Porsche Says "Porsh". Get Over It. (Read To The Bottom)

"SPNKiX" (SPNKiX)
09/14/2016 at 17:57 • Filed to: Porsh, Porsche, pronunciation

For years I have seen and heard people arguing over this with supposed aficionados asserting their pedantic dominance over others with the ultimate intent of derailing conversations.

“Hey, automotive confidant, I got to drive a Porsh last weekend and it was amazing! I drove up Angeles Crest and, for the first time in my life, I felt at piece with the world!”

“Dude, it’s Por-SHA, you know that.”

“I know but, I am talking about automotive nirvana, here, buddy!”

“Yeah, but how would you like it if someone said your name wrong?”

“I mean, it’s a company?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Dude, I am bearing my soul to you! How can you waste my time with this crap?!”

“And another thing, you used the wrong “peace”.”

“How can you even know that? I was talking to you, not writing.”

“And it’s “baring”, not “bearing”.”

“Lan-see-ah Stratos, jerkhead.”

I mean, seriously, people. Do you say “Par-reee”? No. “Paris” suffices. Just get over it and go to 3:03 in the video if it doesn’t start at the right place. The GERMAN guy WORKS for Porsche. In the Classic department. In Germany. They say it both ways. * Hope you read that last sentence before you commented!

If you’re serious about not being so serious, please link people to this. But, keep badgering people over there/their/they’re and your/you’re and all of those. Those ones are cool.

DISCUSSION (65)

shop-teacher > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:01

“Yeah, but how would you like it if someone said your name wrong?”

People pronounce my name wrong more often than not, IDGAF.

lone_liberal > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:02

If it’s somebody name, like Porsche, I think it’s best to pronounce how they do. If it’s a generic term, like jaguar, then regional accents are perfectly fine. Either way, the people who get upset about it need a new hobby.

SPNKiX > lone_liberal
09/14/2016 at 18:04

I can’t tell whether you’re continuing the moot argument or whether this is a side note. 3:03 in the video, just in case it’s the former. If the latter... totally.

Berang > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:08

Matsuda not Mazda

lone_liberal > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:08

I was just explaining how I’ve decided to do things. That’s just me. I think the pronunciation police need to give it a rest as who the hell really cares how somebody else pronounces something? I say Porsche with two syllables, that doesn’t mean I’m some kind of effete snob and I say Jaguar with two, that doesn’t mean I’m an illiterate boob.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Berang
09/14/2016 at 18:11

The “Mazda” issue exists because a Japanese company chose a non-Japanese word and spelled it in a non-Japanese way, while having to pronounce it in Japanese phonetics in Japan. There is no “right” way to pronounce the word because it was never Japanese to begin with.

I doubt the members of Wu-Tang Clan bothered to research how Chinese people actually pronounce Wu-Tang.....or whatever the original Chinese words were intended to be, if any.

RPM esq. > shop-teacher
09/14/2016 at 18:11

Yeah, I still know when my drink is up at Starbucks, and it doesn’t hurt my feelings.

Berang > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJpI4X…

Urambo Tauro > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:17

Official sources are great and all, but they’re not infallible (especially when they call a four-door car a “coupé”...

Berang > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
09/14/2016 at 18:17

No, there are definitely wrong ways to say it. It wouldn’t be said “subaru” for example.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:18

The problem is that the guy has been peer-pressured into pronouncing it incorrectly on purpose. He is audience is clearly English-speaking, and English-speaking markets comprise a huge portion of Porsche’s business. If it were a local German audience, he would have pronounced “Porsche” correctly.

The German language has no such thing as a silent ‘e’. The word has always been and will always be pronounced “Poa-sha” in German.

Since I’m not in Germany, I’ve decided not to give an air-cooled crap about how non-Germans pronounce a German name. Nobody here pronounces my Cantonese-Chinese surname correctly and it’s not their fault. Nobody in the US will bother with pronouncing “Luftgekühlt,” “Bratwurst,” “A. Lange & Söhne” or even “Dr. Seuss” correctly.

Brian, The Life of > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:19

What? He says “Porsch-a” several times starting at about 8:45.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:23

#1, who really cares. I’ll say either one. Porsh for preference, it’s less effort and more people will know what you’re talking about.

#2, bearing that in mind, porsh-uh is the correct pronunciation based on the fact that it’s a German name and German pronunciation rules say that a vowel at the end of a word is always pronounced.

Saracen > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:23

I’ll continue calling it Porsch-Uh. Sounds better.

The correct italian pronounciation for Lancia is Lan-tsha or Lan-tcha. Which sounds way better than Lan-see-ah.

NinetyQ > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:26

If I say “I’m runnin’ to the store,” you can’t just then argue that the word “running” is pronounced with no g at the end, just because I’m a native English speaker. I might take this seriously if the guy’s last name was Porsche, or if he consistently pronounced it “Porsh.” But neither of those are true, and therefore it’s pronounced “Porsche” like we all actually know. No need to get anybody’s panties in a bunch about it either way though.

