Correct pronunciation of brands in Russian. How to pronounce brand names correctly

Here we all love to brag about another branded little thing. But, alas, not all of us, even the most advanced, can correctly pronounce the names of brands and famous trademarks clothes. Once again, after listening to the girls around me (by the way, often quite stylish), and after watching the episode of the program "America's Next Top Model", which featured Christian Lacra and Hermes, which I did not understand, I decided to write this post. Today we will learn how to pronounce brand names correctly.

If you have a desire to argue, then please, not here. I checked every entry, so if you haven’t heard with your own ears how Christian Lacroix said that his last name is pronounced “Lacroich”, then please don’t argue with me. I wandered through dozens of websites of people who do not get out of fashion shows and checked the correct pronunciation. Those in which there were discrepancies, I did not include.

Since there is a big problem with the accent icon in the console, I will highlight the accents with a capital letter. Sometimes multiple pronunciations are possible.

Alexander McQueen - [Alexander McQueen]

Giorgio Armani - [Giorgio Armani] / [Giorgio Armani]

Balmain - [balmAn]. Here, please pay attention: the brand is French, so the combination ai is read as “a”. Some especially advanced ones read, of course, “balmain”, but you are not one of them, right?

Bulgari - [Bulgari]

Burberry - [burberry].

Byblos - [byblos]

Cacharel - [kasharEl]

Carolina Herrera

Cartier - [cartier]

Celine - [celine]

Chanel - [shanEl].

Chloé - [chloe]

Christian Dior - [christian dior].

Christian Louboutin - [Christian LouboutAn].

Christian Lacroix - [christian lacroix]

Clarins

Dior Homme - [Dior Om]. By the way, a note. Homme means "male, male" and is always and everywhere read as [Om]. Femme means "feminine, woman", and is always and everywhere read as [fam]. Accordingly, the names of perfumes “for him” - pour homme - will be read [pur Om], and “for her” - pour femme [pur fAm].

dolce & gabbana

Dsquared - [diskEirt]. There is also a lot of controversy about this name, but it is pronounced that way.

DKNY (Donna Karan New York)

Emilio Pucci - [emIlio pucci]

Escada - [escada]

Estée Lauder - [este louder]. There is also an interesting story here. The name seems to be French, although the brand is American. Therefore, in such abnormal eclecticism, such a hybrid as [este louder] turned out.

Ermenegildo Zegna But this is a must-know for all men.

Etro - [Etro]

Hermes. There is a very interesting story going on with this brand. All over the world, including in Russia, the townsfolk pronounce the brand name as "GerMes". But it's not right. French inhabitants, whose land, in fact, gave birth to this brand, read the name of the brand as "erme". And they do it right from the point of view of French phonetics - the first letter is mute, the stress is on the last syllable, the last letter is not readable. The French inhabitants just forget that proper names are exceptions to any rule. The name of the founder of the brand was Thierry Hermès, so the only correct pronunciation of the brand is [ermEs], with not a slight accent, but aspiration on the first syllable.

Hublot - [Ublo]

Guy Laroche

Gianfranco Ferré - [genfranco ferE]

Givenchy - [givenchy]. The founding father of the brand was named Hubert de Givenchy

John Galliano

Jean-Paul Gaultier - [Jean-Paul Gaultier]

Jimmy Choo - [Jimmy Choo]

Gucci - [gucci]

Guess - [ges]. The vowel is something between "E" and "E"

Jimmy Choo - [Jimmy Choo]

Lacoste - [lacoste]

Karl Lagerfeld - [Karl Lagerfeld]. And tell these clever Anglo-lovers that Lagerfeld is German.

Levi Strauss - [Levi Strauss].

Loewe - [lowe]. Listen.

Louis Vuitton - [lui viiton] / [lui viton] / [lui viuiton] - in all three cases, “n” is pronounced in the nose

LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) - [el ve em ash], [louis vuitton moet ennessy].

Stella McCartney - [Stella McCartney]

Mandarina Duck - [mandarina duck]

Max Mara - [max mara]

Miu Miu - [miu miu]

Moschino - [Moskino]. The designer's name is Franco Moschino

Nina Ricci - [Nina Ricci]

Paul Smith

Pierre Cardin - [Pierre cardan]. This is ideal. They often say "cardEn" - it is also acceptable. The main thing is not to "cardin".

