Nigaz

[Miles Teg]

I'm a little befuddled by this name choice. I mean, they have PR people, right? I mean, trying to be controversial is something for an individual customer brandname, not an entire company that apparently is just a supplier.

 

[Mirc]

I'm a little befuddled by this name choice. I mean, they have PR people, right? I mean, trying to be controversial is something for an individual customer brandname, not an entire company that apparently is just a supplier.

I'm sure it's hard enough to find people with a good knowledge of English slang, and there are normally no reasons to check that, since why would you believe it might mean something in another language's slang...? Trust me, this kind of similarity is extreeeemely hard to find for a non-native speaker. They are obviously not trying to be controversial. It's simply a combination of the name Nigeria and the word "gaz" = gas. These coincidences happen everywhere, it's blatantly obvious that it's not a conscious attempt at being controversial.

Over here in my city we used to have a foreign tourism agency which was based in a certain Croatian city whose name in my language literally means <a very vulgar slang word for penis>, so they made a huge banner saying "<city name> tours" and "trips to <city name>" in the center of the city. Needless to say, thousands photographed themselves with it, it made the news, etc, but the company actually had a lot of serious problems because of that, and I heard they are not doing too well nowadays. It was obviously not a conscious attempt at being controversial, and think about this - this happened in a country where this language is the main language of almost everyone! Not in Nigeria, where English doesn't have this status.

 

[Flying Pig]

Best company name ever. I wonder if it works in Russian

 

[Mirc]

Clearly not! It's obviously just an English coincidence!

If you want a similar example, think of the name Uranus. English is the only language in the world of which I'm aware to be able to find anything funny in that name.

 

[Snorrius]

The name is obviously was made using next formula:

Ni(geria) + Gaz(prom) = Nigaz

"Gaz" in Russian means (natural) gas.

 

[Mirc]

I beat you to that explanation.

(it was obvious to me since we also have Romgaz and Distrigaz here )

 

[Miles Teg]

OKay, Mise, conceded. I mean, I realized the Ni(geria)+Gaz (Natural Gas) thing, just couldn't help but think of it as a pun.

And just because it's funny, there have been a few movements to change the name of Uranus.

 

[Flying Pig]

Isn't it meant to be pronounced something like Ooh-ran-os since it's Greek?

 

[Miles Teg]

Ouranos is Greek. Uranus is Latinized.

 

[Mirc]

OKay, Mise, conceded. I mean, I realized the Ni(geria)+Gaz (Natural Gas) thing, just couldn't help but think of it as a pun.

Wait, what??

Ouranos is Greek. Uranus is Latinized.

Correct, but "ou" is pronounced in Greek just like the Latin "u" (somewhat similar to an English "oo", like in "boom"), therefore the difference is even smaller in pronounciation than what it seems like if you write the two names down.

 

[Azale]

Ouranos is Greek. Uranus is Latinized.

Well, there's your problem. I propose changing ALL of the Latinized planet names to Greek for official use.

Mercury -> Hermes
Venus -> Aphrodite
Mars -> Ares
Jupiter -> Zeus
Saturn -> Cronus
Uranus -> Ouranos
Neptune -> Poseidon

And for the hell of it, Pluto -> Hades

Try and tell me that would not be the best thing ever.

As for Nigaz, I always thought Nigerian National Petroleum or something like that would lend itself to less..tomfoolery with the name

 

[Gabryel Karolin]

So is Nigaz state-owned or can anyone buy some?

Very unfortunate name. Russians are probably laughing.

Imagine working for Nigaz in Africa. The hilarity will never end.

Also I don't see why we let China and Russia buy Africa, we in Europe should have lots more money and connections there than they have so whats going on with them buying its strategic resources?

 

[Miles Teg]

Wait, what??

Sorry, didn't get much sleep.

 

[cardgame]

can anyone buy some?

Slavery has been illegal for a while



that's an interesting name though. I wonder if they'll change it once they realize its English slang?

 

[Theige]

The name is obviously was made using next formula:

Ni(geria) + Gaz(prom) = Nigaz

"Gaz" in Russian means (natural) gas.

We know Snorrious! But for Americans, the "N-word" is the most taboo word in the entire English language. Even "Niggaz," a slang form of the word, is very rarely said by most people; ie. never by white people.

Among white people, any phrase in which the N-word is included is automatically hilarious (so long as no black people are around )

I hope I'm not offending anyone

Very unfortunate name. Russians are probably laughing.

I don't think the Russians are laughing, just look at Snorrious's post.

They're going to have to watch their pronunciation on TV

 

[Leonel]

Even the most conservative Washingtonian is PC.

Hey! Reformed conservative! I voted Obama!

 

[classical_hero]

This company represents. Yo.

 

[red_elk]

I don't think the Russians are laughing, just look at Snorrious's post.

This made me laughing after reading a first few posts in this thread
I didn't get at first, what is so funny about this name.

In Russian it sounds a bit strange too, something like "not-a-gas"

 

[Bill3000]

Isn't it meant to be pronounced something like Ooh-ran-os since it's Greek?

English pronounces latin and greek based words within its own spelling rules.

 

[Cutlass]

I didn't see anyone make the point that while in English the n-word rimes with bigger, and so the company name looks bad to us in print, the countries in Africa, Nigeria and Niger, are typically pronounced, AFAIK, with approximately a hard I sound. So, NIgeria. Or NIgaz. Or even Nygaz, for phonetic. So I don't think the unfortunate connotation holds up verbally as it does in print.