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Mistranslation Myths: Truths and Falsehoods of International Marketing Blunders

Explore the fascinating world of mistranslations in international marketing. Discover the truth behind popular anecdotes, such as the myth that Chevrolet's Nova failed in Spanish-speaking countries due to its name meaning "doesn't go," when in fact it sold well. Learn about Coca-Cola's humorous Chinese translations and Mitsubishi's renaming of their Pajero model. Uncover the reality behind John Steinbeck's Japanese title and the amusing 'I Saw the Potato' T-shirt gaffe. These stories highlight the importance of thorough research in global branding.

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Mistranslation Myths: Truths and Falsehoods of International Marketing Blunders

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Are the following stories regarding mistranslations true or false?

  2. True or false? The Chevrolet Nova sold poorly in Spanish-speaking countries because its name translates as "doesn't go" in Spanish. False This is an "urban legend", although this anecdote is still used in many business schools and seminars to illustrate the perils of failing to do adequate research before introducing a product into the international marketplace. The Chevrolet Nova sold well in Mexico and Venezuela.

  3. True or false? Coca-Cola's initial transliteration of their name into Chinese produced a rendering whose meaning was "bite the wax tadpole". True - partly Although Coca-Cola translated their product as "to allow the mouth to be able to rejoice", Chinese shopkeepers created signs whose pronunciations formed the string "ko-ka-ko-la“, resulting in nonsensical meanings such as "female horse fastened with wax", "wax-flattened mare", or "bite the wax tadpole".

  4. True or false? Mitsubishi introduced a model with the rather unfortunate name of "Pajero" (a word which in Spanish is a slang term for someone who enjoys pleasuring himself), prompting Mitsubishi to rename the car the "Montero" in some markets. True

  5. True or false? The John Steinbeck novel The Grapes of Wrath was published in a Japanese translation bearing the title The Angry Raisins. False Another urban legend. The title of Steinbeck's masterpiece has been correctly rendered in multiple Japanese versions as Ikari no budou (first published in 1962). There are no recorded instances of the book being published as Ikareru hoshibudou ("The Angry Raisins") or Budou no ikari ("The Wrath of Grapes").

  6. True or false? An American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope's visit. Instead of the desired "I Saw the Pope" in Spanish, the shirts proclaimed "I Saw the Potato". True

  7. True or false? The Chinese translation of a British bus manufacturer’s maintenance manual used "nuts" of the edible variety throughout the instructions, in expressions like "tighten the nuts with a ratchet spanner". True Cicero Translations was asked to edit and correct the 200-plus page manual in 2001.

  8. CICERO TRANSLATIONS Nothing is left to chance 25 years of quality translations

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