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Nike, Napapijri, Vaude – I bet you’ve been pronouncing these brands wrong
by Laura Scholz
Dagsmejan, Descente, Stüssy – I bet you’ve been pronouncing these brands wrong, part 2
6/6/2024
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Knowing how to say brand names can be tricky. Have you been saying these three names right? Time to find out.
The Community voiced its opinion on my last article about the pronunciation of brand names such as Nike and Napapijri. Some comments were positive, others negative. Well, I couldn’t wait to provide you with some more tongue twisters, whether you like it or not. Here goes! Let’s start with the letter D for...
Dagsmejan
Thanks to our Head of Content Martin Jungfer, we now know what Dagsmejan means. In his article on the brand, he explains: «It’s to do with Sweden. «Dag» means day and «meja» means strength and power. All put together, the Swedish word refers to the last days of winter, when the sun melts the snow.»
And how do you pronounce the reference-rich name of the Zurich-based producer of pyjamas? The «e» and the «j» merge into a soft «ey» sound: dags:mey:an.
Descente
This one came in as a comment from a Community member in my last article on tongue-twisting brands. The user even provided a brief bit of information in German about the country in which the company was founded:
And the user’s right. Although the sportswear label was founded in 1935 in Osaka, Japan, it’s been bearing the French name Descente, i.e. desɑ̃t, since 1961. In a skiing context, this means the same as the similar English word descent.
Stüssy
Don’t let the «ü» in Stüssy mislead you. Shawn Stussy, who originally wanted to sell handmade surfboards in the early 1980s, put the dots in his logo purely for aesthetic reasons.
The streetwear brand of the same name’s pronounced just like the founder’s surname, namely stoo:see.
Are there other brands you struggle to pronounce? Let me know in the comments.
Header image: Stüssy
Laura Scholz
Senior Editor
Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.chAlways in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.
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