So Nintendo’s upcoming video game system has a new name. Initially referred to as the “Revolution” during development, it is now going to be called the “Wii”. When I saw that, the first question that popped into my mind was, “how do you pronounce that”? Apparently, Nintendo foresaw this problem, as they knew to explain it within the first few paragraphs of the unveiling announcement. From Nintendo:
Introducing… Wii.
As in “we.”
..
Wii sounds like “we,” which emphasizes the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.
…
Okay, so it’s pronounced “WE”, Not “Why”. That’s great. The one problem is that I had finally taught my brain to pronounce the name of Intel’s new Multi-media platform, “Viiv”. It’s a new brand for a computer configuration made to work well with multimedia applications, handling video, audio and pictures, similar to “Centrino” for laptops that are configured to work well with wireless. But how do you pronounce “Viiv”? From Intel’s page on the subject:
What does the word “Viiv” mean?
The Intel® Viiv™ technology brand name communicates the excitement, vibrancy, and vividness of the latest technologies that enables people to have a great entertainment experience in the home.
Viiv is pronounced “viv” and rhymes with “five.”
So, Nintendo’s “Wii” is pronounced “WE”, and Intel’s “Viiv” is pronounced “VIVE”. Not “WHY” and “VEEV”. Got that? Oh, and just to throw a spanner in the works, here’s the last sentence I just saw on the intel page:
In Japan, Viiv rhymes with “sleeve.”
What? So, in Japan, “Viiv” really is “VEEV”, but in the U.S. it’s “VIVE”? Great. That’s just great. I’m not confused at all now.
The nice thing is that we won’t have to worry about pronunciation any more after we all get the internet jacked directly into our brains and we can just instant message people directly from our thoughts.
Technorati tags: nintendo : wii : intel : viiv : gaming : computing