SPNKiX > Brian, The Life of
09/14/2016 at 18:27

“They say it both ways.”

Please don’t do this. Just read my post.

SPNKiX > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
09/14/2016 at 18:33

I lived in South America for a year where everyone dropped the last syllable from about 80% of words. This is the same in almost any language to varying degrees. If they had the same accent, cadence and style everywhere in Germany, you might have a point. Otherwise you are really just making my point, which is that Germany has varied pronunciation of the word Porsche. I might have to change the title since I am getting a lot of knee-jerk responses before people read the whole post.

SPNKiX > lone_liberal
09/14/2016 at 18:35

“Jag-wire”. the only way.

RallyWrench > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:36

No. Saying “Porsh” is like saying “Chevro-lett”. Also that German dude is a suit, which means he doesn’t count. Also also, Lancia is pronounced closer to “Lansha” (said the Lancia owner who works on Porsches...I’m biased).

lone_liberal > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:38

I’m a Jag-whar man myself. Jag-u-whar is just too much work.

Bourbon&JellyBeans > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:39

Don’t even get me started on Abarth. It’s pronounced Abart. No - th sound at the end; an accent on the first A and a hard -t at the end. Genuinely every single auto-journalist I’ve ever heard says Abarth incorrectly. This is a word that sounds horrible when mispronounced.

SPNKiX > RallyWrench
09/14/2016 at 18:39

haha. fight on! PORSH, says the Porsche Classic guy. He wins you.

SPNKiX > NinetyQ
09/14/2016 at 18:42

Oh, totally, but... I think you’re going to need to write to the German Porsche Classic Department to the one guy in charge of Porsche history to set him straight.

SPNKiX > Bourbon&JellyBeans
09/14/2016 at 18:43

I pronounce it “Ah-barf’.

SPNKiX > lone_liberal
09/14/2016 at 18:43

They’re putting us on, anyway.

NinetyQ > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:45

Nah, he set himself straight at 8:45 in the video.

RallyWrench > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:45

And he’s just been taken out back and shot for his mistake.

SPNKiX > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
09/14/2016 at 18:47

Or “Paris”! I’m just saying it’s more flexible than pedants would have us believe and that it’s not worth the pause we all have to take every time the word comes up.

SPNKiX > NinetyQ
09/14/2016 at 18:47

So, both, then? Exactly.

SPNKiX > RallyWrench
09/14/2016 at 18:48

I’m pretty sure punishment involves leather lederhosen and handcuffs.

NinetyQ > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:53

No. It’s just not a massive crime to pronounce it wrong or shortened.

No more arguing this; too pedantic.

RallyWrench > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:55

Max Mosley will be there.

SPNKiX > NinetyQ
09/14/2016 at 18:58

Thanks... for... explaining the whole reason I posted back to me?

Bourbon&JellyBeans > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 18:59

Yeah, I hear that if you don’t catch speech impediments early on then they stick with you for life.

PowderHound > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 19:00

That’s why I just stammer a bit when saying it, “Oh look! It’s a Porsch uhhhhhhhh Carrera"

SPNKiX > Bourbon&JellyBeans
09/14/2016 at 19:00

noth thrue.

DrScientist > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 19:00

but he’s speaking english. right?

SPNKiX > PowderHound
09/14/2016 at 19:00

PERFECT SOLUTION.

SPNKiX > DrScientist
09/14/2016 at 19:01

Are you suggesting that we can say Porsh in English!!!?

SPNKiX > Berang
09/14/2016 at 19:04

Mazder.

Brian, The Life of > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 19:04

I dunno man. You post a video wherein a single Porsche employee says “Porsch” once (which may have been mispoken, who knows?) and then says “Porsch-a” a number of times and use this to claim the “say it both ways?” I spoken to IDK how many Germans about German cars and have yet to hears a single one say it the former way - they ALL say “Porsch-a.”

SPNKiX > Saracen
09/14/2016 at 19:05

hence my Lancia joke.

SPNKiX > Berang
09/14/2016 at 19:06

or just watch the video I posted. He says it both ways, which was my point;)

NinetyQ > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 19:06

No, I’m saying you’re going to have to provide more than a single instance of them saying it both ways before your point is correct, which I took to mean “neither way is wrong.” Pronouncing it “porsh” is incorrect. The guy who works for Porsche is allowed to be incorrect. He was correct later on. I’ve never seen anything anywhere else that suggested that it is okay to pronounce it “both ways” like you’re saying. But please, I don’t want to argue anymore. The people who mispronounce it as “porsh” don’t need an advocate. But the people that get pedantic about it when the pronunciation itself is not the topic at hand are also jerks, like you pointed out. It just doesn’t make them wrong, per se. :P

SPNKiX > Urambo Tauro
09/14/2016 at 19:07

yet, there it is. So we can all relax, now. Say what you please.

