| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | Off topic: Funny brandnames Thread poster: JH Trads
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JH Trads 
United States
Local time: 14:54
Member (2007)
English to French
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TOPIC STARTER | rather upsetting | Jan 21, 2009 |
How do hispanics in the US perceive the over-the-counter sleeping pill named "Alteril"? Knowing that "alterar" in Spanish means to disturb or upset, it is the equivalent of having a supposedly soothing and relaxing pill called "upsettil"
| | | | Khrystene (X)
Australia
Polish to English
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... is the Polish Fashion *cough* designer whose name is Ewa MINGE. After all her facelifts she looks like a bit of a mangy 'minge' frankly.
As to Curves, there's no way it could be mistaken for KURWA. C in Polish is like TS sound generally, as in Czar.
Kurwa (whore) is generally thought to come from Swedish/Germanic where it stands for the corner/curve, which is usually where prostitutes used to (and sometimes still do) ply their wares.
My fave was "King... See more ... is the Polish Fashion *cough* designer whose name is Ewa MINGE. After all her facelifts she looks like a bit of a mangy 'minge' frankly.
As to Curves, there's no way it could be mistaken for KURWA. C in Polish is like TS sound generally, as in Czar.
Kurwa (whore) is generally thought to come from Swedish/Germanic where it stands for the corner/curve, which is usually where prostitutes used to (and sometimes still do) ply their wares.
My fave was "King's Curve" just outside Stockholm... ah those kings!! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Without wife? | Feb 14, 2009 |
One year our (Austrian) grandfather visited us in Canada. He did not speak a word of English, so we had a couple of good laughs when we were out and about, and he advised us (with tongue firmly planted in cheek) that he had noticed some rather curious things about Canada, namely that
a) stores advertised the fact that they had toilets (which he thought was very useful because you never know when you might be faced with an emergency...). How did this happen, you ask? Well, the sig... See more One year our (Austrian) grandfather visited us in Canada. He did not speak a word of English, so we had a couple of good laughs when we were out and about, and he advised us (with tongue firmly planted in cheek) that he had noticed some rather curious things about Canada, namely that
a) stores advertised the fact that they had toilets (which he thought was very useful because you never know when you might be faced with an emergency...). How did this happen, you ask? Well, the signs listing the business hours usually contained at least one entry for the day the store was "Closed". Read in German, it sounded just like Klosett, which of course is a toilet.
b) there were certain roads you could only take if your wife was not with you. That one really stumped us for a while, until he pointed to the same sign again to make his point clear. It read: ONE WAY. When you read it in German (and apply a bit of Austrian dialect), it sounds an awful lot like "ohne Weib (ohne Wei in dialect)", which means Without Wife! To this day, the sign always brings a smile to my face, not to mention many good memories!
[Edited at 2009-02-14 20:56 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | when you read it in English? | May 8, 2009 |
It read: ONE WAY. When you read it in German ..
Wouldn't that mean heterosexual only, (if you read it in English)?
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Louisa Berry
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:54
Member (2009)
German to English
| German sweets | May 8, 2009 |
My friends always used to laugh in the supermarket when they visited me when I was living in Germany at the various varieties of Dickmanns available in the supermarket (cream filled oblong chocolates).. especially the mini ones!
| | | | | Sauerdickmilch | May 8, 2009 |
(I think I've got the spelling right) - I used to buy it when I was living in Luxembourg, it's a kind of yogurt/fromage blanc thing. Put a smile on my face every time I got some!
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Ana Brause wrote: Amazing as it seems, it's the name of the loaf of bread that I'm attacking for breakfast right now... I wonder if that brand of breads is sold in English speaking countries (it's a huge group, so perhaps it's sold but under another name).  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbo_(disambiguation) Cheers, Ana
I've seen Bimbo bread trucks in the in the Washington DC area. The Bimbo corporate group recently bought up several U.S. specialty baked goods brands as well (Entemann's, Thomas' of Thomas' bagels fame, etc.) but I don't think they're planning on any name changes there.
| | | | | Now we know ... | May 8, 2009 |
Khrystene wrote:
As to Curves, there's no way it could be mistaken for KURWA. C in Polish is like TS sound generally, as in Czar.
