Mispronunciation of car make/model
Discussion
Neith said:
Nissan. The Japanese pronunciation is more like 'knee-san'. This is why a lot of Nissan racing cars are given number 23. 2 and 3 are 'ni' and 'san' in Japanese.
In the same kind of thing, Mitsubishi is more like 'me-tsu-be-she'.
Mazda is the strangest one- it sounds more like 'Ma-tsu-da' but with very little emphasis on the 'tsu'.
It's something the Americans actually get it right.In the same kind of thing, Mitsubishi is more like 'me-tsu-be-she'.
Mazda is the strangest one- it sounds more like 'Ma-tsu-da' but with very little emphasis on the 'tsu'.
The same with FIAT. It is 'Fee-At', just like the monetary concept of FIAT money.
Same with Hyundai as 'Hyun-day'.
Thinking about it, we're the ones that get it all wrong
swerni]ambites said:
And anyway OP, Volkswagen should be pronounced something like Volks-vaagen; there's definitely no "w" sound in there.
Oh the irony.
Germans pronounce "v" as "f"
Why do almost all British people get this wrong
"Folks-Vagen" or "Folks-Vah-gen"
Don't disagree with this, however VW themselves in their own adverts used to call Volks WaggonEdited by kambites on Monday 20th March 20:08
[/quote ]Oh the irony.
Germans pronounce "v" as "f"
Why do almost all British people get this wrong
"Folks-Vagen" or "Folks-Vah-gen"
I guess it's one of those strange things where we like to call them by the name of their origin, we don't actually do that with other things e.g. No one calls Byern Munich, Munchen? nor to we tell people we're going to Milano.
People that call a Ferrari a Fezza or an F-Car should be shot.
MikeT66 said:
You two sound like you know what you are talking about - I'll use that pronunciation in future! 
As for the Ford Ka - I always pronounced it like 'car' - I think the original premise was a 'back to basics' vehicle, hence the name. I noticed it was pronounced the same at the Ford dealership I went to... until it sort of became Ka-ayy with them for some reason after a few years.
Choosing a homophone of the word for the general product they sell was always a poorly thought out idea and likely to lead them to call it something else in the dealership. As for the Ford Ka - I always pronounced it like 'car' - I think the original premise was a 'back to basics' vehicle, hence the name. I noticed it was pronounced the same at the Ford dealership I went to... until it sort of became Ka-ayy with them for some reason after a few years.
Neith said:
Nissan. The Japanese pronunciation is more like 'knee-san'. This is why a lot of Nissan racing cars are given number 23. 2 and 3 are 'ni' and 'san' in Japanese.
In the same kind of thing, Mitsubishi is more like 'me-tsu-be-she'.
Mazda is the strangest one- it sounds more like 'Ma-tsu-da' but with very little emphasis on the 'tsu'.
Anything sounds Japanese if you say it angrily and add "uru!" after it.In the same kind of thing, Mitsubishi is more like 'me-tsu-be-she'.
Mazda is the strangest one- it sounds more like 'Ma-tsu-da' but with very little emphasis on the 'tsu'.
Makes shopping much more fun.
Zod said:
Riley Blue said:
Aren't the letters VW, when said by a German, 'Fow - Vay'? In Volkswagen, however it is pronounced correctly, the 'L' is silent.
Er, no it isn't. It's "Folksvargen", with a hard O in German.Mercedes is pronounced "Mertsaidez" in German.
otolith said:
MikeT66 said:
You two sound like you know what you are talking about - I'll use that pronunciation in future!
As for the Ford Ka - I always pronounced it like 'car' - I think the original premise was a 'back to basics' vehicle, hence the name. I noticed it was pronounced the same at the Ford dealership I went to... until it sort of became Ka-ayy with them for some reason after a few years.
Choosing a homophone of the word for the general product they sell was always a poorly thought out idea and likely to lead them to call it something else in the dealership. As for the Ford Ka - I always pronounced it like 'car' - I think the original premise was a 'back to basics' vehicle, hence the name. I noticed it was pronounced the same at the Ford dealership I went to... until it sort of became Ka-ayy with them for some reason after a few years.
"I'd like to arrange a test-drive in a car, please."
"Of course, er, is that a Ka or er, another model?"
"Err, just a test-drive in a car...?"
"Yes, of course... but what I mean is is it a Ka or a car that you want to, er... hmmm..."
MikeT66 said:
Ha! Yes - it must have been a nightmare...
"I'd like to arrange a test-drive in a car, please."
"Of course, er, is that a Ka or er, another model?"
"Err, just a test-drive in a car...?"
"Yes, of course... but what I mean is is it a Ka or a car that you want to, er... hmmm..."
"Do I look like f"I'd like to arrange a test-drive in a car, please."
"Of course, er, is that a Ka or er, another model?"
"Err, just a test-drive in a car...?"
"Yes, of course... but what I mean is is it a Ka or a car that you want to, er... hmmm..."
king Noddy?"craigjm said:
That's where you're wrong actually. One of my fathers friends is German and was a senior manager in the company in the 70s in Germany and that was how he always said it and he used to correct people stating that the or-di pronunciation was how it was spoken internally.
Making assumptions on ones motives is never a good thing
If we have a native German speaker that has worked within the company who wants to dispute that then fine call them out. It is a discussion forum after all
To continue what I said, I apologise for my comment about making it up. It was a strange thing to say and unfairMaking assumptions on ones motives is never a good thing
If we have a native German speaker that has worked within the company who wants to dispute that then fine call them out. It is a discussion forum after all
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