also the "y" sound. It's a bit like c and s in english - s is always "s", but c can be an "s" (soft) or "k" (hard). In swedish j is always "y", but g can be "y" (soft) or "g" (hard) :?
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Does anyone know what Tré Ankare means?
I'm guessing "Three Anchors?" :?:Comment
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Yup!Comment
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it means either three anchors or an old swedish measurment.Comment
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Isn't it true that Sweden is bilingual? Like they have English as a mandatory study in the schools?
I think a lot of country's in Europe are like that.
I know that with music, it is not often you run into a band that uses the native language. At least, that's my experience with their metal bands. 95% of them have lyrics in English.
I mean it could be a marketing thing, yeah, for sure, but it also could be that they don't have a hard time using it either...it can be used in a more nuanced way than the language they speak can offer?
It just looks like there's more than just marketing to the British and Americans, for them to use English.
Personally, I really like the obscure looking names of the snus. The american names just remind me of dip or something.Comment
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I know in an interview with Faroese prog/viking/metal band Tyr's lead singer, they asked "why are your lyrics in english", and his response was "don't you think it's obvious".
Also, I grew up in Belgium as an Air Force brat, and we lived in a Belgian town and I attended a mixed US and Belgian school. While most adults speak some english, most younger kids speak near fluent english.Comment
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Yes, english is mandatory to learn in school, nearly all over the world. It really is a world-language, closely followed by spanish and french. In continental europe, it's also quite amazing, that it seems to be a must for nearly everyone, to speak german. It really makes life easier for me, when on vacation. :lol:
Back to topic: choosing english names for commercial products is just a sign of the times. In Germany, where many people, in fact, don't understand english, it sometimes even is ridiculous, how some products get brand-names, that are hardly understandable for native english-speakers, when they are designed to attract older german people, who mostly don't even know a single english word. Naming products seems to be just a 'playing-field' for ignorant, younger, self-proclaimed 'marketing-experts'.
BTW, I also find it 'freaky' to see english commercials for german products, using slogans, that noone outside Germany will understand and that lack a comprehensible meaning, too, like "Vorsprung durch Technik". It's just ridiculous and it's just 'marketing'. :lol:
I, too, think, that most snus-brands indeed have swedish or international names. The only manufacturer, that only uses english names, is V2 tobacco. V2 tobacco is a danish company. They certainly have a hard time, trying to get a leg into the swedish market. At the same time, snus is not more than a niche-product in Denmark. Subtilo surely knows more. So, what should they do to have success, other than to head for the international market, using english brand-names and untraditional flavorings. What they do seems absolutely natural to me. This applies more or less for many of the smaller snus-manufacturers in Sweden.
Cheers!Comment
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I agree, going west seems like the only option for V2. I has probably been the plan all along - just consider the characteristic sweet and powerful Offroad taste. It simply screams US market ... (that crazy flavored test-roll surely supports this!)
And yes, snus is still a niche product in Denmark, but sales are rising these days. Typical brands are General, Ettan, Grov and Diplomat. Offroad is actually also very well represented.Comment
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engrish.com has many of these odd translation to english (mostly from japan) examples. Very funny, I wish the site name was a little less durogatory.
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Funny thing is; aside from possibly being a name, I'm pretty sure this "Skruf" means the same as our Dutch "Schroef" which is that piece of metal you use a screwdriver on to fasten pieces of wood and metal to eachother: a screw.Originally posted by Zero
Isn't laquer an old-fashioned name for the red wax used together with a ring to melt, press and seal a confidential letter on the seam? (Hence my thinking "Red Seal")Röda Lacket - "red lacquer"
Your explanation's better. ;-)Göteborgs Rapé - from Göteborg, Sweden - Rapé is from French for "grated"
By the way folks, here's a very handy website called The Snus Encyclopedia.
It seems to have every variant of every brand and every number on each one of them (like mg. of nic.)...
http://www.snus-swedishsnus.com/index.htm
I knew the site already but kinda forgot about it a long while back.Comment
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yeah, Lacket can mean wax/lacquer/sealant - you're probably right on the etymology.
As for skruf, the swedish for screw is "skruv" (skruven, skruvar). Maybe a trade-name spin on that, drawing on germanic/nordic/euro whatever, as you suggest. I don't think "skruf" is a proper swedish word.
The other thing I think of is the english word "scruffy", which is rather unkempt and roughshod... sort of in line with the metrosexual image in their adverts of "trendy" beard/stubble and deliberately messy hair, etc.Comment
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Ahh Skruf, the Ryan Seacrest of the snus world :lol:Originally posted by ZeroComment
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Knox kind of has the reverse name association - I think Ft. Knox the gold storing bank, but it's a budget snus.
Maybe it means you can keep your 'gold' in the bank with this budget snus (ok, maybe that's a long shot).Comment
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^ Like the snus, but their site looks like a frickin' Abercrombie & Fitch add.Comment
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