taking poll on pronunciation

[Francoise Rosset]

>> I remember a TV ad with Ricardo
>> Montalban in the '70's for a car: the Chrysler Cordoba. Cordoba has
>> stress on the first syllable. I was surprised when Ricardo called it
>> "CorDOba". My husband was surprised too(he was a native Mexican). We
>> learned later that the Chrysler company decided to call it "CorDOba"
>> because they knew most Americans would be too stuborn to stress the
>> first syllable anyway.  So even Ricardo Montalban(Montal-BAN, hehe!)
>> had to say it like that in the commercial.
> 
> Perhaps they could've gotten the Spanish stress placement if they 
>had added an "-n" -- "Córdoban," like the leather. ;-) They could've 
>promoted the car by announcing that the seats were upholstered in 
>luxurious cordovan leather...

Sure, but there'd be a hitch: the interior of the car was made of
"fine Corinthian leather [CoRINthian)," according to the pitch.
I have a vague recollection of Montalbán having to gush luxuriously 
over the leather; it was Paul's suggestion that brought it back ... :)
-FR

Francoise Rosset, Associate Professor
Chair, Russian and Russian Studies
Coordinator, German and Russian
Wheaton College
Norton, Massachusetts 02766
Office: (508) 285-3696
FAX:   (508) 286-3640

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