Prada - [prada]. Designer - Miuccia Prada [miUcha prAda]

Ralph Lauren - [Ralph Lauren] - again a French-American linguistic setup.

Robert Piguet

Salvatore Ferragamo - [selvatore ferragamo]

Seiko - [seiko]

Sergio Rossi - [Sergio Rossi]

Sonia Rykiel - [Sonia Rykiel]

Shiseido - [shiseido]

Tommy Hilfiger English, so the last letter is soft to read

Tissot - [tissO]

Ulysse Nardin - [Ulysse NardAn]. "U" is more like "Yu".

Van Cleef & Arpels - [Van Cleef & Arpel]

Versace - [versace]

Viktor & Rolf - [Viktor and Rolf]

Wyler Genève

Yohji Yamamoto - [yoji yamamoto]

Yves Saint Laurent - [Yves Saint Laurent]

Zuhair Murad - [Zuhair Murad]

Yesterday's events inspired the topic for writing this post. Maybe someone will be useful and informative.

Do we correctly pronounce the names of brands that are present in our Everyday life? Let's sort it out a little right or wrong in this topic, and whoever remembers, add it to the comments, or write it down and remember!

Converse

Let's start with our favorite brand Converse - which did not come from English verb“to conv?erse”, but from the name of the creator of the brand Markus K?onvers, so let’s remember and now we say correctly: сonverse - [k?onverse] - [?k?nv??s]

Coccinelle

Coccinelle - Koksinel (which translates as "ladybug") is a French word, but borrowed by Italians, it is pronounced cochinelle in Italian and is also translated as ladybugs, only in plural. So this is an exception and it is customary to say how Italians do it when talking about their brand.

Desigual

Desigual is a Spanish brand that can be found in our shopping malls. The word translated from Spanish means “not like everyone else”, “not the same” or “unequal”, which is quite proven by optimistic bright collections designed for young boys and girls who want to stand out from the crowd. So, how to pronounce this word desigual correctly? al or desigu? al. Personally, in my practice, the Spaniards pronounced - desigu "al

Dsquared2

Dsquared2 - Brand of men's and women's clothing and accessories, founded by Canadian twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten, is known for its collaboration with show business stars (with the help of the ubiquitous Madonna). The name of the brand comes from the first letters of the brothers' names - D in the square. This is a discweed, not a discweed, and it is not a Canadian brand at all, but an Italian one, since the brand has been registered in Milan since 1991.

Loewe

My favorite Spaniards are also Loewe - in honor of the founder of the brand, we pronounce Loewe

TOUS

Spanish bears TOUS, here how to spell and pronounce - Tous

hublot

Hublot (Ublo) - famous swiss brand specializing in the production of luxury watches. The brand was founded in 1980 and is currently a subsidiary of the international holding Louis Vuitton Moet Hennesy (LVMH). History Hublot watchmaker Carlo Crocco grew up in an Italian family of watchmakers.

Guy Laroche

Guy Laroche - The English have the name Guy and they pronounce it "Guy", but the French call their Guy "Guy". The modist from the Atlantic hinterland of France, who at the end of the 40s of the 20th century began his career in “practical” haute couture, and then in pret-a-porter, was called Guy Laroche.

Philipp Plein

One of the common mistakes is the pronunciation of the name of the German designer Philipp Plein. Philip was born in Germany, so his name should be pronounced exactly in the German manner "Plein", and not in English - "Plein".

Louis Vuitton

The name of the fashion house Louis Vuitton, it is correct to pronounce - "Louis Vuitton", but not "Louis Vuitton" or "Louis Vuitton".

Alber Elbaz

The head of the Lanvin brand is Alber Elbaz. And the brand under his leadership is pronounced as "Lanvan". These are the features of French pronunciation. So forget Lanvin or Lanvin.

Levi's

Levi's - Having emigrated to America, the Bavarian Leb Strauss changed not only his life, but also his name. He adapted it to the American style - Levi Strauss. Therefore, your favorite jeans should be called Levi's and nothing else.

