Was it ever revealed why Regal called Umaga "Youmanga"?

[Ryback on a Pole!]

At first I thought it was a botch... but the fact he did it over and over again throughout his GM run made it obvious it was deliberate.

Did Regal actually think that was how it was pronounced?

Was it some sort of rib/inside/backstage joke that we weren't supposed to get but which had Vince in hysterics?

Was it just meant to be a random running gag for whatever reason?

[Sephiroth]

Or why he call Triple H, Triple Haitch? Would you like some cool hwip with that?

[Ryback on a Pole!]

Triple Haitch I put down to Regal's English accent since I pronounce it the exact same way

Umaga... I actually pronounce as Umaga and not Youmanga. Unless I just don't realise I'm saying it as Youmanga.

[Sumbody Gon' Get Dey Kneelift]

random running gag

[PKO]

He did it with a few wrestlers. Umaga, Triple H and Candice became You-manga, Triple Haitch, Can-deese. Maybe he mispronounced someone's name once and someone in power found it funny so he did it again and again.

I always just assumed it was a random character trait. I've known people who mispronounce names and its a silly annoying thing.

[TOK Is the Target Demo]

You-manga is the correct Samoan pronunciation, if I remember correctly.

[Bootista]

Would be funny if Someone from WWE Read this board and suggested Regal or some other Superstar called Ric Flair, Rice Flair, or The Rock, The Rick.

[Deleted]

People have accents that aren't American.

I could also ask why Americans pronounce Graham as "Gram."

[Deleted]

I blame drugs.

[Deleted]

Sept 14, 2013 13:39:39 GMT -5 @rainbowrandy said:

People have accents that aren't American.

I could also ask why Americans pronounce Graham as "Gram."

How is it pronounced elsewhere? Is it 2 syllables the way it looks?

[Deleted]

Sept 14, 2013 14:20:43 GMT -5 @lovehater said:

Sept 14, 2013 13:39:39 GMT -5 @rainbowrandy said:

People have accents that aren't American.

I could also ask why Americans pronounce Graham as "Gram."

How is it pronounced elsewhere? Is it 2 syllables the way it looks?

Grey-em/Grey-am.

[Snowman]

Sept 14, 2013 13:39:39 GMT -5 @rainbowrandy said:

People have accents that aren't American.

I could also ask why Americans pronounce Graham as "Gram."

Same with Craig being pronounced 'Creg' I used to think 'Creg' was just an American name until I heard an American say "Craigslist"

[Deleted]

Sept 14, 2013 17:44:01 GMT -5 Snowman said:

Sept 14, 2013 13:39:39 GMT -5 @rainbowrandy said:

People have accents that aren't American.

I could also ask why Americans pronounce Graham as "Gram."

Same with Craig being pronounced 'Creg' I used to think 'Creg' was just an American name until I heard an American say "Craigslist"

This type of thing happens within the States too. For example, with a southern accent there's no differentiation between "sinner" and "center", unless an unnecessarily hard T is used in the latter word. My cousin and I have had many discussions on this, since I'm from the south but moved up north, and he still lives there.

Craig is actually one I say 'correctly' as it were, like "crayg".

As for Master Regal, I'm sure he was doing it for comedic effect. The guy knows how to be funny in subtle ways.

[Deleted]

I think the better question is, was there ever a given reason for why they didn't do the Better-Than-U-Topia angle on TV?

[Confused Mark Wahlberg]

Whomever came up with the pronunciation of 'colonel' needs to be shot

[celticjobber]

I don't know, but I always loved it when Regal said Umaga that way.

[fart]

The McMahons and co. all seem to have weird speech impediments at times. i.e. WWE = DOB'YEE, Orton = ORE-IN, bunch of others I cant recall. I see it backstage like this:

Vince: Get that Youmanga script in here.

?: Who, sir?

Vince: You heard me god damnit now get me that Youmanga script. I didnt hire you to ask questions you son of a bitch!

?: Sir, it's pronounced Oo-mah-gah.

Vince: That's exactly what I said you jackass. Now get the script. I've decided down the line Youmanga will help me win the ECW title. I'm also going to wear a doo rag. Yes. Yes get your ass going. Hey! Whose script?!

?: Youmanga's, sir.

Vince: I love this Youmanga.

[percymania]

Sept 14, 2013 13:36:09 GMT -5 TOK Is the Target Demo said:

You-manga is the correct Samoan pronunciation, if I remember correctly.

Wait... so you're telling me Regal was the only one pronouncing his name correctly this whole time?

[Reflecto]

The reason:

Apparently, William Regal was in the scouting department for WWE for years before it became his primary job once Triple H took a larger amount of power. Regal was one of the main go-betweens getting Samoa Joe to the WWE from TNA. Regal was close to getting the contract, but instead of the longstanding rumors that the Umaga gimmick was intended for Joe, Regal had received early plans for how they'd package Joe for the WWE, where WWE [who had no clue Joe was legitimately Samoan due to his not being a relative of the Anoa'i family] had originally planned to package him as an otaku. This gimmick caused Samoa Joe to choose to remain with TNA. As his own form of revenge for this, Regal referred to the replacement as "You- Manga" as his own personal shoutout/rib to Joe.

Source: wrestletaint.gov

[Super Nintenjoe KBD]

Ha I had completely forgotten this little bit of randomness. This is why I love this forum so.