i have been wondering for a while what the proper pronunciation of Nissan is. Nee-san, or Nis-san? i know its a silly question, but i always laugh at rich people who cant say porsche right, and i feel like i should be able to pronounce the name of the maker of my car.
proper pronunciation
Wisconzin_zx
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Let's throw some fuel on the fire:
In 1914, the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Works (¿ìßM×Ô„Ó܇¹¤ˆö, Kaishin Jid¨sha K¨j¨?), established three years earlier, in Azabu-Hiroo District in Tokyo, built the first DAT. The new car's name was an acronym of the company's partners' surnames:
Kenjiro Den (Ìï ½¡´ÎÀÉ, Den Kenjir¨?)
Rokuro Aoyama (Çàɽ »ÀÊ, Aoyama Rokur¨?)
Meitaro Takeuchi (ÖñÄÚ Ã÷Ì«ÀÉ, Takeuchi Meitar¨?).
The works was renamed to Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co. in 1918, and again, in 1925, to DAT Motorcar Co.
Nissan Model 70 Phaeton, 1938DAT Motors built trucks in addition to the DAT and Datson passenger cars. In fact, the vast majority of their output was trucks, as there was almost no consumer market for cars at the time. Beginning in 1918, the first DAT trucks were produced for the military market. It was the low demand of the military market in the 1920s that forced DAT to merge in 1926 with Japan's 2nd most successful truck maker, Jitsuyo Motors.
It was in 1931 when DAT came out with a new smaller car, the first "Datson", meaning "Son of DAT". Later in 1933 after Nissan took control of DAT Motors, the last syllable of Datson was changed to "sun", because "son" also means "loss" (“p) in Japanese, hence the name "Datsun" (¥À¥Ã¥È¥µ¥ó, Dattosan?). reference: Cusumano page 33.
Post Edited (Mar 25, 2:31am)
In 1914, the Kwaishinsha Motorcar Works (¿ìßM×Ô„Ó܇¹¤ˆö, Kaishin Jid¨sha K¨j¨?), established three years earlier, in Azabu-Hiroo District in Tokyo, built the first DAT. The new car's name was an acronym of the company's partners' surnames:
Kenjiro Den (Ìï ½¡´ÎÀÉ, Den Kenjir¨?)
Rokuro Aoyama (Çàɽ »ÀÊ, Aoyama Rokur¨?)
Meitaro Takeuchi (ÖñÄÚ Ã÷Ì«ÀÉ, Takeuchi Meitar¨?).
The works was renamed to Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co. in 1918, and again, in 1925, to DAT Motorcar Co.
Nissan Model 70 Phaeton, 1938DAT Motors built trucks in addition to the DAT and Datson passenger cars. In fact, the vast majority of their output was trucks, as there was almost no consumer market for cars at the time. Beginning in 1918, the first DAT trucks were produced for the military market. It was the low demand of the military market in the 1920s that forced DAT to merge in 1926 with Japan's 2nd most successful truck maker, Jitsuyo Motors.
It was in 1931 when DAT came out with a new smaller car, the first "Datson", meaning "Son of DAT". Later in 1933 after Nissan took control of DAT Motors, the last syllable of Datson was changed to "sun", because "son" also means "loss" (“p) in Japanese, hence the name "Datsun" (¥À¥Ã¥È¥µ¥ó, Dattosan?). reference: Cusumano page 33.
Post Edited (Mar 25, 2:31am)
And here is the Nissan-as-wartime producer (Wikipedia):
"Nissan built trucks, airplanes, and engines for the Japanese military. Their main plant was moved to China after the land was captured by the military. The plant made machinery for the Japanese war effort until it was captured by American and Russian forces. For two years (1947 to 1948) the company was briefly called Nissan Heavy Industries Corp. (日産重工業, Nissan Jū Kōgyō?)."
I have no doubt that all of rumors are at least in part true.
Post Edited (Mar 25, 2:33am)
"Nissan built trucks, airplanes, and engines for the Japanese military. Their main plant was moved to China after the land was captured by the military. The plant made machinery for the Japanese war effort until it was captured by American and Russian forces. For two years (1947 to 1948) the company was briefly called Nissan Heavy Industries Corp. (日産重工業, Nissan Jū Kōgyō?)."
