Updated 2pm
GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE.
The Irish pronunciation of urinal (‘your-eye-nal’) has made it to China.
Back in February, CCTV News broadcast a report on the behaviour of tourists in Thailand. The piece features an interview with Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.
And it seems that CCTV News had to turn to an Irish man to provide the translation…
We don’t know what we like more — his pronunciation of the word ‘toilet’ (‘taiiiilet’) or ‘filthy’ (‘filty’).
So, just who is this Irishman spreading the Irish accent through China?
It’s none other than Tipperary native Rory Coen. Coen got in touch with DailyEdge.ie to explain that the voice belonged to him.
Coen works as a copy editor on CCTV News in Beijing and is frequently enlisted to provide English translation for news reports.
Every so often the producers ask me to do “voice overs” for foreign language sound-bites. In this case, it was this crazy Thai man. It could really be anyone. I’ve done Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang on numerous occasions. Benjamin Nethanyahu once.
Coen also explained that his accent doesn’t really stand out in China.
Nobody really says too much to me. If anyone says anything, it’s normally another Irish person. People from Asia can’t really differentiate between different English dialects and accents, and I guess that’s why the producers put me on.
“I wouldn’t mind, but I was trying to neutralise my accent as best I could there,” he added.
God only knows what I sound like normally with a few pints in me!
Keep up the good work, Rory!
(h/t Reddit Ireland)