Marchesa

Brand name Marchesa (a brand of stunning couture dresses handmade) should be read according to Italian rules: "Marquesa", not "Marchesa" in English, because the company got its name in honor of the Italian aristocrat Marchesa Luisa Casati.

Moschino

According to the same rules, the name of the Moschino brand is read - "Moskino"

Nike

Nike - The name of the sportswear and equipment company is of Greek origin, it is the English version of the name of the ancient Greek goddess of victory Nike. It sounds like Nike. That's how the name of the company is pronounced.

Hermes

The Hermes brand is correctly pronounced as "Ermes", and nothing else. Hermes is the name of the ancient Greek god of trade and profit, and he definitely has nothing to do with modern fashion. In addition, the brand name is often pronounced as "Erme" and, it would seem, according to the rules of French transcription, this is correct. But do not forget that every rule has exceptions. This is exactly such a case.

Azzedine Alaia

The name of the French designer of Tunisian origin Azzedine Alaia, whose outfits especially impressed fashionistas this year, is pronounced as "Azzedine Alaia". Usually three vowels in a row in his surname are introduced into a stupor, but everything is much simpler than it seems.

Badgley Mischka

Wonderful shoes “Baglai Mishka” are not “Baglai” at all. Badgley Mischka is not the name of one person, as it might seem, but the names of the founders of the design duo: Mark Badgley and James Mischka. Accordingly, the brand name sounds like this: "Badgley Bear".

Vionnet

Many pronunciations can also be heard in relation to the name Vionnet: "Vyonet" or "Vionnet". In fact, everything is simple: "Vionne" with an emphasis on "e". This is exactly what the name of the founder of the French House, the legendary Madeleine Vionnet, sounded like.

Elie Saab

Remembering the next Elie Saab brand, you will surely assure with confidence that we are talking about a woman again. And here it is not. The Lebanese designer is a man. It is he who creates dresses of heavenly beauty. Oh yes, the correct pronunciation is Elie Saab.

Proenza Schouler

Proenza Schouler - what sharper are we talking about? No, this is the new Proenza Schouler collection. The American brand is often called "Shuler", although it should be "Proenza Schooler". Almost like school in English. Much nicer than a scammer.

Remember the cracked paint sweatshirts? What name do they have? That's right, we are talking about the futuristic brand Balenciaga (sounds like "Balenciaga").

Givenchy

The House of Givenchy, which impressed us with aggressive Dobermans on bags, should be called "Givenchy", and not in the American manner - "Givenchy".

Balmain

But in English-speaking countries, the name Balmain is often pronounced incorrectly - “Balmain”, but it should sound correctly like “Balmain”, while the letter “n” at the end is practically not pronounced. The name of the founder of the brand was Pierre Balmain.

Comme Des Garcons

The Comme Des Garcons brand is Japanese, but its name is French, so you should say “Comme de Garços? n". Without "s" in both cases and with an accent on "o". This is perhaps the strangest and most unusual brand that many street fashionists want to own.

Christian Louboutin

Of course, we can't ignore our favorite red-soled shoes! Christian Louboutin is usually pronounced "Christian Louboutin". It's easy to make a mistake though. Even in professional circles, you can hear "Louboutin", "Lobutan" or "Louboutin". In the pronunciation of the "red sole" we will not be mistaken for sure!

Giambattista Valli and Gianfranco Ferre

The seemingly complicated names Giambattista Valli and Gianfranco Ferre are not that difficult when it comes to pronunciation. "Giambattista Valli" and "Gianfranco Ferre" respectively. Excessive abundance of letters does not make it difficult to read correctly.

Hedi Slimane

But Hedi Slimane is also often called incorrectly. But everything is simpler than it seems: Hedi Slimane, not Hedy Slimane.

Burberry Prorsum

We manage to make mistakes with Burberry Prorsum. Now we sound like "Barbary Prorsum", then like "Burbary Prorsum". But it's not the same song. "Burberry Prorsum" - put a tick and remember ..

Mary Katrantzou

Mary Katrantzou was born in Greece but works in the UK, where she is known as "Mary Katranzou". This brand is loved by young fashionistas around the world. Mary is also known for her numerous collaborations with other fashion brands and mass markets.

Well, the list is rather big. But these are not all names and fashion houses with difficult pronunciation and interesting history. To keep up to date and not fall into the mud face in some fashion boutique, before going to the store, go to the Internet and read a couple of new names in the fashion world.

