Italian = volleyball language

  • Today I was thinking to myself, with how many players I could communicate in my mother language. The conclusion was, that a lot of players speak a fluent italian. :clap: :good:


    Brazil = Sheilla, Fofao, Walewska, Jaqueline
    Cuba = Yumi Ruiz, Francia, Aguero
    USA = Bown, Aldrich, Berg
    Russia = Sokolova, Godina, Kirillova, Menchova
    Poland = Glinka, Skowronska, Sliwa, Fratczak, Swieniewicz, Przybisz (sp?)
    Serbia = Spasojevic, Djerisilo, Nikolic, Citakovic, Jerkov (their italian is really good :clapping: )
    Croatia = Poljak, Osmokrovic, Barun (same as the serbians)
    Bulgaria = Koleva, Zetova, Marinova, Petkova
    Romania = Turlea
    Germany = Grun, Dumler, Pachale
    Netherlands = Fledderus
    Belgium = De Carne
    France = Makulewicz
    Lithuania = Sorokaite
    Japan = Takahashi (not so fluent, I think)


    There are a lot of others too, but for now I don't remember.

  • I wouldn't be so romantic about this if I were you ! I mean, of course, after spending some time in a certain country, one gets to terms with the language, but as far as the 'freshies' go... I'm not so sure. Still, I have absolutely no doubt all these girls are also talented linguistically, but ones like Sorokaite or Barun who (to my knowledge) never played in Italy before, will need some more time to be able to have an in-depth-conversation with you :wink2:.


    I give you here the story of one of my hero's: Jelena Nikolic, whom I consider a 'girl with balls' :aggress::


    "I went to play abroad when I was 17, which was a little crazy at the time. I was completely alone. I realized that when my dad, who drove me to Italy, showed me the flat and said good-bye. In the beginning it was a nightmare, especially because of the language bareer. I was nostalgic. On one hand it was good, because I matured and learned to take care of myself. On the other hand, my best years of friendship with girls from Belgrade, remained only a dream", tells Jelena sadly.


    Ingeniousness, perspicacity and determination, being her features on the court, helped her in her first years in Reggio Emilia, to find new friends:


    "I tried to find someone from Yugoslavia. I asked the people in kiosques whether someone else buys newspaper from my country. I left my phone number there and soon enough a woman called who became my second mother. I remember so well the Sunday lunches and all the fun we had in Reggio Emilia. That is what I missed the most", said sincerely Jelena Nikolic.


    Respect!


    k.

  • Thanks for the interesting story about Jelena Nikolic. :wink2: :D


    It's incredible how quickly people who speak Slavic languages learn Italian. I've heard the players speak Italian in interviews and their were absolutely fluent. Godina, Spasojevic accents are good and also grammar was correct.

  • Quote from "kaszanka"

    I give you here the story of one of my hero's: Jelena Nikolic, whom I consider a 'girl with balls' :aggress::
    ...


    What a 'sad' story...i think everyone who left his mother-country to live abroad can relate to that...

  • Quote from "Brian"

    China= Sun Yue, He Qi Li Yan
    I think more from USA and Cuba...since they sent alot of players to Italy before


    Metcalf played only a few months in Italy but she speaks some Italian!
    I think only Danielle Scott speaks a little portuguese :cry2:

  • Godina, Sokolova and Kirillova still speak a perfect Italian. Godina's Italian is the best of the three. She speaks with almost no accent and with correct grammar. Maybe it is because she has an Italian boyfriend, and she studied Italian in university, plus one year in Chieri. Kirillova is married with Caprara. And obviously all three communicate with Caprara in Italian. But Caprara's Russian also improved. Alimova too, can understand Italian and can speak it, though probably not as good as the other three. Artamonova has some knowlegde too.

  • After a year I think I should make an update and correct some mistakes. Of the list I did, I'm not sure about Jaqueline, Citakovic and Shin Takahashi. About the others I can confirm they can speak, because I've heard them in recent interviews. Also based on interviews I can add:


    Brazil = Mari, Mengarda
    Czech Republic = Buckova, Ritschelova, Plchotova
    USA = Sykora, Adams, Phipps
    Ukraine = Zhukova, Voronina, Dushkyevich, Shaposhnikov
    Poland = Gujska
    Serbia = Radulovic, Curcic
    Croatia = Gligorovic, Katic, Usic, Popovic, Siscovich, Percan
    Bulgaria = Germanova, Ouzunova, Spassova, Sokolova, Boteva, Krasteva
    Romania = Nucu, Butnaru, Corjeutanu, Marc, Pirv
    Netherlands = Wijnhoven
    Belgium = Dirickx
    France = Salinas
    Finland = Esko, Lehtonen

  • What about Manon Flier? I remember i've seen an interview with her in italian and all she was saying was kinda like "penso...."....

