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Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - Printable Version

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Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - Reviewed - 2010-06-04

Someone pointed this out:


Theoretically, it's how English sounds like to those who don't understand it. If you're not a native speaker, does it remind you of what it used to sound like? At least, it did for me, sweet little memories. Either way, the song's quite catchy.

Does anyone know another language's equivalent?

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - nest0r - 2010-06-04

This is what most of the English in the music I listen to sounds like to me.

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - kazelee - 2010-06-04

My head hurts trying to make sense of it \@_@/

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - mafried - 2010-06-04

nest0r Wrote:This is what most of the English in the music I listen to sounds like to me.
Haha i was thinking the same thing. If I heard that on the radio I probably wouldn't have noticed a thing.

Talk about really well done. I wonder if a linguist was involved, and what method he/she used...

EDIT: Oh no wonder it works: the lyrics are real English words, but thrown together without regard for meaning. Great effect.

"Let's freeze that goat. Alllright"



Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - Blahah - 2010-06-04

Part of the reason it sounds a bit like English is because there are actually lots of English words in there mixed in with other sounds. To be honest though, it's in such a strong s̶p̶a̶n̶i̶s̶h̶ Italian accent that it doesn't sound like English to me that much at all.

edit: wow, unicode diacritic strikethrough sucks

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - nest0r - 2010-06-04

Blahah Wrote:Part of the reason it sounds a bit like English is because there are actually lots of English words in there mixed in with other sounds. To be honest though, it's in such a strong Spanish accent that it doesn't sound like English to me that much at all.
I think it's an Italian video, and to me the accent sounds Midwestern (American) or something.

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - nest0r - 2010-06-04

mafried Wrote:EDIT: Oh no wonder it works: the lyrics are real English words, but thrown together without regard for meaning. Great effect.

"Let's freeze that goat. Alllright"

I think that's referring to another version. In the original posted video, so far as I can tell there's no English, it's just sounds. Maybe the one you posted is just trying to make gibberish into real words, kind of like what people do with foreign language songs.

Personally I always try to listen to the voice as an instrument, and very rarely attend to lyrical content (especially as I so rarely hear anything worthwhile, but for worthwhile stuff I make exceptions); between that and that gibberish in pop music, I rarely hear English lyrics as actual meaningful words. ;p

That skill came in handy for listening to Japanese music, and I find hip hop most conducive to that kind of 'reduced listening'.

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - mafried - 2010-06-04

Haha no I just thought it was funny to watch Will Smith try to make sense of it. "That's not English!"

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - nest0r - 2010-06-04

mafried Wrote:Haha no I just thought it was funny to watch Will Smith try to make sense of it. "That's not English!"
That earpiece/translation thing is interesting, for some reason I haven't seen that used before.

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - wccrawford - 2010-06-04

Reviewed Wrote:Someone pointed this out:


Theoretically, it's how English sounds like to those who don't understand it. If you're not a native speaker, does it remind you of what it used to sound like? At least, it did for me, sweet little memories. Either way, the song's quite catchy.

Does anyone know another language's equivalent?
Even as a native speaker, it -sounds- like English. I doubt it would survive that test if it weren't sung, though. Singing changes language too much.

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - nest0r - 2010-06-04

I keep thinking Prisencolinensinainciusol is some kind of drug.

Prisencolinensinainciusol, or how English sounds like to non-speakers - gfb345 - 2010-06-05

nest0r Wrote:I keep thinking Prisencolinensinainciusol is some kind of drug.
Well, it is, and I find it a bit addictive:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xao40g_alessia-gioffi-prisencolinensinainc_music

I think it's pretty cool that other performers are covering this song.