For fans of Louis Vuitton, a video to practice pronunciation

Text selectively from fashionbookkids.ru and facelook.kz

Elena Britova

Academic manager of the TransLink-Education company, certified trainer in speed reading and memory development.

The English alphabet has 26 letters and 44 sounds. If in some languages ​​each letter is responsible for only one sound, then in English one letter can convey up to four sounds, and in some cases even up to seven. Hence the favorite saying of the English: "We write Liverpool, but we read Manchester."

In addition, articulation (movement of the tongue, lips, mouth) is significantly different from Russian. There are sounds similar to Russians, but when they are pronounced, the organs of articulation work differently.

If you want to get rid of the accent, or at least get closer to English speech, all the differences must be taken into account. Here are some tips on how to get yourself the correct English pronunciation.

1. Learn the alphabet

Many adults consider this a child's exercise. But one day they will definitely ask you: “Please, spell your name” (“Spell your name”). This is where knowing the letters of the English alphabet comes in handy. In addition, there may be letters in abbreviations, street names, house numbers and flight numbers, and, for example, at the airport they will definitely be pronounced as in the alphabet.

2. Practice articulation when pronouncing consonants

Once you have mastered the letters of the alphabet, feel free to move on to learning the sounds they convey. Accustom yourself to the correct articulation right away. Learn to pronounce the sounds separately first, bring to automatism, and then move on to words, phrases and sentences.

In English, there are consonant sounds that at first glance (or rather, hearing) are pronounced like in Russian.

1. Check where the tip of the tongue is when pronouncing the sounds [d] - [t], [n], [r], [s], [z]. Sticking to your teeth? Congratulations, you pronounce the Russian alphabet. In native English, the tip of the tongue at this time is on the alveoli (the largest tubercle in the upper palate). Try it. Now you get pure English sounds. Practice: bed - ten , not , rat , sun , zoo .

2. Depict a hare when pronouncing the sounds [f] - [v]. The upper teeth must be placed on the lower lip. Work out: fat - vet.

3. Remember that the sound [l] is always hard: London [ˈlʌndən].

4. When practicing the [w] sound, take a candle: this is the best way to learn how to pronounce it correctly. Fold your lips into a tube and pull forward (like small children reach out for a kiss), and then smile sharply. Then this sound will come out. When training, hold the candle at a distance of 20-25 cm from the lips. If the flame goes out when you pronounce the sound, then you are doing everything right. Practice: say the word well.

5. Warm your hands when practicing the [h] sound. It has nothing to do with Russian [x]. Imagine that you are very cold and are trying to warm your hands with your breath. You bring them to your lips and exhale. During exhalation, a light, barely audible English sound [h] is formed. As in the word home.

6. Practice the sound [ŋ] with a bad cold or imagine that you have it. There is no such sound in Russian, it is transmitted by the combination ng in English. Press the tongue like a spatula against the upper palate and let the sound through the nose. It reminds a little of [n], if you pronounce it with a severe cold. Remember that your tongue is still touching the alveoli, not the teeth. Practice: interesting [ˈɪnt(ə)rɪstɪŋ].

7. Be a snake and a bee for training [ð] - [θ]. These sounds are absent in Russian and are formed by combining the letters th in English.

[ð] - voiced sound. Bite the tip of your tongue lightly with your teeth and pronounce the sound [z]. If during training the lower lip and tongue are tickled, then you are doing everything right. If not, then you may have bitten the tip of your tongue too hard, loosen your teeth a little. Say the word this [ðɪs], do you get it?

[θ] - dull sound. The articulation is the same, only we pronounce the sound [s]. To practice the hollow sound [ θ ], say the word thank [θæŋk].

3. Learn the four types of syllables for the correct pronunciation of vowels

The reading of vowels depends on the type of syllable in which they are:

• open (syllable ends in a vowel);
• closed (syllable ends in a consonant);
• vowel + r;
• vowel + re.

In the first type of syllable - open - vowels are read as in the alphabet (that's where knowledge of the alphabet came in handy!). For example: plane , nose , tube , Pete .