    When did you hear her? When she played in Italy, or it was a recent thing? Because a lot of players played in Italy, but a lot of them forgot to speak, because they didn't have the chance to practice. Logan Tom for example now speaks a mixture of Spanish and Italian.

  • Italian language is definitely the main in volleyball. Very good leagues with many players from all the world, player who learn how to speak this language. A lot of Italian coaches in European clubs an NTs, who provide Italian in these teams(however, Bonitta has been speaking Polish quite good :) ). These are the factors which make Italian so important.

    The most important 3:
    POLAND-SZCZECIN-VOLLEYBALL


    5th place - Prediction Game - World League 2011 :D

  • Have you got the records of these interviews? I especially interested in Voronina's ones.

  • Have you got the records of these interviews? I especially interested in Voronina's ones.

    They are almost all on www.volleyrosa.net :) They have hundreds of interviews. Tommorrow I try to find if they have some of Voronina.

  • Bonitta has been speaking Polish quite good :) ).

    I was surprised to hear him speaking Polish. He is really quick in learning a new language. That is great. He showed respect to Poland. Good job, Bonitta!!!

  • Have you got the records of these interviews? I especially interested in Voronina's ones.


    As for now I didn't find Voronina's, but I promise to do my best to find interviews for every player. I start today with




    Maja Poljak
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC4l22EYNnI (after Fenoglio's interview)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTNYbwQtnb8 (after Fenoglio)

  • I saw an interview with Soninha (from Santeramo), and after 2 years in Italy, she has still a lot of portuguese on her vocabulary... Same with Mari and Jaqueline... I'm pretty sure that their italian is less than basic... but still understandable because of the similarity of some italian/portuguese words...


    Glinka also mixed Italian with Spanish, after playing in Murcia. But on some interview of Fernanda Venturini, she said the players (in Murcia) would communicate in italian, or english, but mostly italian... ;)

  • I saw an interview with Soninha (from Santeramo), and after 2 years in Italy, she has still a lot of portuguese on her vocabulary... Same with Mari and Jaqueline... I'm pretty sure that their italian is less than basic... but still understandable because of the similarity of some italian/portuguese words...


    Glinka also mixed Italian with Spanish, after playing in Murcia.


    Yeah, Glinka mixes Italian and Spanish when speaking Spanish (very funny), but she speaks proper Italian, because she is married to an Italian. That helps! ;)


    Mari's Italian is less than basic. She practically speaks Portuguese.

  • Yeah, Glinka mixes Italian and Spanish when speaking Spanish (very funny), but she speaks proper Italian, because she is married to an Italian. That helps! ;)


    Mari's Italian is less than basic. She practically speaks Portuguese.

    I heard Mari's italian... hahaha, I really know how bad it is :down:
    But then, Sheilla's italian is not good either, and she has been living in Italy for 3 years now...


    Glinka's husband is Italian? Well, he looked like, but I really didn't know that... 8o
    I think that helps a lot... I see Danielle Scott here, and her Portuguese is now great... (taking off the accent, of course)


    Anyway, do you know if Fernandinha already is speaking Italian?

  • I heard Mari's italian... hahaha, I really know how bad it is :down:
    But then, Sheilla's italian is not good either, and she has been living in Italy for 3 years now...


    Glinka's husband is Italian? Well, he looked like, but I really didn't know that... 8o
    I think that helps a lot... I see Danielle Scott here, and her Portuguese is now great... (taking off the accent, of course)


    Anyway, do you know if Fernandinha already is speaking Italian?


    I don't know about Fernandinha, but I will investigate! :super: hehe


    Yeah, Glinka's husband is volleyball player Roberto Mogentale. Danielle Scott is married to Arruda (or something similiar) right?


    Sheilla is not that bad, considering Mari ;) . What amazes me is that American players such as Berg, Sykora and Bown speak better. And we all know the stupid stereotype that Americans do not learn another language. Completely untrue!!!