Many languages in hockey?

Question

It's been intriguing me for a while how players of different nationalities work through the language thing. On my favourite team we have a Russian, a Finn, lots of Swedes, Czechs, Americans and Canadians. I noticed a big francophone contingent in the mix on the Penguins, too.

I presume that the default language in practices and meetings would be English, but I'm wondering how it all works. Maybe someone has personal experience of this?

Answer 1

It's no different than in the work force.

Personal experience yes, years ago I tried out for a team with a Finn, a Slovak, a few Quebecois (with whom I spoke French, which I learned at home and up until grade 4 at school), a couple Russians, a Ukranian, a few "Anglo" Canadians, a Japanese and a few Americans; team meetings + on-ice discussions including the entire team were in English so all could understand. this UN team of sorts helped me learn some Finnish and Japanese sry to say but I didn't know Russian at the time (not as much as I do now anyway)

Accents vary from one person to the next. Some people are more talented at learning a language (or any other "asset") than others. Case in point I have lived in Texas for less than a year and speak better Spanish than many who claim to be Mexican-American (my knowing French helps, but one would think that people who've heard it their whole lives would have an advantage over me)

lol 58 that reminds me of Patrik Elias saying being on a line with him and Petr Sykora their linemate Jason Arnott was "learning enough Czech to decipher the 2am news"

Answer 2

they know the necissary words to get by on the ice as well as the swear words and other than that they probably dont know much unless they have been here a long time

Answer 3

In my experience, all team meetings are in English.  If a player's command of English is non-existent, there may be a translator present during practices until he gets his English skills up.  I taught English to an Czech AHL player a couple years ago (I got the job because I was the only certified ESL teacher in the area that knew enough hockey terminology).  For his first season, he had a translator accompanying him to practices.  In fact, his translator was taking skating lessons at the same time in order to make his translating job easier.

But yeah, in my experience, team meetings and communication for U.S. and Canadian teams is usually in English, regardless of how many Euros or Quebecois they have.

Answer 4

Well one thing that people tend to forget is that while it is hard to learn to speak or write another language it is a bit easier to understand one.  I remember when I was a kid I met a couple of the Russians from the Red Wings at my dads store.  I couldn't understand a thing they said and their grasp of English was really weak.  They understood us rather well though.  Also in a lot of countrys it is a very normal thing for people to learn a second language, often English.  I dated a girl from Sweden once and pretty much everyone she knew back home spoke at least a little english.  I do think its funny to watch interviews with a guy like Lindstrom who has been in Detroit for years and sounds like an Americain and a guy like Zetterberb who still has a super thick accent.