In the second type, you need to learn by heart the pronunciation of each vowel:

• [æ] - open sound, not long. It is conveyed by the letter A in a closed syllable. Test yourself: sit at the table, straighten up, put one elbow on the surface, bend the brush under the chin. Between the chin and the hand you will have a place, unless, of course, you have straightened your back. Now we lower the lower jaw down so that it reaches the brush, and pronounce [e]. Practice with the word bag.
• [e] is often confused with the previous sound. When pronouncing [e], you just need to slightly raise the corners of your lips up, as if smiling slightly. These are two different sounds, and they are not similar to each other, and even more so to Russian [e]. Practice: pet .
• Short sounds [i], [ɔ], [ʌ], [u] are pronounced intensively, not in a singsong voice: big, box, bus, book [bʊk].

In the third and fourth types of syllables, the letter R not readable, it only forms a syllable and lengthens the vowel sound: car, sort, turn.

, [ɔ:] - special sounds. Imagine that you are at a doctor's office examining your throat. The root of your tongue is pressed with a stick and asked to say "Aaaa." It is in this position that the tongue should be when pronouncing the sounds [a] and [o]. If at the same time you want to yawn, then you are on the right track! Try it right now: car , sort .

4. Remember the correct accents

Most often in English the stressed syllable is the first. If you need to pronounce a word, but there is no one to ask or there is no dictionary at hand, put the stress on the first syllable. Of course, it is better to memorize the words right away with correct accent Or check yourself in a dictionary.

5. Don't Forget Four Important Rules

• There are no soft consonants in English.
• Voiced consonants are not stunned at the end of a word.
• Vowels are long (in transcription they are denoted by [:]) and short.
• No extra - especially sharp - movements of the lips.

Learn a few phrases to practice correct pronunciation:

• Very well [‘veri ‘wel].
• World Wide Web or WWW [‘w əuld ‘waid ‘web www].
• Eleven benevolent elephants [ɪˈlevn bəˈnevələnt ˈelɪfənts].
• Stupid superstition [ˈstjuːpɪd ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃ(ə)n].
• Pirates Private Property [ˈpaɪrəts praɪvət ˈprɒpəti].

And remember: different sounds have a meaningful function. For example, man ("man", "man") and men ("men"); ship [ʃip] ("ship") and sheep [ʃi:p] ("sheep") and so on. Many people read the word three (“three”) as (which means “tree”) or (“freedom”), not taking into account that th [θ] is read differently, it simply does not exist in Russian (remember the exercise "bee"). Knowing the correct pronunciation of words, you definitely will not get into a mess!

Connoisseurs in English and those who study it from scratch should get acquainted with the peculiarities of the pronunciation of individual sounds. This will help in the future to avoid problems with the pronunciation of individual words.

In contact with

Features of phonetics

To learn how to pronounce words in English correctly, you must first learn how to pronounce all sounds without errors. To acquire this skill, transcription of the English language is used, since this is the only guarantee of the exact pronunciation of words.

Each Russian-English dictionary has a transcription of English words that allows you to pronounce them in full accordance with the orthoepic norms of the British or American version.

Why do you need a translation into Russian

In English, almost every word is equivalent to several Russian counterparts. To check this, just look into the dictionary of foreign vocabulary and familiarize yourself with the content.

The standard English-Russian dictionary contains numerous lexical meanings, which have more than one or two matches in Russian, but at least five. This is due to the fact that the modern English language is very rich.

In addition to the translation of words, there is also an exhaustive base of pronunciation norms in the form of transcription, which allows you to learn how to read correctly and perceive it by ear in foreign speech.

Techniques for improving pronunciation

There are different ways to improve the pronunciation of an English word. The fact is that it is a complex speech act. Only experience allows you to learn how to pronounce word forms correctly, without the need to constantly read theoretical reference books. The best option to achieve an effective result is constant communication with native English speakers.

We offer the main list of methods that are used in the system of self-education and in classrooms:

• daily training with a teacher, communication on simple topics;
• listening and repeating short phrases and words in English after the speaker;
• development of the laryngeal apparatus through the use of special phonetic techniques;
• reading aloud in Russian the most complex combinations of word forms that form speech competence with their translation.

All of the above methods are high level efficiency and enable self-learning. Also important is the experience of communicating with a teacher or with a native speaker. This will significantly reduce the training time.

