Road Bike Racing - Question about EPO

More specifically, how to pronounce EPO in conversation?

I was talking to someone at a party, and our half-drunken conversation came around to bicycle racing. Sometimes though, it's hard to talk about racing without discussing performance enhancing drugs; and we discussed them. To be clear, I was completely sober, he was fully drunk - so that equals a "half-drunk" conversation.

When EPO came up, I pronounced it like I always do; as initials E-P-O. More clearly - E - Pee - Oh.
He pronounced it like it was one of the long-lost Marx Brothers - EPPO (rhymes with Zeppo, or Seppo. :) ) Clearly though, he would be the Marx brother who would win endurance events.

Which is correct? It seems like I've heard medical students pronounce it as the Marx Brother's rhymed version. And I really can't recall hearing it by Phil Liggett and friends; other than just saying someone was busted for "drugs."

Disclaimer: I don't condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs

when it's discussed in english, i pronounce it the marx brothers way - EPPO

when it's discussed in dutch, i pronounce it AYPO (AY rhyming with whey/bay/hay, PO rhyming with Beau/Blow/Mow).

As soon as I clicked "submit" I was thinking "I hope Botto answers, he would know."

The next time I am at a party where Dutch is spoken; I'll look less like a dwaas.

Jonathan Vaughters pronounces it Ēpō (Eeeeee-poh)

Jonathan Vaughters pronounces it Ēpō (Eeeeee-poh)

considering that he's had some first hand experience, i might defer to his expertise.

then again, he might be Frenchifying it. :D

I pronounce it ee pee oh in front of everyone but my wife. In front of her I pronounce it correctly.

I pronounce it ee pee oh in front of everyone but my wife. In front of her I pronounce it correctly.

Does your wife happen to be Jonathan Vaughters?

Erythropoietin. Otherwise pronounce it anyway you want.

Does your wife happen to be Jonathan Vaughters?

Not that I'm aware of.

^^ ĭ-rĭth'rō-poi-ē'tĭn

Vaughters is correct. The company that makes the drug, they all say "eeepoh" as well.

Epogen is the brand name drug. EPO for short. They are not initials for something.

>>Question about EPO<<

You've come to the right place.

I wonder how Bob Roll pronounces it ? Ay-Poh (as in Tour Day Frayence)

Epogen is the brand name drug. EPO for short. They are not initials for something.


EPO is the abbreviation of Erythropoietin

considering that he's had some first hand experience, i might defer to his expertise.

then again, he might be Frenchifying it. :D

If it were pronounced following standard French pronunciations, it would be as the Dutch: AY-po (as in "hay" or "may").

EDITED: fixed the nation.

If it were pronounced following standard French pronunciations, it would be as the Belgian: AY-po (as in "hay" or "may").

which part of belgium?

EPO is the abbreviation of Erythropoietin

+1

As such, it should be pronounced "ee-pee-oh" not "eepoh."

I've been working with this stuff since the mid-90's. We used to call it erythropoetin alfa, then began calling it epogen. I've never seen it shortened to EPO, or heard it called "eee-pee-oh", outside of discussions of doping in sports.

In sports, its eee-poh. Done.

which part of belgium?

Whoops, I meant Dutch, as you had written. Presumably it would be the same whether we're talking about Flanders or Wallonia, though.


when it's discussed in dutch, i pronounce it AYPO (AY rhyming with whey/bay/hay, PO rhyming with Beau/Blow/Mow).

I've been working with this stuff since the mid-90's. We used to call it erythropoetin alfa, then began calling it epogen. I've never seen it shortened to EPO, or heard it called "eee-pee-oh", outside of discussions of doping in sports.

I can assure that in our lab, and at every conference I've been to, it's pronounced E-P-O.

Eeeepoh is just another another seppo mispronunciation.

I took Epogen for 4-5 years of my life (prescribed), every doctor/nurse I've ever had pronounced it as "ee-poh".

I don't see how EPO could be the abbreviation for "Erythropoietin". The chemical name sounds nothing like any pronunciation of EPO mentioned. There is an R after the E and the last 2 letters are exactly next to each other in the word? Seems unlikely (but I'm no english professor).

EPO, no matter how you pronounce it, is short of Epogen (which you would pronounce the same way, just adding the "-gen" at the end ).

Eh-Poh=Eh-Poh-Jen

Ee-Poh=Ee-Poh-Jen

Etc...

But seriously, do you really think someone who is tired of saying "Erythropoietin" would really shorten it to ANY pronunciation EPO? Doesn't make sense.

I can assure that in our lab, and at every conference I've been to, it's pronounced E-P-O.

Eeeepoh is just another another seppo mispronunciation.

Why do you even bother to say Ee-Pee-Oh when it has the same amount of syllables as Epogen? Not sure what you accomplish with that abbreviation.


EDIT: From www.dictionary.com: "used for a preparation of erythropoietin". EPO would then be another abbreviation, off Epogen, not erythropoietin. So...It's an indirect abbreviation of erythropoietin.

Whadya know, we're ALL wrong! :p

I can assure that in our lab, and at every conference I've been to, it's pronounced E-P-O.

Eeeepoh is just another another seppo mispronunciation.

I look at bottles of this crap every day. Not one of them has ever been labeled "EPO". Perhaps branding is different in Aus?

I can assure that in our lab, and at every conference I've been to, it's pronounced E-P-O.

Eeeepoh is just another another seppo mispronunciation.

http://graphicslib.viator.com/graphicslib/2138/SITours/crikey.jpg

I'll be sure to pass that info on to all of the Dutch and Belgians I come across.

BTW - Considering your compatriots proclivity to refer to everything in the diminutive, I'd hold off on the judgments if I were you.

