Racing Commentator

The following selected extracts are taken from a Website dedicated to the words of Murray Walker and other TV commentators on formula 1 racing.

Although these extracts are not necessarily representative, what can you tell from them about the way in which a commentator has to speak and think spontaneously.

Look for non-fluency features such as hesitation, irregular pauses, stuttering, fillers, repetition, incomplete syntax; also mixed metaphors, contradiction, paradox, self monitoring.
Look also for elements of his speech which try to convey the excitement of the race and its unfolding events.

Rewrite one of the extracts into standard written English. Comment on the changes you have made and the effect on the character of the commentary.

Visit the F1 Commentary site at www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/alfa/46/index.html to read more extracts and listen to sound clips. If you listen to the sound clips, comment on the features of Walker's pitch, intonation, volume, stress and tempo (the five suprasegmental phonemes) which he uses to make his voice convey the excitement of the race.
Write an analysis and description of this variety of language.

(MW) " WINNER.....you are right you are right, well done, fabulous...(MB  well, hang on, that's the guy who puts the captions up Murray he's not the steward)....yeah but he ge he no er well he er I know but he he gets official information....!

(MW)" well Johnny bit of a strange moment there when we had a few spots of rain what will it have done to the track?" (JH) never afraid to state the obvious..." made it wet!

(MW) "..and you can see visually that er Hill is inching up on the Ferrari..."

(MW) " YES, YES its GO... Ha...Hakkinen gets away well look at Eddie Irvine coming up on the inside LOOK AT VILLENEUVE.... AND INTO THE WALL, WHO WAS THAT ? (MB-   COULTHARD, COULTHARD IN THE WALL) ITS COULTHARD, DAVID COULTHARD INTO THE WALL they'll stop the race (they'll have to red) they'll stop the race (they'll have to red flag this) OH this is terrible, look OH this is quite appalling, this is the worst start for a Grand Prix that I have ever seen in the Whole  Of My LIFE !!

(MB) " Sometimes Grand Prix drivers look absolutely awesome, on other days they look like they couldn't drive sheep, and its a sheep day today !

(JA) "Well Murray the atmosphere down here for the team is one of resigned...(struggling for the right word)...resignation really, yes..

(MB) "..the next guy to crash in the pitlane will not be the first....!

(MW)" YES  lovely stop, now where are the Mclarens that's the important thing, where is Coulthard,  Michael ac.. has still got to exit the pit lane, and LOOK BACK LOOK BACK, WHERE ARE THE MCLARENS, THE'RE BEHIND 'IM THE'RE BEHIND 'IM Michael Schumacher, retains the lead...

(MB) " Did  'e get let off lightly ? Is the Pope a Catholic!

DH) " its not acceptable driving, you know, I'm up there trying to fight for, you know, maybe a point or something and he's er way back down there...and he, you know, he was just being an idiot..."

(Liz Hurley) "er we're going up to the first corner, for the take-off, or whatever they call it here" (MB) " er its called the start...."

(MW) " ..and that is Frentzen, my goodness, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, (MB- it's Villeneuve, Murray !)....it's it's Villeneuve , it's it's it's Villeneuve !

(MW) "Perhaps you'd like to explain concisely what that hand signal meant !" (MB) " I think it meant 'see you in the bar later and we'll talk about it' !

MW) " YEESSS...One Point Two seconds faster....Michael Schumacher has thrown down the gauntlet with a  resounding CLANG !"

(MW) "..an absolutely eNORRRRRRRRmous gap...

MB) "..have a go, go on have a go you can do it, yes.....(MW) "no he can't....."

(MW) "..and Damon Hill... exits the chicane...and wins the Japenese Grand Prix... and I've got to stop, because I've got a lump in my throat..!"

(MW) " ...it is absolutely awe-inspiring...and I use those words advisedly..

The language of commentators would be a good topic for a personal study.