Lessons with a tutor

Features of the pronunciation of individual words

Take, for example, the pronunciation of "the". The sound of this word is especially difficult for a number of reasons. Let's dwell on the main ones. To learn how to pronounce this combination correctly, you need to adhere to the following principles:

1. The tip of the tongue should rest against the hard palate. Without this moment, it will definitely not work to pronounce the sound.
2. The back of the tongue should be in close contact with the larynx. Only in this case the sound will match the original. The back is always pulled back to create a gap between the laryngeal cavity on exhalation.
3. It is important to consider the pronunciation of British speakers, as it differs significantly from the American version.
4. The sound of English words is considered one of the most difficult, due to the lack of similarities in other European languages.

But no matter how difficult the theoretical component may seem, it is easy to really learn how to pronounce the sound “the” in Russian with constant practice. Otherwise, serious problems may arise, even if there is a desire to learn.

How to pronounce th in English

How to learn correct pronunciation

Any teacher strives to ensure that his student can correctly pronounce sounds, first in Russian, and then in a foreign language. They are the basis of a deep understanding of the context and the ability to convey their thoughts in another language. How to pronounce correctly English words, can teach phonetic exercises to develop the laryngeal apparatus. They include the following points:

1. The skill of forming varying degrees of jaw elevation for pronouncing vowels, in accordance with the norms of communication.
2. The duration of the operation usually does not exceed 15 minutes, but it turns out to be extremely useful with a deeper study.
3. All English sounds are divided into two types: upper and lower rise. For exact observance of the pronunciation norm, they usually resort to the need for phonetic training.

Important! Every student who speaks Russian should be aware that not a single English sound is similar to its Russian counterpart, since a different articulation, degree of tongue elevation and contact with the larynx are used to pronounce it. Sound development takes a long time.

To pronounce English words correctly, you need to practice every day.

Activating Skills

To learn how to speak English easily and quickly, you need to do phonetic exercises in Russian. This is the technique recommended by the best teachers in the world. Modern English has 11 vowel sounds and their Russian counterparts, which you can see in the table below:

The student should not be afraid that he will have to learn many new sounds. Yes, their analogues cannot be found in modern Russian, but the classification given above allows us to understand their main essence.

We also offer a list of English consonant sounds that every language learner should know. There are 24 of them in total:

p	f	t	th	ch	s	sh	k	b	v	d	dz
z	g	gue	h	m	n	gn	r	l	w	j	th

Important! The notorious sound "th" can sound differently, depending on the position in the word.

Practicing sounds and words

Practicing sounds cannot be accompanied only by a theoretical review. Since no English sound is similar to Russian, you can learn how to pronounce it correctly only under the guidance of an experienced mentor. An independent attempt may turn out to be a failure.

Standard development occurs step by step, from simple variants to more complex ones. More than half of all sounds belong to the last category, since their pronunciation is a difficulty for the Russian speech apparatus.

Attention! The role of the teacher in the process of mastering English phonetics is difficult to overestimate. It provides an opportunity to avoid errors in initial stage. Without prior preparation, the student runs the risk of becoming an object of misunderstanding in an English-speaking environment or in an authentic setting.

Consider how the word knight is read in English. Not every beginner will be able to read a given word in English without errors, relying only on the spelling component. The word "knight" has six letters, but the word is pronounced differently, out of correspondence with the letter combination. In this case, there is only one syllable. In Russian, it sounds like "night". What is the cause of this dissonance? It's all about the historical development of the British dialect. This is important to understand for both a simple layman and an experienced linguist.

British today is considered one of the oldest dialects in Europe. Over the 1000 years of its existence, there have been major changes in the norms of pronunciation. Today we have the opportunity to see it as it became in the middle of the nineteenth century. A deep understanding of the changes in the field of phonetics and vocabulary became possible thanks to the work of the reformers of the literary form.

Words with significant differences in principles and pronunciation can be identified more than one hundred. Only a good knowledge of transcription makes it possible to learn how to pronounce any British words.

Useful video: one of their lessons English reading from scratch

Conclusion

Now the reader understands how important correct pronunciation is. Without such an important aspect, further study may become meaningless. High-quality study of the material, translation and transcription of words is required. Now you know how to learn a language in a short time and read either syllables without errors.

