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Old 08-07-2009, 18:00   #136
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Brand Names

What the Brits call Sticky Plaster a;most everyone else in teh world calls a Band Aid. talk about brand marketing.

In the Phillippines when you want to buy toothpaste you most likely will be asked, "Ano'ang Colgate mo?"

Translated means, "What is your Colgate?" but what they are asking is what brand of toothpaste you want.

And on a sailing note, we often sail with mixed crews.

Vang vs. kicker
Twings vs. barberhaulers

Confusion often abounds until an agreed terminology is settled upon.
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Old 08-07-2009, 19:49   #137
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Old 08-07-2009, 20:22   #138
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I'm from California, and I've lived in Washington state. I've always pronounced it "Veesa", and it just sounds pretentious to my ear to hear "Veeza", almost as if people were trying to give it a French pronunciation! In some parts of the US, people use the word, "coke" to mean any soda. Even stranger are the ones who use the word, "pop". And strangest of all, the ones who say, "soda pop".
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Old 08-07-2009, 21:14   #139
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In some parts of the US, people use the word, "coke" to mean any soda. Even stranger are the ones who use the word, "pop". And strangest of all, the ones who say, "soda pop".
When I was in high school, "Do you want to get a coke?" meant "I just want to get you away from the crowd and into my car, and maybe we could go park at Inspiration Point and watch the submarine races. How 'bout it?" Some people probably really mean "Would you like a soft drink?" when they ask that question, but it brings back other memories for me.

"Soda" and "pop" are interchangeable, with soda being favored more in the eastern US, and pop in the midwest. I don't know which is preferred in the south, but in the far west it's about 50/50, either/or, and though I've heard some people say "soda pop," it really grates on the ear. I suppose to some, it helps differentiate between a soft drink and an ice cream soda, but it seems needlessly redundant, to me.

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Old 09-07-2009, 01:22   #140
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"Soda" and "pop" are interchangeable,
I have to assume you are referring to "cool drink" or also known as "soft drink"
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Old 09-07-2009, 02:35   #141
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Yes in Oz the signal for a speed camera is a flash but "those in the know" also use lights to signal other intentions. For instance, semi trailer drivers find it difficult judging the position of a car behind but occupying the adjacent lane. When occupying a lane close to a semi travelling in the same direction, when he indicates his intention to change lanes (oh yes we do that in Australia) it is thoughtful to flash to indicate he is clear and can come across.

Travelling as much as I do I am of the opinion that many idiosycrasies are contextual. If some one is coming up behind I don't really have any doubt he means coming through. If coming toward me I would check my own lights (on/off or High/low beam) and then slow down for speed camera.

Interesting in the Middle East, it's Chaos, turning right from left lane across your bow moments after flashing their intention of "coming through. Indicaters seem to be a celebration of successfuly making a turn/lane change (I did it yay). And don't even start me on round abouts, I'm in the habit of making statements declaring my religious beliefs before during and after going through them (Jesus Christ and Holy **** being popular). I some times wonder if I'm not confusing them using my indicator to indicate my intention of turning. The yellow line down each side of road (a shoulder anywhere else) seems to be indicating "this lane reserved for arabic people" who do put it to good use at 140 kph +.
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Old 09-07-2009, 03:04   #142
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Old 09-07-2009, 03:56   #143
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When occupying a lane close to a semi travelling in the same direction, when he indicates his intention to change lanes (oh yes we do that in Australia) it is thoughtful to flash to indicate he is clear and can come across.
How do indicate that he is not clear and should not come across?
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Old 09-07-2009, 04:05   #144
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How do indicate that he is not clear and should not come across?

All semi's are BIG trucks, if he's signalling, you back off & let him in.

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Old 09-07-2009, 04:37   #145
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All semi's are BIG trucks, if he's signalling, you back off & let him in.

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Lol GW you got it. The driver will certainly appreciate the go ahead.
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Old 09-07-2009, 05:07   #146
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...I've always pronounced it "Veesa", and it just sounds pretentious to my ear to hear "Veeza", almost as if people were trying to give it a French pronunciation...
Well, it is a word of French origin...

I suppose those that don’t wish to appear pretentious should pronounce the “U.S. Marine Corps” as those it were a cadaver (corpse).

Like corps, visa is an English word adapted/adopted from the French. I see no pretension (also of French derivation) in retaining the original pronunciation.
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Old 09-07-2009, 05:42   #147
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Like corps, visa is an English word adapted/adopted from the French. I see no pretension (also of French derivation) in retaining the original pronunciation.
I agree to an extent, but it can be taken to an extreme. Even though thirty percent of English words originally came from French, it would sound funny if everyone walked around talking like Pepe Le Pew!
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Old 09-07-2009, 06:25   #148
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You're right Gord, any more than it is pretentious to pronounce Chevrolet as 'Chevrolay', as is done universally.

To me, a great deal of the discussion on this thread highlights not so much the differences in cultures and the inability of some to adjust to the same, but rather the increase in homogeneity. I too recall the devisive opinions in North America about 'foreign' versus 'domestic' cars in the 60's and early 70's. Yes, owners of foreign cars frequently flashed their headlights at each other as if greeting a member of an exclusive club. Opinions were poloarized - indeed, while owners of cars such as the Austin Healey and Mini Cooper extolled the handling, steering and breaking advantages of their cars over domestic products, they were often blind to the lack of creature comforts and reliability that went hand in hand.

I too was a foreign car snob - I owned, at various points, Volkswagen Beetles, a Porsche 356B, a Fiat 850 Spider, a Datsun 240Z, two Fiat X/19's (speaking of blindness, I bought a second one despite the increcible corrosion problems and a cooling system that developed air locks in heavy traffic, causing the temperature gauge to climb faster than the tachometer needle and cylinder head gastket replacement at the rate of oil changes on most cars).

Today? Can anyone imagine flashing headlights at another passing 'foreign' car? Indeed, current problems with the domesitc auto industry aside, the 'design brief' for domestic and imports seems about the same; there is no essential difference in 'philosophy'.

Further, fashion, food and wine are also less subject to snobbery based upon the country of origin. One need look no further thean the number of wines from both the USA and Canada that win international prizes in blind tasting competitions with the best from France, Italy, Spain and Germany, or the number of successful domestic fashion designers and their lines of clothing.

In the 60's Marshall McLuhan spoke of the 'global village' - of the inevitable effect of high-speed international travel and communication. While we are not quite there yet, surely no one can deny at least a 'trend' towards globailization. We are all the beneficiaries of an explosion in access to international artists, film, food, wine and liquor, fashion and technology. In short, as time goes on, I suspect that the famous French expression 'Vive la difference!' will become largely an historical footnote.

Brad
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Old 09-07-2009, 08:12   #149
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Even though thirty percent of English words originally came from French, it would sound funny if everyone walked around talking like Pepe Le Pew!
If you really look at the origin of those french words, you will find that a lot of them are words that the French and British share from a Roman or Greek origin.
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Old 09-07-2009, 10:49   #150
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you will find that a lot of them are words that the French and British share from a Roman or Greek origin.
Like Sod-o-my
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