Question for Rolex Purists

[BristolCavendish]

Do you correct someone (oftentimes a non-English speaker) when they mispronounce the name of a specific model?

Examples: "Sub mareener" or "G-empty"

I tend to let it slide or use the proper pronunciation/accent if the word comes up again during the course of a follow-up to the conversation.

[Etschell]

I let it go. Same when watch salesman doesn't know what he's talking about. If they mean well I am cool with it.

[MonBK]

Ask Eddie!

[sager]

I run into this a lot and usually let it go because it's usually an accent thing.

[Heff]

Originally Posted by Etschell

I let it go. Same when watch salesman doesn't know what he's talking about. If they mean well I am cool with it.

This one took me by surprise the first time I encountered it. I though salespeople were supposed to be knowledgeable on the product they sell, but that isn’t always the case.


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[Speed]

I started talking watches with a friend's husband. At first, I thought he was a WIS...until he told me about his "solid gold Submareener and his Peetok"

English was his first language...but clearly he had more money than knowledge. I didn't overtly correct him, but I referred back to his watches in conversation - using the correct pronunciations.

[cedargrove]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Do you correct someone (oftentimes a non-English speaker) when they mispronounce the name of a specific model?

Examples: "Sub mareener" or "G-empty"

I tend to let it slide or use the proper pronunciation/accent if the word comes up again during the course of a follow-up to the conversation.

How do you pronounce GMT? I say something like G-empty.

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by cedargrove

How do you pronounce GMT? I say something like G-empty.

Accent on the G (or T) rather than on M as most folks would not want to be perceived as wearing an empty watch casing.

What's particularly amusing/entertaining is to hear certain French wines being mispronounced (especially by the overly pretentious).

In the past I've heard "chamber-tin", "la-fit", "mer-salt" plus a host of others. When you get into French champagnes, it can get even more ridiculous.

[GB-man]

I've never come across this situation.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Do you correct someone (oftentimes a non-English speaker) when they mispronounce the name of a specific model?

Examples: "Sub mareener" or "G-empty"

I tend to let it slide or use the proper pronunciation/accent if the word comes up again during the course of a follow-up to the conversation.

proper pronunciation is relative and it its not necessarily "wrong" if someone says it different.

The brits pronounce the letter "Z" as ZED and americans say it zee (sounds like sea)... so is zebra pronounced Zee Bra or zEH bra ?

The british invented english so if one way has to be right i would say its the british pronunciation but going around the US correcting everyone would be futile.

People pronounce "Patek" differently too. I have heard legitimate watch people in interviews pronounce it both ways. So i just say it the way I prefer.

[Jocke]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Ask Eddie!

He don't pronounce, only spell.

[Jocke]

Johny say pack nack for pick nick so it took some time before I get what was going on.

[Tony64]

"PAH-tek" , "peh-TEK"
ToMAYto, ToMAHto

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by GB-man

I've never come across this situation.

Same.

[Thatguy]

Only people I talk watches with are from this forum....


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[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Thatguy

Only people I talk watches with are from this forum....


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then you don't know how we pronounce anything then

[Zakalwe]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

proper pronunciation is relative and it its not necessarily "wrong" if someone says it different.

The brits pronounce the letter "Z" as ZED and americans say it zee (sounds like sea)... so is zebra pronounced Zee Bra or zEH bra ?

The british invented english so if one way has to be right i would say its the british pronunciation but going around the US correcting everyone would be futile.

People pronounce "Patek" differently too. I have heard legitimate watch people in interviews pronounce it both ways. So i just say it the way I prefer.

Though of course there is no "correct" way of pronouncing words even in British English which has at least dozens of distinct and sometimes vastly different regional dialects. Case in point with the Sub:

Scottish* - SUB-ma-ra-nah
Scouse - SOOB-ma-ri-neh (first syllable vaguely like the vowel sound in "should")
Welsh - sub-MAR-iner

*Apologies to Scottish TRF-era there clearly isn't a single generic Scottish accent.