1. Nike. The name of the brand comes from the name of the goddess of victory Nike and in the original it sounds like Nike. That is how it is pronounced in the United States. However, ignorance of this fact, on the one hand, and the rules for reading the English word "nike", on the other hand, have led to widespread in Europe in general and in Russia in particular the incorrect transcription of "Nike". The name, which is essentially incorrect, has not only taken root and gained a foothold, but is also used in the name of the official representative of the company in Russia.

2. Lamborghini - Lamborghini. The Italian manufacturer of expensive sports cars is called Lamborghini. According to the rules of reading in Italian, if "g" is followed by "h", then it is read as "g". However, in Russia, the incorrect pronunciation of "Lamborghini" is so common that even the Google autosearch system gives it out. But if you say a Lamborghini in the usual way to an Italian, they will look askance at you or laugh at you.

3. Hyundai - Hyundai. "Hyundai" means "modern" in Korean. The correct Russian transliteration of this word is "hyunde" with an emphasis on the last syllable. In Russian advertising, they delicately try not to pronounce the name, limiting themselves to English spelling, although the spelling "Hyundai" is used on the company's official website. The people of the Korean automaker are also called "Hyundai", and "Hyundai", and "Hyundai".

4. Porsche - Porsche. Pronounced "Porsche" with an accent on the first syllable, after the name of the founder of the company, Ferdinand Porsche. Russians either confuse the stressed syllable (Porsche) or lose the ending (Porsch), wondering why the final "e" is not read in the name of the Cayenne luxury SUV (Porsche Cayenne).

5. BMW - B-M-V. Here, for the majority, everything is correct with the pronunciation, because. it corresponds to German. True, some fighters for the correct naming of everything and everything assure that you need to say "B-M-Double-U". Not really, because "B-M-V" is the absolutely appropriate pronunciation for BMW, the German automaker whose name is known to have come from an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works). In German, the letters included in the brand name are called that way, and W is "Ve".

6. Moёt & Chandon - Moet e Chadon. Contrary to popular belief in Russia, in the name of the world well-known brand champagne when pronouncing, it is not the "t" in the word Moёt that is removed, but the "n" in the word Chandon. The union "and", represented in the name by an ampersand, is read, as it should be in French, "e".

7. Levi's - Levis. Careful research has revealed that both variants of pronunciation (Lewis and Levis) have long and firmly entered into common use, and even in the USA both variants exist. People continue to be interested, argue and prove, but the entire evidence base boils down to two points: English speakers most often speak Levi's, because according to the rules English name Levi is read as "Levi"; but the name of the creator of the first jeans was Levi. Levi Strauss was a German Jew whose birth name was Loeb. At 18, he moved from his native Bavaria to San Francisco, and his name became Levi for ease of pronunciation in the States. And if you follow the grammar of the English language, then "Lewis" is more correct.

8. Mitsubishi - Mitsubishi. The Russian representative office of the Japanese automaker Mitsubishi in its latest campaign has focused on the version of "Mitsubishi". The penultimate sound in Japanese is actually read as something between "s" and "sh", but closer to "s" than to "sh", so the vast majority of Japanese scholars and translators from Japanese continue to insist on "Mitsubishi".

9. Samsung - Samson. Samsung in Russia is pronounced like "Samsung", but more correctly "Samson", with an accent on the first syllable, which means "three stars" in translation.

10. Xerox - Ziroks. Surprisingly, the actual pronunciation is "zirox", not "xerox". In the United States, the initial "X" is always read as "Z". ("Xena the Warrior Princess" is also spelled "Xena" by the way). But in Russia, from the very first appearance of the Xerox copier, it was called a Xerox, and now no one will understand what it is about if they hear "Zyrox".

Of course, correctness is important in everything, including the pronunciation of brand names. But sometimes you think: is it worth speaking correctly when everyone around is speaking equally wrong, and then explaining to everyone that you are right?:

“Show me the latest Zirox, please.”
- Show what?
“Well, Zirox, here he is standing in front of you.
So it's Xerox!
- No, Zirox will be correct - I read it, I know!

It's like all over the city your clocks are right, but no one cares because most of them check their clocks against each other's clocks, which show the wrong time.