# Lance and Tyler, Tyler and Lance



## Allez Rouge (Jan 1, 1970)

Is it just me, or has anyone else ever noticed that Tyler Hamilton's speech mannerisms are a virtual dead ringer for those of Lance Armstrong?

I've noticed this before, and was reminded of it again on last night's edition of "Road To The Tour." Look away from the tube, and you'd swear you're listening to Lance.


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## Frith (Oct 3, 2002)

*i've noticed that before....*

but what i've noticed most of all is that when Lance is in the thick of Le Tour and to a lesser extent at other times throughout the year you can hear a subtle yet very recognizable hint of Francais in his accent... Maybe it's all the switching between the two languages maybe it's a culmination of all the accents around him. Texan/french very conflicting...


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## BigFatSal (Jul 10, 2003)

*Could be....*



Frith said:


> but what i've noticed most of all is that when Lance is in the thick of Le Tour and to a lesser extent at other times throughout the year you can hear a subtle yet very recognizable hint of Francais in his accent... Maybe it's all the switching between the two languages maybe it's a culmination of all the accents around him. Texan/french very conflicting...


I haven't noticed that accent thing with Lance, but you certainly could be right about it.... I spend a lot of time in Hong Kong for work and find that after just a couple weeks there I start to pick a sort of Chinese accent in my english and even in my emails! Strange how that happens! I get home and people think I'm mocking Chinese people but it's just that I've picked up that accent. Luckily it goes away after about a week....

Regarding the original post, yes I've definitely noticed the same sort of deadpan delivery of Lance and Tyler. Lots of "ums" and "uhs."


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## reklar (Mar 15, 2003)

Frith said:


> but what i've noticed most of all is that when Lance is in the thick of Le Tour and to a lesser extent at other times throughout the year you can hear a subtle yet very recognizable hint of Francais in his accent... Maybe it's all the switching between the two languages maybe it's a culmination of all the accents around him. Texan/french very conflicting...


Oh he totally blends them a bit. I think it isn't so much the accent as the phrasing, but there is definitely a hint of french in there.


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## Nat (Feb 22, 2004)

Allez Rouge said:


> Is it just me, or has anyone else ever noticed that Tyler Hamilton's speech mannerisms are a virtual dead ringer for those of Lance Armstrong?
> 
> I've noticed this before, and was reminded of it again on last night's edition of "Road To The Tour." Look away from the tube, and you'd swear you're listening to Lance.


Oh totally! And I thought it was just me. The only part about it that bothers me is all the extended "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." like BigFatSal noted. Head injury?


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## Ricky2 (Apr 7, 2004)

Frith said:


> but what i've noticed most of all is that when Lance is in the thick of Le Tour and to a lesser extent at other times throughout the year you can hear a subtle yet very recognizable hint of Francais in his accent... Maybe it's all the switching between the two languages maybe it's a culmination of all the accents around him. Texan/french very conflicting...



Lance doesn't know French.


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## kissthedemon (Aug 27, 2003)

I noticed this as well. I also know some French folks and they all seem to have this mannerism as well. I can't generalize, but notice it in them. Since Lance speaks fluent french, he probably picked it up while he's living in Europe. Tyler speaks french as well, so probably the same thing. We all heard both of them speaking french (sounded like fluently to me) while the french reporters were interviewing them in last years tour.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

LeMond used to do it too. Listen to old interviews.


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## reklar (Mar 15, 2003)

Nat said:


> Oh totally! And I thought it was just me. The only part about it that bothers me is all the extended "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." like BigFatSal noted. Head injury?


No, he's just carefully picking his choice of words. It's all about the mind games...


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## Bianchigirl (Sep 17, 2004)

as a bilingual French/English speaker, I have to dispute the supposed 'fluency' of Armstrong. His French is adequate, little more - quite a disgrace actually after all those summers in France and time spent living in the country.

Agreed that he does sometimes have a French inflection and phrasing - but a fluent French speaker he is not and is never likely to be.


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## rodetoruin (Feb 8, 2004)

*Must be something in the blood.*

12345


Allez Rouge said:


> Is it just me, or has anyone else ever noticed that Tyler Hamilton's speech mannerisms are a virtual dead ringer for those of Lance Armstrong?
> 
> I've noticed this before, and was reminded of it again on last night's edition of "Road To The Tour." Look away from the tube, and you'd swear you're listening to Lance.


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## adelaarvaren (Oct 30, 2004)

Bianchigirl said:


> as a bilingual French/English speaker, I have to dispute the supposed 'fluency' of Armstrong. His French is adequate, little more - quite a disgrace actually after all those summers in France and time spent living in the country.
> 
> Agreed that he does sometimes have a French inflection and phrasing - but a fluent French speaker he is not and is never likely to be.


Agreed... French is my newest language, but I live in Paris and my wife is French, so despite not being able to speak it wonderfully, I understand very well and am getting to the point where I can hear accents (like the difference between someone from Paris or Geneva, and certainly almost all foreigners). Lance did interviews in French this year on France 2 TV, as did many of the other riders, and he's certainly not fluent. Better than Robbie McEwen perhaps (although, I think he lives in Flanders meaning he would speak more Flemish), but nothing like Thor Hushovd (who has an outstanding command of English too... of course he lives in Wales I think and rides for a French team). There was another Australian who I remember being really good too... maybe one of the guys on FDJeux.....


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Exactement .....*

Bianchigirl has it right. Lance speaks barely passable french -- much to his credit though! In any case, when he is interviewed here, we really have to hang on to understand what he is saying. I wouldn't be surprised if his spanish isn't better since he has lived as long, if not longer, in Gerona as opposed to Nice. Also, he has all those spanish domestiques.

A+

Philippe


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## Bianchigirl (Sep 17, 2004)

Stuart O'Grady speaks excellent French, but I would disagree about McEwen (much as it pains me since I don't like him much) - he's not bad at all.

I agree that it didn't harm Armstrong at all to finally be 'gracious' enough to attempt French. Maybe his Spanish is better but, given the 'one for all and all for Lance' ethos of USP/Disco I bet all those Spanish boys have learnt to speak excellent American...


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*my ex lived in Europe about 6 mos a year*

spoke French and Italian and her english had those same 'pauses' similar to searching for words in a foreign language that LA and TH possess. I called it continental english as it now sounds as if English is barely their first language and I'm sure it's due to the switching of languages in post race interviews. The brain is looking for the right word and it has multiple tongues to deal with.


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