[tkerrmd]

Only if they ask me

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

Though of course there is no "correct" way of pronouncing words even in British English which has at least dozens of distinct and sometimes vastly different regional dialects. Case in point with the Sub:

Scottish* - SUB-ma-ra-nah
Scouse - SOOB-ma-ri-neh (first syllable vaguely like the vowel sound in "should")
Welsh - sub-MAR-iner

*Apologies to Scottish TRF-era there clearly isn't a single generic Scottish accent.

agree

When i moved here, at first you guys all sounded the same to me... now i can tell regional dialects very easily.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by GB-man

I've never come across this situation.

Your not hanging out with the right crowd then

[FTX I]

I don't recall doing that with pronounciation, but over the last ten years at least I've been correcting a very good friend of mine that insists to refer to a watch bezel as crown. I guess it has something to do with the bezel being on top of the watch, I really don't know. He has a great collection and despite my efforts he still calls it crown.

[Zakalwe]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

agree

When i moved here, at first you guys all sounded the same to me... now i can tell regional dialects very easily.

If you thought a Geordie sounded like a Cockney I would have feared for your hearing!

Even natives struggle to understand particularly thick accents, especially from oop north.

[AK797]

Patek pronounced with the T is just as bad as Often pronounced with the T.

Rap/Hip hop stars, like Beyoncé, for some reason pronounce it Audemars Pikay.

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Do you correct someone (oftentimes a non-English speaker) when they mispronounce the name of a specific model?

Examples: "Sub mareener" or "G-empty"

I tend to let it slide or use the proper pronunciation/accent if the word comes up again during the course of a follow-up to the conversation.

Same, but you never know how someone may react. For instance, the other day in a Kowloon AD I saw a guy deliver a flying roundhouse kick to another's head for calling his watch a silly nickname. The recipient went down, shattering a showcase which tipped into the next and they all went down like dominos spilling DJs, Platonas, and Batmen everywhere. At that point a few patrons fled but more stayed to take sides, and the sales staff was divided. Tensions and voices rose, a bit of shoving ensued, and the ruckus soon attracted people from the street and staff from nearby ADs.

Even at that point cooler heads might have prevailed if it weren’t for the wisecrack of an Omega salesman from next door standing at the back of the crowd who loudly opined as far as cartoon characters go, Snoopy and actual moonwalking s**ts all over the likes of Hulk, Batman, and Kermit and their make-believe exploits. When the Rolex AD manager heard that everyone knew he felt the burn because he got that crazy-eyed look and began to push through the crowd. Unfortunately for all who were subsequently injured, the watch on the floor among all those scattered he happened to kick with his foot was a Sub, so unlike less-durable and tough models which would have simply skittered away, he solidly stubbed his toe and went down like a sack of potatoes (if potatoes could cry out in pain, that is).

That triggered an uproar and all that followed. Sides seemed to splinter, former alliances forgotten, and a general melee ensued in which it was impossible to tell friend from foe. The descent into madness deepened when some guy with a Breitling went into berserker mode, slam-dancing a space for himself in the middle of the floor until a couple JLC pukes tackled him high and low from each side. The AD Manager had found his feet and was firing everything from OPs to Pearlmasters at everyone’s head like pool balls in a bar fight. I watched some poor Zenith dude lobbed out through the window just as the Vacheron sales crew from across the street rushed in to try and calm things down but were immediately struck to their knees, clutching their eyes in pain at the sight of a Smurf.

I knew it was time to bug out, so grabbing a Yachtmaster II to use as a shield I made my way to the door only to be met by 5 Seiko-wearers in a tight triangular formation joining the fray, methodically chopping a path through the undisciplined rabble like the Tokyo team from Rollerball 1975. Luck was on my side, however, because as I broke left to avoid them they executed a precise maneuver to their port side, I believe to mop up a cluster of Swissophile-WIS who were rallying to make a last stand. I made it to the sidewalk but before I could see what happened I saw the Omega guy leaning against the wall outside having a smoke so I asked him if they happened to have a Silver Snoopy and he just kind of laughed. Across the street at the PP AD everything seemed quite normal and unruffled. Obviously they considered themselves above entire, ugly affair.

