The Le Mans 24-Hour race

Question

I am not a big fan of car racing, but if I was I might at some point say:
"I am going to the Le Mans 24-hour race."
But a Frenchman might say:
"Je vais au Mans pour voir la course a 24-heures."

Or should I say, "I am going to the Mans 24-hour race" ?

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I am not a big fan of car racing, but if I was I might at some point say: "I ... Mans pour voir la course a 24-heures." Or should I say, "I am going to the Mans 24-hour race" ?[/nq]
"I'm going to the 24 hours of Le Mans" is how we race-fans would put it. If you were wamong race-fans "I'm going to Le Mans" would suffice. And then you would bask is their esteem and jealousy.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I am not a big fan of car racing, but if I was I might at some point say: "I am going to the Le Mans 24-hour race."[/nq]
That is the way we would say it in British English (BrE).

Here are a few webpages that illustrate this usage.

A specialist travel agency:
http://www.grandstandmotorsports.co.uk/le-mans-24-hours.html

Le Mans 24 Hours

2010 will be the 78th running of this extraordinary endurance race.

BBC Sports
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/8099543.stm

Peugeot finished first and second in the Le Mans 24-hour race to end Audi's five-year domination of the event.
The Telegraph newspaper:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/touringcars/5497932/Peugeot-protest-against-Audi-throws-Le-Mans-24-hour-race-into-controversy.html http://tinyurl.com/mhkf2m
The Le Mans 24-hour race was plunged into controversy on Wednesday night
http://www.lemansrace.com/dpage.html?pageid=58
A Brief History of the Le Mans 24 hours
[nq:1]But a Frenchman might say: "Je vais au Mans pour voir la course a 24-heures."[/nq]
In BrE that would be "I'm going to Le Mans to see the 24-hour race". In that case "Le Mans" is the name of the city that you are going to. "Le Mans 24-hour race" is the name of the race in BrE.
[nq:1]Or should I say, "I am going to the Mans 24-hour race" ?[/nq]
No. The city is "Le Mans" not "Mans".
In BrE I've always heard Le Mans said with a silent "s".

Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I am not a big fan of car racing, but ... say, "I am going to the Mans 24-hour race" ?[/nq]
[nq:1]"I'm going to the 24 hours of Le Mans" is how we race-fans would put it.[/nq]
I stand to be corrected by knowledgeable Brits, but I think that would be unusual in BrE. It might sound pretentious: an attempt to appear superior by using a French style rather than the normal British name of the race.
[nq:1]If you were wamong race-fans "I'm going to Le Mans" would suffice. And then you would bask is their esteem and jealousy.[/nq]
Closer to Le Mans (not among race fans) you might need to distinguish between going to watch the annual 24-hour car race, the annual 24-hour motorcycle race, a soccer match (Le Mans versus X) or visiting the city on business or pleasure not related to any sporting event.

Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Usenet · Answer

'
Le Mans is like Indianapolis in that the race is the most famous thing about the city and its the other reasons to visit that require clarification.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I am not a big fan of car racing, but ... say, "I am going to the Mans 24-hour race" ?[/nq]
[nq:1]"I'm going to the 24 hours of Le Mans" is how we race-fans would put it.[/nq]
I think so. Whatever happened to 24 hours of Monza? That's what I remember. Are Le Mans and Monza the same thing?
(Actually, I had assumed Monza was in Italy. It sounds Italian. This might have been 40 years ago.
BTW, it seems to be the form that bothers Peter, and of course he's not talking about the US, but for a few years in the US, maybe 40 years ago or so, they, the radio, or my brother (I get them mixed up), spoke many many times about 24 Hours of Monza. But my brother would have gotten it from the radio or the newspaper or a magazine.