SPNKiX > NinetyQ
09/14/2016 at 19:20

Well, I’ve heard it casually spoken that way from time to time but this is the only video I can call up on short notice. You have to admit that there is no greater authority, other than the founders of the company, to take the wind out of these pedantic sails. I am just trying to de-emphasize the polarization over this issue, which you are not misaligned with. You sure seem to want to take me to task with this other, equally important issue, however. It's a biggie, I have to admit! Apologies for being the advocate for something that shall not have an advocate! We are not arguing!

SPNKiX > Brian, The Life of
09/14/2016 at 19:22

Freedom can be yours with a simple “it’s ok, either way.” Say it with me, now!

shop-teacher > RPM esq.
09/14/2016 at 19:35

Exactly!

NinetyQ > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 19:55

I shall for advocate you to disadvocate your advocacy of aforementioned advocates.

Wait, what?

Brian, The Life of > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 20:56

No thanks. I will continue to pronounce Dr. Porsche’s name correctly with two syllables and silently judge people who don't ;)

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 21:07

Yeah, “Porsh” is what most people, in most languages, would probably say. And like I said I don’t give a rats ass what you use, I personally have always used porsh and will continue to do so.

However, my point is while it doesn’t really matter what you use, just be aware that Porsh-uh is correct. I thought it was a Euro-snob thing because they were the only ones to use it, until I tried to learn a bit of German. I didn’t get far (though I don’t intend to quit it has been sidelined), but one thing that I did absorb was that vowel ending rule. Therefore no matter how you, me or anyone else says it, porsh-uh is correct. Fact. That much cannot be disputed. But to insist on that pronunciation when it’s a 50/50 usage split at best is pointlessly pedantic.

Gaff, just Gaff > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 21:52

It’s Nordschleife—not Nordschleif

SPNKiX > NinetyQ
09/14/2016 at 21:52

The Advocateurs! (A new script our conversation has inspired me to work on)

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > SPNKiX
09/14/2016 at 22:06

And its Lan-sha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDBP0H…

SPNKiX > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
09/15/2016 at 00:20

hence my Lancia joke. Why else would it be there, all spelled out incorrectly?

SPNKiX > Gaff, just Gaff
09/15/2016 at 00:21

It’s all the Norbringing.

Textured Soy Protein > SPNKiX
09/15/2016 at 01:21

I say “Porsch-uh” because I feel like the extra syllable flows better when saying the model name. Otherwise you’re jumping from one consonant sound to another.

AuthiCooper1300 > SPNKiX
09/15/2016 at 07:51

Mr Chan explained it perfectly well.

Your assumption that relaxing the pronounciation of the last vocal (sometimes the last sylable) “happens in almost any language to variying degrees” is utterly wrong. Go through several years of studies on linguistics, phonetics, phonology and foreign languages and you’ll discover that many languages do very different things. Some do have a tendency to lose the end bits, some do not. That itself depends on where the stress is - and, again, that varies enormously all over the world.

Methinks you do not speak German, have never tried to learn German nor have assiduous contact with Austrian or German nationals.

Interestingly I read once that the Porsche name had a Slavic (Czech) root, coming from something like “Bursch”, itself probably related to “Boris” (a Slavic given name). Remember Ferdinand Porsche Sr came from Bohemia, present day Czech Republic.

Arguably... it was precisely people trying over the years or centuries to “Germanise” the original name or spelling (Bohemia having been part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, where German was a prestige language, apart from the de facto language of science and culture) what probably gave it its final “e”.

However, all of the above is moot; I think you just want to troll.

If that is the case, please check the soundness of your arguments first. A discussion based on blatantly wrong assumptions is not funny; just sterile.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > SPNKiX
09/15/2016 at 08:52

Kinja'd!!!

DrScientist > SPNKiX
09/15/2016 at 09:27

im saying WE say porsh in english. therefore, HE says porsh, when speaking english.

when you are at taco bell, do you order a burrrrreeeeto grrrraaahhhhnnnday?

maybe not, but it’s not wrong. and a native spanish speaker would appreciate your attempt.

Gaff, just Gaff > SPNKiX
09/15/2016 at 10:07

Was referring to German pronunciations...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > SPNKiX
09/15/2016 at 11:57

More like Porsh-eh, actually.

SPNKiX > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/15/2016 at 21:06

Porshy.

SPNKiX > Gaff, just Gaff
09/15/2016 at 21:09

It’s GAFFE.

SPNKiX > DrScientist
09/15/2016 at 21:11

I speak Spanish pretty well, so yes. ...If only to make them laugh, which they never do because everyone does that.

But, HA! I know what you are saying. That’s why I am saying it’s ok to say Porsh.