[Watch This]

Originally Posted by CRM114

Same, but you never know how someone may react. For instance, the other day in a Kowloon AD I saw a guy deliver a flying roundhouse kick to another's head for calling his watch a silly nickname. The recipient went down, shattering a showcase which tipped into the next and they all went down like dominos spilling DJs, Platonas, and Batmen everywhere. At that point a few patrons fled but more stayed to take sides, and the sales staff was divided. Tensions and voices rose, a bit of shoving ensued, and the ruckus soon attracted people from the street and staff from nearby ADs.

Even at that point cooler heads might have prevailed if it weren’t for the wisecrack of an Omega salesman from next door standing at the back of the crowd who loudly opined as far as cartoon characters go, Snoopy and actual moonwalking s**ts all over the likes of Hulk, Batman, and Kermit and their make-believe exploits. When the Rolex AD manager heard that everyone knew he felt the burn because he got that crazy-eyed look and began to push through the crowd. Unfortunately for all who were subsequently injured, the watch on the floor among all those scattered he happened to kick with his foot was a Sub, so unlike less-durable and tough models which would have simply skittered away, he solidly stubbed his toe and went down like a sack of potatoes (if potatoes could cry out in pain, that is).

That triggered an uproar and all that followed. Sides seemed to splinter, former alliances forgotten, and a general melee ensued in which it was impossible to tell friend from foe. The descent into madness deepened when some guy with a Breitling went into berserker mode, slam-dancing a space for himself in the middle of the floor until a couple JLC pukes tackled him high and low from each side. The AD Manager had found his feet and was firing everything from OPs to Pearlmasters at everyone’s head like pool balls in a bar fight. I watched some poor Zenith dude lobbed out through the window just as the Vacheron sales crew from across the street rushed in to try and calm things down but were immediately struck to their knees, clutching their eyes in pain at the sight of a Smurf.

I knew it was time to bug out, so grabbing a Yachtmaster II to use as a shield I made my way to the door only to be met by 5 Seiko-wearers in a tight triangular formation joining the fray, methodically chopping a path through the undisciplined rabble like the Tokyo team from Rollerball 1975. Luck was on my side, however, because as I broke left to avoid them they executed a precise maneuver to their port side, I believe to mop up a cluster of Swissophile-WIS who were rallying to make a last stand. I made it to the sidewalk but before I could see what happened I saw the Omega guy leaning against the wall outside having a smoke so I asked him if they happened to have a Silver Snoopy and he just kind of laughed. Across the street at the PP AD everything seemed quite normal and unruffled. Obviously they considered themselves above entire, ugly affair.

THAT is awesome.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by Watch This

THAT is awesome.

CRM has made some bizarre (but awesome) posts. IMO This little piece of creative writing has beaten BC at his own game

[GRB]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

CRM has made some bizarre (but awesome) posts. IMO This little piece of creative writing has beaten BC at his own game

Yeah,but who was wearing the bear costume ?

[tamiya]

Do Russki ADs wear bear suits?

Originally Posted by CRM114

.... I made my way to the door only to be met by 5 Seiko-wearers in a tight triangular formation joining the fray, methodically chopping a path through the undisciplined rabble like the Tokyo team from Rollerball 1975.

is that a trio wearing Seiko 5s or five wearing Seikos?

Devil's in the details!

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

CRM has made some bizarre (but awesome) posts. IMO This little piece of creative writing has beaten BC at his own game

CRM's descriptive visuals read like a professionally-prepared treatment for a surrealistic movie script.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

If you thought a Geordie sounded like a Cockney I would have feared for your hearing!

Even natives struggle to understand particularly thick accents, especially from oop north.

well lets just put it this way. Watching Trainspotting for the first time when i was in High School i distinctly remember needing to watch it with subtitles. I recently watched it again to prepare seeing the long awaited sequel. That time everything was crystal clear. I even actually understood it as the vocabulary is different too from american vocabulary.

Geordie and Cockney sound different now but I'm fairly certain i would not have noticed years ago. It all just sounds weird when you have no basis of comparison.