Even when cars only went 50 mph max, the Indy 500 only took 11 or 12 hours. Not just 500/50 = 10 because they needed extra time for pitstops, for gas, tires**. Also time for breaking down. All the cars had a driver and a traveling mechanic at the time, so they must have broken down.
**Well, tires wore out in less than 500 miles when the cars were going
100 to 150 mph. And they were more like bicycle tires at the start,so I suppose even at 50 mph, they wore out in less than 500 miles??? By the late 60's or 70's they had tires that would go 500 miles at 150 mph and more, but pitstops including tire changes were an important part of the excitement, so they required them, even if the tires were still good.
[nq:1]If you were wamong race-fans "I'm going to Le Mans" would suffice. And then you would bask is their esteem and jealousy.[/nq]
I have known women who use the Lemaze method to deliver their baby, but whenever I have the chance, I recommend the Le Mans method. It's much faster.
Even a 6-hour labor can be reduced to 45 minutes with the Le Mans method.

Posters should say where they live, and for which
area they are asking questions. I have lived in
Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 10 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]"I'm going to the 24 hours of Le Mans" is how we race-fans would put it.[/nq]
[nq:1]I think so. Whatever happened to 24 hours of Monza? That's what I remember. Are Le Mans and Monza the same thing?[/nq]
No. As you say, Monza is in Italy.
There is a 1000km endurance race at Monza:
Grand Prix
The table at the end of that page lists endurence races. Some are limited by time, 24/12/6 hours, and some are run over a specific distance, 1000/100 km.
[nq:1](Actually, I had assumed Monza was in Italy. It sounds Italian. This might have been 40 years ago.[/nq]
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I am not a big fan of car racing, but ... say: "I am going to the Le Mans 24-hour race."[/nq]
[nq:1]That is the way we would say it in British English (BrE).[/nq]
Also in American English, to my ears at least.
The US has a few place names that begin with "The." Perhaps the best known is "The Dalles, Oregon." I wonder if people refer to "the The Dalles morning paper," for example. There's also a street (just a plain old suburban street) named "The Parkway" near one of my former residences. It doesn't help that The Parkway is only a mile or two from the heavily traveled George Washington Parkway, which most people naturally call well, you can guess.
Not having seen anyone else mention the FAQ item on "hoi polloi," I'll do it (or have I just done it):
.

The Bob Lieblich

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]"Je vais au Mans pour voir la course a 24-heures."[/nq]
"La course DES 24 heures" (but most French people re er to it simply as "les
24 heures du Mans"
[nq:1]Or should I say, "I am going to the Mans 24-hour race" ?[/nq]
Said thus in French because the preposition "à" combines with the article in names such as Le Havre and Le Mans to give "au". The name is "Le Mans", which is how one should say it in English.
[nq:1]I pronounce it the way the French say it: le mose.[/nq]
Would that be "mose" to rhyme with "pose", "dose" or "lose"? They wouldn't pronounce it in any of those ways in the context of your original erroneous sentence. The "s" would only be pronounced if it were followed by a vowel, and even then the nasalization would remain, otherwise it is silent.
[nq:1]I have no idea why some BrE people say "le mow".[/nq]
Do they? Not the ones I know.
[nq:1]I suppose it's the "little learning" effect.[/nq]
And in light of your comments this might well be a case of physician heal thyself...
petra

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I think so. Whatever happened to 24 hours of Monza? That's what I remember. Are Le Mans and Monza the same thing?[/nq]
[nq:1]No. As you say, Monza is in Italy. There is a 1000km endurance race at Monza: Grand Prix The ... lists endurence races. Some are limited by time, 24/12/6 hours, and some are run over a specific distance, 1000/100 km.[/nq]
Thanks, Peter. That clarifies things.
BTW, I have known women who use the Lemaze method to deliver their baby, but whenever I have the chance, I recommend the Le Mans method. It's much faster.
Even a 6-hour labor can be reduced to 45 minutes with the Le Mans method.

Posters should say where they live, and for which
area they are asking questions. I have lived in
Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 10 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]No. As you say, Monza is in Italy. There is a 1000km endurance race at Monza: Grand Prix[/nq]
Sorry that is the wrong link. Try:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1000km Monza
[nq:2]The table at the end of that page lists endurence ... and some are run over a specific distance, 1000/100 km.[/nq]
[nq:1]Thanks, Peter. That clarifies things. BTW, I have known women who use the Lemaze method to deliver their baby, but ... Mans method. It's much faster. Even a 6-hour labor can be reduced to 45 minutes with the Le Mans method.[/nq]
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

The Le Mans 24-Hour race

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