(Chevy) Nova --Query

[Dave Wilton]

I addressed it in "Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends." There is
a whole chapter on such mistranslation myths, many of them marketing
related.

In short, not only is it not true that Chevy Novas did not sell well in
Latin America, the contrary is true--they were a very popular car south of
the border. And one of the most popular brands of gasoline in Mexico is
named "Nova."

Other marketing mistranslation myths are that Coca Cola means "bite the wax
tadpole" in Chinese; "Come Alive With Pepsi" was translated as "Pepsi Brings
Your Ancestors Back to Life" in Chinese; and Coor's "Turn It Loose" slogan
means diarrhea in colloquial Spanish (Coors never even used this slogan).

--Dave Wilton
  dave at wilton.net
  http://www.wilton.net


> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> Of Cohen, Gerald Leonard
> Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 6:04 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: (Chevy) Nova --Query
>
>
> Is the story about the Nova being interpreted in Latin America as
> "no va" (doesn't go) and having terrible sales as a result merely
> a myth?  A colleague at my campus sent me the message below (with
> accompanying website) to the effect that it *is* a myth. Would
> any ads-l members know anything about this?
>
> Gerald Cohen
>
> > ----------
> > From:         Gentry, Lance
> > Sent:         Thursday, May 5, 2005 3:55 PM
> > To:   Cohen, Gerald Leonard
> > Subject:      Chevy Nova
> >
> > Gerald,
> > Your word column is one of the few things in the Missouri Miner
> I read on a regular basis.  I find word origins very interesting
> and appreciate your sharing your expertise.  Your most recent
> column on the Chevy Nova overlaps my own area of expertise -
> marketing.  I thought you'd appreciate some fact on this.
> >
> > I've bumped into this story about the Chevy Nova many times
> under various guises.  It is an utter myth with no truth
> whatsoever.  In fact, I use the story in class as an example of
> myth; so don't be surprised if some of my students mention this to you.
> >
> > If you would like to see the details, check out:
> http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp
> >
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Lance
> >
> > ______________________________________
> > Lance Gentry
> > Assistant Professor of Business Administration
> > School of Management and Information Systems
> > University of Missouri-Rolla
> > 106-B Fulton Hall
> > Rolla, MO  65409-0320
> > (573) 341-6070        direct
> > (573) 341-4184        main office
> > (573) 341-4812        fax
> >
> >
>
>