Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#100433 04/09/03 04:14 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 161
V
vika Offline OP
member
OP Offline
member
V
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 161
"Scotland on Sunday", Business

GLENMORANGIE has won a battle with a guardian of the Gaelic language over its famous advertising slogan.

Advertising watchdogs rejected a complaint disputing the accuracy of the Broxburn whisky company’s phrase, ‘Glenmorangie - Gaelic for Glen of Tranquillity’, which it has used for almost 10 years.

The complainant, identified only as a member of the public from Midlothian, said he understood Glenmorangie came from the Gaelic word ‘glen’ which meant valley, ‘mor’ which meant big, and ‘innse’ which meant water meadow. He said the company’s commercials were misleading because they misrepresented the Gaelic language.

But Glenmorangie refuted the claims and said it understood its name was an English corruption of the Gaelic ‘Gleann mor na sith’, which translated as ‘Big glen of peace’ or ‘Glen of tranquillity’. The company said it acknowledged the meaning of Glenmorangie depended on the "perceived root of the word" and there was academic argument over how various Scottish place names may have originated, but it believed the translation it had used was correct.

The Advertising Standards Authority consulted another expert in the language who believed the complainant’s translation was correct. But although the ASA said it acknowledged the Midlothian man’s translation, it believed that because the company had taken care to research the origins of the name it had good reason to use it. .






#100434 04/09/03 04:29 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Good for that unidentified member of the public!


#100435 04/10/03 02:07 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear Vika: I don't see how the last part of the name translates either way. I suggest a test.
Get some volunteers to chug-a-lug a quart each, and see if the become tranquil, or act
as though they were wading in a water meandow.I suspect they'll be well tranquilized.


#100436 04/10/03 11:05 AM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 161
V
vika Offline OP
member
OP Offline
member
V
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 161



#100437 04/10/03 11:15 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Geez, Dr Bill! Chug-a-lug a single malt? I mean, even Glenmorangie!

I catch you doing something like that you'll be tranquil all right.

You even *think about doing that with Laphroaig and you'll be tranquil.


#100438 04/10/03 12:32 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 161
V
vika Offline OP
member
OP Offline
member
V
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 161
chug-a-lug? Laphroaig? [puzzled]


#100439 04/10/03 01:05 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
chug-a-lug (oops, just realized, was that an ironic comment? )
means to drink very quickly, in large gulps...

Laphroaig is, I presume, a top-shelf single malt...


meandow

Bill, I really like this word! a gentle meandow....





formerly known as etaoin...
#100440 04/10/03 03:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
a top-shelf single malt

They use the motto, "No Half Measures". On a scale of one to ten for peatiness it scores about a 12 or 13. Not everyone likes it and they don't give a fetid dingo's kidney.


#100441 04/11/03 11:33 AM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Good for the company. At least its definition was based on authoritative bullshit.


#100442 04/11/03 11:58 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742
S
sjm Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
S
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742
>On a scale of one to ten for peatiness it scores about a 12 or 13.

I ran this definition past a friend who runs whisky-tasting courses, and he said it was pretty much spot on. Being a fellow guide fan, he also liked the Adams reference.



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5