“Microsoft Corp. market researchers in Quebec found themselves in a potential linguistic pickle when they conducted consumer test-runs of the digital music player Zune, which the company officially announced on Thursday will be competing by Christmas with Apple’s hugely successful iPod,” Randy Boswell reports for CanWest News Service.
Boswell reports, “A Microsoft spokeswoman in Montreal told CanWest News Service that ‘it was pointed out to us’ during focus groups in the province that the proposed brand name sounded much like a French-Canadian term used as a euphemism for penis or vagina.”
Boswell reports, “The French word ‘zoune’ and the variant ‘bizoune’ typically serve as a less jolting way of referring to male or female genitalia when addressing children.”
‘It’s very much slang,’ said Nathalie Bergeron, noting that the words are not common parts of French-Canadian vocabulary. ‘Microsoft did do extensive customer research in Quebec,’ Bergeron added, and concluded that the name Zune was ‘very effective’ and posed no risk of becoming known as an embarrassing double entendre,” Boswell reports.
“But sounds of snickering over the apparent Zune branding predicament have been emanating for months from technology-obsessed corners of the Internet,” Boswell reports. “In July, during an earlier round of publicity about Microsoft’s plans to introduce Zune, the British-based business news site theinquirer.net revealed the potential ‘naming conundrum” in Quebec under the headline: ‘My Zune is bigger than yours.'”
Full article here.
[Attribution: Macworld UK. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “jendensam” for the heads up.]
Similarly, last week, The Inquirer’s Nick Farrell reported, “Microsoft Marketers are having a hell of a job establishing the super soaraway operating system in the pecking order in Latvia. Apparently, whenever they ring up peddling Vista, Latvians burst out laughing because the name means ‘chicken.'”
Full article here.
It almost – almost – goes without saying that the first unlucky soul who buys a Zune then plugs and prays it into his Windows Vista PC causing its inevitable crash will give a whole new meaning to the phrase “choking the chicken.”
Related articles:
Crave at CNET: ‘Microsoft Zune, all the excitement that brown can bring’ – September 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune underwhelms – September 15, 2006
Enderle: Microsoft Zune ‘a design mistake’ – September 15, 2006
Microsoft hypocrisy exposed with Zune: What ever happened to ‘choice?’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune with fake scroll wheel ‘hardly an Apple iPod killer’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune won’t spoil Apple’s biggest iPod Christmas ever – September 14, 2006
Microsoft unveils Zune 30GB player, Zune Marketplace; declines to disclose prices – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft’s Zune an ‘underwhelming’ repackaged Toshiba Gigabeat; no threat to Apple iPod – August 30, 2006
Microsoft confirms brick-like Zune to be made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft Zune is chunky brick made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft to spend hundreds of millions, several years on Zune trying to catch Apple iPod+iTunes – July 27, 2006
Zune: Apple cannot lose. Microsoft cannot win. – July 26, 2006
What’s next, is Microsoft going to name the HD DVD add on for the 360 the PoonBox™?
But Jockey Briefs will.
mommy licks daddy’s zunehole
Researching a name for a ipod killer $10
Changing the name of Toshiba Gigabeat to the Microsoft (made by Toshiba) Zune $10
Adding a new color to the current gigabeat line $10
Looks on peoples faces when they see the product or here its name in Canada, Priceless!
First, Quebec is NOT Canada!
Second, I can see it now, MS’s meaning of social networking “software”, “I’ll show you my zoune, if you show me yours!”
Microsoft sucks royal zune.
How Zune can you come?
Micro soft = tiny Zune
Spell ipod backwards and you get
“Dopi”
As in are you dopi not to own a zune?
Terence
Micro soft + tiny and limp
T Cruise
please do not use my name in vain – specially associated with Zunehead’s stuff
Accessory makers will be lining up to provide the ‘sleeve’ or the ‘pouch’ for those Z(o)unes.
Funny isn’t it? A while ago we said that Microsoft was on a negative, downward spiral. When that happens there is a continuum of errors and mistakes and whatever it does just goes wrong in one way or another.
So it seems.
While Apple’s positive spiral continues on, like a condor on a thermal…
Um, thanks, MDN Readers, I think.
“Is that a Zune in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”
MS is also rethinking it’s ribbed latex protective Zune covers.
bond co. stooge: “”Camel Toe” two button mouse”
That’s hysterical! I’m guessing you didn’t share that with the kids?
It could be worse. MS could have gone with their first industrial design, missile shaped.
My mom has been buying Zune protective covers for years –
“Depends”
MS has an engineering achievement that surpasses genitalia. The Zune can spread a virus without contact.
Similar thing happened in France with the Toyota MR2. Pronounced in French sounds suspiciously like ‘merde’, which translates to ‘shit’.
Sounds like a willy, looks like a turd. Should sell well.
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The “Nova” story meaning “no go” DEFINATELY is true, but it was in Brazil and the language was Portugeuse not Spanish.
MS Zune Pulled From Market
More blood on the cickwheel today as Microsoft quietly pulled it’s Zune digital music player from the market.
Steve Baldmer, Chief Chair Thrower & FUD-meister at Microsoft, offered little encouragement for the future of Microsoft in the Digital Media space.
Even after we offered customers a free Origami or portable Media Center, the Zunes just sat on the shelf. We really don’t have any good idea why they didn’t sell.
MDN Take
Another product from Redmond circles the bowl. Go figure.
I’m confused.
Is Zune a piece of crap or a penis or a vagina? Is this a twisted fantasy from Steve Lick My Ballmer? Is brown the buy-in color for the incontinent set? Could a song called “I Love You” by Melissa be the latest song for Zunatics to share?
The singular of feces is fex. And scat singing isn’t what you think it means.
which only proves that canadians do know dick
kinda like the worst selling car in Mexico
Chevie Nova (no go) in spanish
FUTURE MDN POST:
It’s already been done:
Opinion: More blood on Apple iPod’s Click Wheel: Microsoft pulls plug on Zune – July 25, 2006
A strange but undetermined fact: The first episode of “Joanie Loves Chachi” was the highest rated American program in the history of Korean television. Why you may ask? “Chachi” is Korean for “penis”. See the Urban Legends Reference Pages for more information on this claim:
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/joanie.htm
Joanie Loves Chachi