Younis Khan

[Zinzan]

I'd go

Tendulkar Lara

Ponting Sanga Dravid Ten-Doeschate

Kallis Younis Chanderpaul

Smith Clarke KP
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Mahela

I think I just heard one of Mahela's characteristic high-pitched yelps, word must have got out.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Just checked, Windies are touring UAE next. Damn, I thought Younis (Hendrix is correct, the actual pronunciation is Younus, but I have always spelt it as Younis) would have a chance to correct his abysmal record in West Indies. Oh well, he may get that chance when we tour them after Australia.

It's a shame that Pakistani fans like Afridi more than the likes of Younis and Yousuf. Afridi isn't good enough the shine their shoes, let alone be in their company.

 

[zaremba]

But we in English would pronounce Younus and Younis exactly the same.

My guess is that Younis was initially translated in broadcast by a native English speaker who knows that Younis and Younus are pronounced the same in English (at least NZ English). And then Younus objected based on what he considers the pronunciation of Younis spelt like that to be.

I think on this one Kiwi pronunciation is different from most others. In England, at least, while Younis could be "Younuss", it could equally be "Youniss", as per "Kallis" or "Harris". I reckon I'd pronounce "Younis" and "Younus" differently.

 

[zaremba]

Younis Khan has always been a favourite player of mine, maybe my favourite overseas player. My completely impressionistic take is that he plays the game in the right way, he seems to have a smile on his face most of the time, he gets lots of tough runs and he gets them through attacking batting.

 

[Zinzan]

I think on this one Kiwi pronunciation is different from most others.

We tend to be a little lazy with our vowels.

 

[Zinzan]

Younis Khan has always been a favourite player of mine, maybe my favourite overseas player. My completely impressionistic take is that he plays the game in the right way, he seems to have a smile on his face most of the time, he gets lots of tough runs and he gets them through attacking batting.

Definitely strikes as being a genuinely good fella. Always felt this photo following the Peshawar school massacre illustrates the humane nature of the bloke perfectly

 

[hendrix]

I think on this one Kiwi pronunciation is different from most others. In England, at least, while Younis could be "Younuss", it could equally be "Youniss", as per "Kallis" or "Harris". I reckon I'd pronounce "Younis" and "Younus" differently.

No, Younuss is obviously different from Younus.

We tend to be a little lazy with our vowels.

Not really. Others are just not as good at hearing the difference between the short vowels we use. Particularly americans.

 

[Zinzan]

Not really. Others are just not as good at hearing the difference between the short vowels we use. Particularly americans.

This is a pretty well known fact about Kiwi's generally 'lazy vowels', but if you want to play devils advocate, that's cool.

 

[DriveClub]

Sorry but kiwis are terrible at vowels, you guys pronounce six as *** !!

 

[hendrix]

This is a pretty well known fact about Kiwi's generally 'lazy vowels', but if you want to play devils advocate, that's cool.

I'm not playing devil's advocate.

Just because other accents can't hear the difference between NZ short vowels doesn't mean we're lazy with them; it just means we pronounce them differently from them. Different pronunciations of vowels around the world is what makes accents.

Sorry but kiwis are terrible at vowels, you guys pronounce six as *** !!

Case in point.

A NZer can hear the difference between chips, cheps, chaps, cheeps and chups when we say it, or six and ***. Just because we say it differently doesn't mean it's wrong. I will, however, cede that we don't differentiate between bear, bare and beer. Our long vowels aren't of great consequence. You will find Americans tend to be the opposite.

 

[viriya]

nah, **** it.. He will always be Younis Khan to me and the best Pak batsman I have seen in my time so far... At the international level, he for me is at a similar level to Sanga, Kallis etc. Maybe I rate the latter two higher than him but its the bracket I will put him in, just below the Sachin/Lara/Ponting league.

Sanga not in Sachin/Lara league but Ponting is?

 

[viriya]

This is an educated guess:
-Native speakers please correct me if I'm wrong on any of this-

Mr Khan himself has said that he prefers Younus, and he has always spelled it as such,
As far as I can tell (I could be wrong here), there is no equivalent written letter to a short i (as in "bitter") in hindi/urdu, even though it is spoken in-between consonants. (there's a short i but it's pronounced more like a short ee, to my ear). That short i as in bitter is not so much thought of as a vowel.

Consider also that I, Y and EE are the same letter in the Arabic script. And in fact most short vowels are dispensed of.

I suspect Younus' objection is that when he sees Younis he thinks it means Youness/Younees, as in Loch Ness, or Younis like how a Spanish person would say it. But we in English would pronounce Younus and Younis exactly the same.

My guess is that Younis was initially translated in broadcast by a native English speaker who knows that Younis and Younus are pronounced the same in English (at least NZ English). And then Younus objected based on what he considers the pronunciation of Younis spelt like that to be.

This sounds a bit like Muralitharan vs Muralidaran. Murali preferred the "d" but he knew it was too late to change it.

 

[viriya]

Sure. But I believe that would be true for a lot of ATGs? How many of them finished on a high? Usually players don't come back to peak form once they have declined. The likes of Tendulkar are an anomaly.

I wouldn't say Sachin finished on a high.. He did come back from a prior slump but he finished way too late after that. Sanga is a better example - he literally ended his career after 4 tons in a row (albeit ODI).

 

[DriveClub]

This sounds a bit like Muralitharan vs Muralidaran. Murali preferred the "d" but he knew it was too late to change it.

Of course murali did

 

[Burner]

Can't believe I read through the post and didn't see it. Props. Top work.

 

[Zinzan]

I'm not playing devil's advocate.

Just because other accents can't hear the difference between NZ short vowels doesn't mean we're lazy with them; it just means we pronounce them differently from them. Different pronunciations of vowels around the world is what makes accents.

Seems what you call 'short', others call 'lazy'.

 

[Jono]

If this becomes a Sanga vs. Ponting vs. Kallis thread it will sum up Younis' career. Forever underrated.

 

[hendrix]

Seems what you call 'short', others call 'lazy'.

well, that's just lazy on their part.

 

[Prince EWS]

Seems what you call 'short', others call 'lazy'.

Nah, "short" is a phonic description of certain vowel sounds irrespective of accent. He's not saying NZers pronounce vowels in a short way; he's saying that when NZers pronounce short vowels, sometimes non-NZers can't differentiate. You think this is lazy, he disagrees, but he's not just calling it short instead of lazy. Short vowel sounds exist independent of accent or laziness.

For example:
ABC Fast Phonics - Vowel Letter "A"

 

[Flem274*]

Sorry but kiwis are terrible at vowels, you guys pronounce six as *** !!

aye? australia pronounces six as ***, you lot reckon we say "sux"