# Why does Bob Roll always say Tour "day" France



## bikejr (Jul 30, 2004)

It sounds so dorky... Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?


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## Akirasho (Jan 27, 2004)

... because he's Bob Roll...


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

bikejr said:


> It sounds so dorky... Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?


He does it to piss off the French. I read an interview once where he stated he hates the French arrogance.


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## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

bikejr said:


> It sounds so dorky... Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?


You must read Bobke II to understand Bobke...


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

bikejr said:


> It sounds so dorky... Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?



the same reason they call it the "Tour DE Georgia"?


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

FatTireFred said:


> the same reason they call it the "Tour DE Georgia"?



LMAO...how true....There is also something wrong with saying "Dodge presents the Tour De Georgia" It sounds like they are trying to class up a bowling tournament. Why bother?


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## ttug (May 14, 2004)

*Bob is Bob*



bikejr said:


> It sounds so dorky... Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?


Why not?

It looks like Bob is getting the disired outcome from you. Look, its a bike race. Its fun. Why turn it into a thing that sounds like you can pick up a quarter on a park bench using only your buns?

Fun is Fun. Water is wet etc etc etc


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## Bryan (Sep 19, 2004)

What does "tour" mean in French? Is it the litteral definition of the English "tour"?


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## bsdc (Feb 15, 2002)

bikejr said:


> It sounds so dorky... Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?


Why do people question the actions of crazy people?


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

No, a go around. To literally encircle something would be to tour it. 

Or, one lap remains in a race: Il reste un tour...

English 'tour' I think would be closer to circuit, circuit touristique, etc.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Watch Spinal Tap -

DIBERGI: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder? 

TUFNEL: (Extremely long pause) These go to eleven. 

Some things just ARE. Boobka just is.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

because that stage is not at night.


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

bikejr said:


> It sounds so dorky... Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?


I can't remember which commentator it was but in yesterday's stage, he told Bobke that if Ulrich was top ten, he'd have to pronounce Tour de France "correctly" for today's stage. Too bad Ulrich wasn't top ten ...


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## vonteity (Feb 13, 2005)

Because he's an idiot.


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## RodeRash (May 18, 2005)

*Actuellement, mon petit chioux . . .*



Bryan said:


> What does "tour" mean in French? Is it the litteral definition of the English "tour"?


First of all, not to put too fine a point on it, it's "literal" -- But more importantly, "tour" in English comes from the French, one of an influx of French lexical items (words) dating from the days of William The Conqueror (1066) and the Battle of Hastings when William took over the English throne and French became the language of the English courts and upper classes in English society. 

While English derives from Anglo-Saxon (with a lot of Norse, Frisian, Celtic features) our English vocabulary includes about 70% French or "Latinate" word forms. (French is a dialect of Latin, as are Spanish and Italian -- the "Romance" languages. "Romance" in fact is a French word meaning "Roman like.") 

More French words in English include beau, village, actual, literal, entrenched, battalion, latrine, course, boulevard, class, post, infirm, infantry, cycle, vacation, affair . . . I could go on and on . . . 

Anyway, back to "tour" . . . 

Le tour means "a tour" or "a turn" as in taking a turn at something. 

La tour means "tower." And so you need to pay attention to gender, although most of the time the meaning is evident from context. 

So "tour" in English is actually French. It's not rather that the "French tour" means the same thing as the "English tour." Tour is French, but it's one of the French words that we use in English. 

More informaiton that you didn't ask for and maybe can't use/don't care about . . . ANY word in English that ends in "tion" or "sion" is French. And in French the word is always feminine gender. 

Back to the English courts and William The Conqueror -- When the courts issued edicts to the English countryside they often used both the French and English terms to ensure that the meaning was clear. Accordingly, the phrase "cease and desist" demonstrates this legal tradition -- "cease" being the French and "desist" being the English. Ironically, the French picked up the English term and the verb "desister" in French derives from the English . . . and means the same as "cesser" -- to cease. 

Chic alors! 

Yeah, as a matter of fact I used to teach English and linguistics at the U. 

Now close the terminal and go out and ride your bicyclette.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

bikejr said:


> Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?


No...he does it to specifically irritate you and you alone.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*cause de (pronounced duh)*

Bobke opnly uses when something is dumb


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## Mattbikeboy (Feb 18, 2004)

*Tour Day France*

He gave his reason last night. It went something like: "after arriving last night at 10pm -- the waiter made me wait an hour and a half before he took my order. That is why I say Tour Day Fraance."

mbb


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## Mel Erickson (Feb 3, 2004)

He does it because he's a joke - er. I also believe he subscribes to my signature line.


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## tube_ee (Aug 25, 2003)

bikejr said:


> It sounds so dorky... Does he just do this to irritate the other guys?


He does it because it's part of his "bobke" schtick. "Bobke" is almost like Bob Roll's evil twin.

Bobke says "Tour day France." Bob Roll speaks fluent French, having lived there for years.

--Shannon


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## snowman3 (Jul 20, 2002)

*precisely!*

abcdefg


bsdc said:


> Why do people question the actions of crazy people?


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Back in the day...*



tube_ee said:


> He does it because it's part of his "bobke" schtick. "Bobke" is almost like Bob Roll's evil twin.
> 
> Bobke says "Tour day France." Bob Roll speaks fluent French, having lived there for years.
> 
> --Shannon


Back in the day when he was riding professionally, he had a run in with some local French guy. I can't remember the exact circumstances, but now he pronounces it "day" to irritate mostly the French. Seems to be working.


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## OrangeCat (Apr 7, 2005)

It is only rock and roll! ahhh, But I like it!


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## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

*Royal with Cheese*

The French are truly a snooty lot. I've been to France and the only reason I would go back would be to take a dump on some French persons lawn. One way to irritate the French is to mangle their language. Way to go Bobke!


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## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

*Royal with Cheese*

The French are truly a snooty lot. I've been to France and the only reason I would go back would be to take a dump on some French persons lawn. One way to irritate the French is to mangle their language. Way to go Bobke!


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## Inspector Gadget (Apr 5, 2002)

*Impressive...*



RodeRash said:


> First of all, not to put too fine a point on it, it's "literal" -- But more importantly, "tour" in English comes from the French, one of an influx of French lexical items (words) dating from the days of William The Conqueror (1066) and the Battle of Hastings when William took over the English throne and French became the language of the English courts and upper classes in English society.
> 
> While English derives from Anglo-Saxon (with a lot of Norse, Frisian, Celtic features) our English vocabulary includes about 70% French or "Latinate" word forms. (French is a dialect of Latin, as are Spanish and Italian -- the "Romance" languages. "Romance" in fact is a French word meaning "Roman like.")
> 
> ...



Didn't the Normans also "outlaw" certain ordinary Saxon words as vulgar sounding, which have since evolved into our favorite, highly versatile four letter wonders of our modern language? If anyone's interested, I could go on about the origins of the middle finger, which originates in a French military thrashing worse than their current TdF drought.


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## Inspector Gadget (Apr 5, 2002)

Dave Hickey said:


> He does it to piss off the French.


 What better reason is there?


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