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Brand names in English: President's Choice® and no name® Brand names in French: le Choix du President® and sans nom®… |
One of the things that I really love about Canada is the fact that the country has two official languages. I do not know why I like that, but I really do it. Maybe because it is so fancy J! Or because in my opinion it is very cool to see two different nations living relatively harmonically within a country like it happens here in Canada with Quebecois and the other Canadians.
I think that it is fair enough to have the anthem in French and English (the French version is better than the English one in my opinion, by the way), it is also fair enough that the politicians in campaign have to debate their ideas in English and French, it is also fair enough to provide general information to the population in English and French. Quebecois people have the right to receive the same information that English speaker Canadians receive.
However (there is always a “however”), some things are so weird… Example: some brands have their name in English and French!! Whaaaaaaaat? Yeah, unbelievable, at least for me! I can imagine some marketing teachers crying, having horrible nightmares, or in more extreme cases, trying to kill themselves when they see stuff like that. Well, at least brand managers can make more money here in Canada than in any other country in the world. Of course they can: if I were a brand manager here I would ask my company to double my salary.
For me, having two brand names is like having two names: one in English and another one in French. So, if my name is Peter in any country, when I am here in Canada you can call me Peter-Pierre. If you are John in your country of origin, you would be John-Jean in Canada and so on.
Hmmm, now that I am thinking about this, I think that maybe I am in trouble… My last name “Coelho” means “rabbit”, in English. So, in this case, as long as I am in Canada, should I change my last name to “Coelho-Rabbit-Lapin”? I will think about that…Rendez-vous la semaine prochaine!
I also love that Canada has two official languages! I wish French were spoken more in Western Canada than it is.
ReplyDeleteAs a born Canadian, it would not have surprised me to see translated brand names. "President's Choice" is a good brand name in English because it signifies that each product is selected for quality. In French, "President's Choice" is only words and doesn't convey excellence anymore, but "le Choix du Président" does.
Also, I think part of it is out of Canadians' ideals of deference and respect. When Canadians spend long periods of time in other places where other languages are spoken, we often choose new names in the language of the place we're visiting, so that we can fit in, rather than forcing others to adapt to us. I've been longing for years to study in France so that I could be called Jean-Paul or something like that! :)
Hey Jonathon (or Jean-Paul), thanks for following us and for your comment. Your explanation about Canadians adaptating to other cultures makes sense! Thanks!
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