Kurwa (whore) is generally thought to come from Swedish/Germanic where it stands for the corner/curve, which is usually where prostitutes used to (and sometimes still do) ply their wares.
My fave was "King's Curve" just outside Stockholm... ah those kings!!
... why the king was unable to keep his car on the road at "Kungens kurva".
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| Of soft drinks and cookies | May 8, 2009 |
When I was in France, we American students liked to buy the citrus-flavored soft drink Psssscht.
I actually saw a package of cookies at my local corner store (here in Michigan). The brand name was "Chokies." Was the manufacturer trying to combine "chocolate" and "cookies"? He did, but didn't get the desired effect. Not surprsingly, I never saw that brand at that store again.
Kathryn
| | | | | Would you buy maternity wear... | May 12, 2009 |
... if the brand name was 'Mamalicious' ?
This was a name a colleague and I decided we would not go for, and talked the manufacturer into finding something else to call their fashion range.
The sales department were very disappointed - they wanted to combine 'mama' and 'delicious' of course.
My colleague and I (it was her client) had a giggle over the theme of mummy/tummy/yummy, but decided we did not dare make any suggestions.
 ... See more ... if the brand name was 'Mamalicious' ?
This was a name a colleague and I decided we would not go for, and talked the manufacturer into finding something else to call their fashion range.
The sales department were very disappointed - they wanted to combine 'mama' and 'delicious' of course.
My colleague and I (it was her client) had a giggle over the theme of mummy/tummy/yummy, but decided we did not dare make any suggestions.
 ▲ Collapse
| | | | Vova
Local time: 21:54
English to Russian
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| | In Germany: Puky bikes, Fairy detergent | May 12, 2009 |
Family members of mine have noticed:
- Puky bikes (I get green around the gills just thinking about it)
- Fairy laundry detergent (may be offensive to some; if you don't know it, check http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fairy
- The whole Denglish phenomenon in Germany, e.g. Cool American Doritos (Cool Ranch brand in the US), Big ... See more Family members of mine have noticed:
- Puky bikes (I get green around the gills just thinking about it)
- Fairy laundry detergent (may be offensive to some; if you don't know it, check http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fairy
- The whole Denglish phenomenon in Germany, e.g. Cool American Doritos (Cool Ranch brand in the US), Big Americans (!!!!) frozen pizza, Obama Fingers , etc.
- Low-cost Hungarian airline Wizz Air (sounds the same as whiz, see http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=whiz and http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wizz) ▲ Collapse
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Rod Walters
Japan
Local time: 03:54
Japanese to English
| How about a nice drink of Calpis instead? | May 12, 2009 |
James McVay wrote:
I did a double take the first time I saw this beverage for sale in a vending machine in Japan. It didn't sound like something I would want to drink. The Japanese use a number of English words with twisted meanings, but in this case the meaning isn't far off.
If you don't want to quaff the Sweat, how about a nice glass of Calpis, which is fermented cow's ...
milk. Apparently.
If you don't want to be pestered by mosquitoes, you should fire up your Arse fly repellent. OK, it's spelled 'Earth', but it's pronounced 'arse'. (Hence the hideous spectacle of a Japanese entertainer at the Nagano Olympic opening ceremony leading everybody in a chant of 'Ret's Save the Arse!')
One of the bright spots went out of my life when our local DIY chain store changed its name to Daiki from DIK. Perhaps they got their original name from the common English expression, "Do it kourself". They had stores in all sizes, and whenever I passed one in the car, however hard I tried, I couldn't stop myself from saying "That's a miserable little DIK". Or "Wow! What an enormous DIK!" Perhaps I said it once too many times.
| | | | | Obama Fingers??? | May 12, 2009 |
Michele Johnson wrote:
- The whole Denglish phenomenon in Germany, e.g. Cool American Doritos (Cool Ranch brand in the US), Big Americans (!!!!) frozen pizza, Obama Fingers , etc.
What are Obama Fingers? I'm almost afraid to ask!
Were they called Bush Fingers prior to the 2008 US elections?
| | | | absciarretta
United States
Local time: 19:54
Member (2008)
English to Norwegian
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Then of course there is the story of Honda's new model that they wanted to call Fitta in the Scandinavian countries... It means the C-word in English.
They finally decided to change it to Jazz instead.
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