I've always said, 'Eee-poh'

I look at bottles of this crap every day. Not one of them has ever been labeled "EPO". Perhaps branding is different in Aus?

EPO isn't a drug, it's a farking signalling peptide (erythropoietin) that acts to increase hematopoiesis in the bone marrow.

You're thinking of epogen, which is a synthetic equivalent.

It's like aluminium. Because one company in the USA released an alloy called "Aluminum" all the seppos stopped using the correct pronunciation of the element, and now you all incorrectly call it aluminum.

The term EPO, pronounced E-Pee-Oh, refers to the biological signalling molecule, and I can quote page references to a number of textbooks where this is described.

I'll be sure to pass that info on to all of the Dutch and Belgians I come across.

Different language, different pronunciation.

But seriously, do you really think someone who is tired of saying "Erythropoietin" would really shorten it to ANY pronunciation EPO? Doesn't make sense.

You've obviously got no experience with the heinous multitude of acronyms present in the world of biological science ;)

At this point, people take whatever abbreviation they can get that isn't already being used for one of the other 1,000,000+ (not exaggerating) identified biological molecules.

I can assure that in our lab, and at every conference I've been to, it's pronounced E-P-O.

Eeeepoh is just another another seppo mispronunciation.


Different language, different pronunciation.

correct.

correct.

Nice try, but Americans claim to speak english, and b@stardise the language in the process.

EPO isn't a drug, it's a farking signalling peptide (erythropoietin) that acts to increase hematopoiesis in the bone marrow.

You're thinking of epogen, which is a synthetic equivalent.

When athletes dope, which do they use--human, or synthetic? Are there a group of folks providing bone marrow to cyclists that I'm not aware of?

What was this thread about, again?

It's like aluminium. Because one company in the USA released an alloy called "Aluminum" all the seppos stopped using the correct pronunciation of the element, and now you all incorrectly call it aluminum.

Either spelling is correct, although aluminum came first.

Either spelling is correct,

My textbooks beg to differ.


although aluminum came first.

incorrect

When athletes dope, which do they use--human, or synthetic? Are there a group of folks providing bone marrow to cyclists that I'm not aware of?

What was this thread about, again?

The OP asked how to pronounce EPO. Since it's the acronym for erythropoietin, it's correctly pronounced ee-pee-oh.

You can call it whatever you want, but the OP didn't ask how most cyclists pronounce it, or what they mean by it, he asked for the proper pronunciation, and that's it.

You could pronounce the abbreviation for Epogen as eee-poh, but that would be "Epo" rather than "EPO."

The difference between the two probably seems a little obscure and semantic to any non-scientists out there, but it is what it is.

My textbooks beg to differ.



incorrect

History teaches us that Humphry Davy called it alumium, then aluminum, then aluminium.

Hey Moochers_Dad, aren't ya glad you asked ;)

Nice try, but Americans claim to speak english, and b@stardise the language in the process.

as opposed to the purity of english spoken by australians? spare me.

The OP asked how to pronounce EPO. Since it's the acronym for erythropoietin, it's correctly pronounced ee-pee-oh.




Correct.

Now we can move on to Tour DAY France

you say tomato I say tomahto

you say tomato I say tomahto

I say t'mater.

as opposed to the purity of english spoken by australians? spare me.

No, as opposed to the english spoken everywhere except America ;)

History teaches us that Humphry Davy called it alumium, then aluminum, then aluminium.

Davy called it aluminum in 1812, then it's name was changed within a few months by the rest of the scientific community, and it's been aluminium since then.

Then, in 1892, Charles Martin Hall incorrectly used the term aluminum to refer to his proprietary method of producing the alloy, and the name stuck in the American common usage due to the widespread influence of Hall's metal-producing company.

So I'll concede the aluminum came first, albeit briefly. However, the common usage was aluminium for many years before Hall came along and introduced the use of aluminum. The proper term is still aluminium.

No, as opposed to the english spoken everywhere except America ;)

nice try at switching the topic, now answer the question: as opposed to the purity of english spoken by australians?

nice try at switching the topic, now answer the question: as opposed to the purity of english spoken by australians?

OK.

In a word: yes.

However, the Australian vernacular has been grossly misrepresented over many years through television and movies, so I wouldn't really expect most Americans or Europeans to know how aussies really speak.

OK.

In a word: yes.

However, the Australian vernacular has been grossly misrepresented over many years through television and movies, so I wouldn't really expect most Americans or Europeans to know how aussies really speak.

1. i know plenty of people from Australia. how many "seppos" do you actually know?

2. read the posts from your compatriots, right here on this very forum. is their patois a misrepresentation of australian vernacular?

1. i know plenty of people from Australia. how many "seppos" do you actually know?

Enough. My boss and his girlfriend are from New York, one f my Aunts lives in LA, and we have a number of family friends in Chicago.


2. ur compatriots, right here on this very forum. is their patois a misrepresentation of australian vernacular?

Yes, and I'm guilty of it too, but having a laugh on an internet forum and speaking with other people day-to-day are very different things. Do you go around saying "incorrect" to everyone in real life? :p

Enough. My boss and his girlfriend are from New York, one f my Aunts lives in LA, and we have a number of family friends in Chicago.



Yes, and I'm guilty of it too, but having a laugh on an internet forum and speaking with other people day-to-day are very different things. Do you go around saying "incorrect" to everyone in real life? :p

only to australians.

I've been working with this stuff since the mid-90's. We used to call it erythropoetin alfa, then began calling it epogen.
(Epogen)is a brand name for the synthetic form of the natural (erythropoetin) which is produced mainly by the kidneys and some is produced by the liver.