahr-quezz.

8.) Particularly in Brazil, and less in Portugal, the final "es" sounds almost like an "ees". And, in Rio, as we discussed, it would be "eesh".

9.) Also, people from Rio pronounce r in an aspirated way, similar to the English "h" or the Spanish "j", but in a longer way. In São Paulo (and to most Brazilians, by the way), the r is similar to the Italian r, and rather concise.

I could go on and on... Hope I did not bore you and that this could be of help.

Tim, I still owe you a private message; bear with me, I am having a tough day (who let me have fun in Long Beach? Now I have to pay the price).

Cheers,


Muzza
(from São Paulo, by the way...)

[boom boom]

Thanks Muzza
and yes I found your explantion very interesting, and informative
I am glad you had fun in Long Beach ..... get well soon

[Tim Northcutt]

Thanks, Muzza...

That helps a lot...

so the end of his name is an "s" sound...correct??

but the accent is on the first syllable of each name (which I suspected to be the case)...

I knew that Mahr-kee was really wrong somehow...

Well, at least Bob Jenkins didn't yell "boogity, boogity, boogity" at the start of the race....

[Jordi]

Thanks Muzza, very detailed explanation. I was a bit close, wasn't it?

[Muzza]

My pleasure, Tim, boom boom and Jordi.

Yes, the end of Marques' name sounds to most Brazilians as an "s", and not as a "sh" as Portugueses and Cariocas would pronounce.

(I am just bracing to get some flak from Flavinha or another Ten Tenths member from Rio )

Take it like this: it would be the same as asking an American how to pronounce car: in Oklahoma, you would hear people telling you that it should be "c'rrr", with three very rolled "rs" at the end... In Boston it would be more like "cahr", and so forth.

But, to the far majority of Brazilians, Marques is Mahr-ques.

Finally, let me say (if I dare to speak on behalf of the Lusophone Community at Ten Tenths) that I am very appreciative of your efforts to pronounce non-English names correctly.

Cheers!

Muzza

[camcartfan]

When Tarso was in Formula 1, the announcers pronounced it Markiss.

[Archer]

What sponsor bradings are on Marques car by the way, I couldnt read a thing?

[Muzza]

Originally posted by Archer
What sponsor bradings are on Marques car by the way, I couldnt read a thing?

AMR, American Medical Response - the largest private ambulance and emergency transport company of the United States, present pretty much in any corner of this country.

[camcartfan]

It was nice to see Dale didn't leave AMR's car yellow too.

[BootsOntheSide]

Hooray for Muzza! Once again coming in to explain things in perfect detail, solving all the racing world's confusion. Where would we be without this guy? Scracthing our heads over how to say Marques' name, instead of over how bad he is?

[Flavinha]

Great Muzza!!! Better than I would explain!

Just one thing isn't correct:

Originally posted by Muzza
9.) Also, people from Rio pronounce r in an aspirated way, similar to the English "h" or the Spanish "j", but in a longer way. In São Paulo (and to most Brazilians, by the way), the r is similar to the Italian r, and rather concise.

Not only in Rio they pronouce r like this. Only in São Paulo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and some cities of Minas Gerais they pronounce it similar to the Italian r. For the most Brazilians, the r is like English "h" or the Spanish "j".