<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Sometime during Anderson Varejao's first season in Cleveland, the Cavaliers had a remarkable realization: no one knew how to pronounce the moppy-haired Brazilian's last name. Everyone had a different opinion, and no one was positive what, exactly, came out of Varejao's own mouth with consistency. A pronunciation session with Varejao and Cavaliers public relations staff at the end of last season yielded a universal agreement: Vah-RAY-jean. Stress the middle syllable, and say the last syllable the same way the French pronounce the male name Jean. "That's the way he pronounces it, the way [radio's] Joe Tait pronounces it, the way [TV's] Michael Reghi pronounces it, and the way I pronounce it," Cavaliers public-address announcer Ronnie Duncan said Tuesday. It's not that easy, though. Out-of-town radio and TV announcers constantly ask for pronunciation help. As the Cavaliers continue to surge through the NBA playoffs with the help of Varejao's energetic play, multiple variations have emerged from national media. Lucia Costigan, an Ohio State University associate professor of literatures and cultures of Latin America, said the trickiest part is the last syl lable, which has a tilde over the "a" in Va rejao's native Portuguese. "It's very, very nasal," Costigan said. Costigan says the last syllable of Vare jao's name with gusto: Vah-ray- ZHAOW! </div> Source He has a strong resemblance to the villain in the Simpsons as well, Sideshow Bob.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">How do the French pronounce "Jean"?</div> ...John Like Jean Claude Van Dam.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">...John Like Jean Claude Van Dam.</div> I see. The way "Cajun Man" from SNL ends his sentences.
He's been through so many damn pronounciation changes in his two years in Cleveland, I don't know what to call him anymore. I pronounce it (Vare-uh-shaow) but I'd rather just call him Andy. Can anyone believe he was actually a "throw in" player in the Battie/Gooden trade? The Cavs traded away Tony Battie in return they got Drew Gooden, Anderson Varejao, and Stephen Hunter. The Magic traded away three players for one, and actually got the worst player in the trade. He's the best hustle player in the game, and I'm anxious to see whats he'll be when he's a starter for a whole season. He'll probably break the all time charges drawn record.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting briang8818:</div><div class="quote_post"> He's the best hustle player in the game, and I'm anxious to see whats he'll be when he's a starter for a whole season. He'll probably break the all time charges drawn record.</div> Can you see him starting ahead of Z or Gooden next season?
Vah-ray-jean sounds weird to me, that n at the end comes out of nowhere. Me and my friends pronounce it Vuh-ray-ho. I wish the Magic still had him, he's going to be awesome in the future.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">Can you see him starting ahead of Z or Gooden next season?</div> I don't think they are going to re-sign Gooden in the offeason. Varejao likely starts next year or platoons with Marshall.