I have no doubt that all of rumors are at least in part true.
Post Edited (Mar 25, 2:33am)
Like others mentioned, you can just look it up in wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan
===================================
Nissan name First used in 1928
The name "Nissan" was an abbreviation used on the Tokyo stock market for the holding company Nippon Sangyo (Japan Industries or Nippon Industries), founded by Yoshisuke Aikawa in 1928.
====================================
"Nip" in Nippon sound like:
Spelled Pronunciation[nee-pawn; Eng. ni-pon, nip-on] (Although Nippon is sometimes pronounced "knee-hown" in Japanese, which is how the Japanese say Japan).
I assume that "San" in Sangyo sounds like "sawn" or "San", which is number three in Japanse.
So to me the correct pronounciation would be either "knee-sawn" or more correctly"knee-san". I even checked with my Japanese car-buff friend.
L8R, -Hugh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan
===================================
Nissan name First used in 1928
The name "Nissan" was an abbreviation used on the Tokyo stock market for the holding company Nippon Sangyo (Japan Industries or Nippon Industries), founded by Yoshisuke Aikawa in 1928.
====================================
"Nip" in Nippon sound like:
Spelled Pronunciation[nee-pawn; Eng. ni-pon, nip-on] (Although Nippon is sometimes pronounced "knee-hown" in Japanese, which is how the Japanese say Japan).
I assume that "San" in Sangyo sounds like "sawn" or "San", which is number three in Japanse.
So to me the correct pronounciation would be either "knee-sawn" or more correctly"knee-san". I even checked with my Japanese car-buff friend.
L8R, -Hugh
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41,282 Posts
Datsun..
:Rolls Eyes:
Search, Guys.
Datsun predates Nissan. It was bought and absorbed into the conglmoerate. Just like Buick was bought by General Motors.
Datsun was the export division for many years, until someone became president with a REAL hard-on for the name Datsun, and his great loss of face over not being able to sell enough cars in his crucial career-building first overseas assignment in America.
When that person became high enough in the Nissan Hirearchy, the name "Datsun" was not even to be spoken in the halls of the offices in Japan. (You will also note the correlation between the dropping of the "Datsun" name here in the USA with his rise to power, and someone else's retirement...)
It's all documented for those who wish to read...
BTW, if you read the JAPANESE characters,,, the first one is NEE, not the other permutation.
That's like asking English how to pronounce "Celica"----they abbhorate it so much even the Japanese can't figure out what car they're talking about.
Something akin to 'Sleecka' Instead of the more correct (Based on Japanese Spelling) Sell-EE-Ka...
But that "Nissan-Nippon" thing: Bunk! Wherever you got that, kick their collective faces into the dirt! Nothing but internte bullsh*t there!
Post Edited (Mar 27, 8:19am)
:Rolls Eyes:
Search, Guys.
Datsun predates Nissan. It was bought and absorbed into the conglmoerate. Just like Buick was bought by General Motors.
Datsun was the export division for many years, until someone became president with a REAL hard-on for the name Datsun, and his great loss of face over not being able to sell enough cars in his crucial career-building first overseas assignment in America.
When that person became high enough in the Nissan Hirearchy, the name "Datsun" was not even to be spoken in the halls of the offices in Japan. (You will also note the correlation between the dropping of the "Datsun" name here in the USA with his rise to power, and someone else's retirement...)
It's all documented for those who wish to read...
BTW, if you read the JAPANESE characters,,, the first one is NEE, not the other permutation.
That's like asking English how to pronounce "Celica"----they abbhorate it so much even the Japanese can't figure out what car they're talking about.
Something akin to 'Sleecka' Instead of the more correct (Based on Japanese Spelling) Sell-EE-Ka...
But that "Nissan-Nippon" thing: Bunk! Wherever you got that, kick their collective faces into the dirt! Nothing but internte bullsh*t there!
Post Edited (Mar 27, 8:19am)
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41,282 Posts
Yes, and no...
Correct on the pronounciation Dood, but how can Imperialisim be related to a company that was founded in the 1920's (except to Koreans?)
DATSUN was in production during the war, Nissan was simply a PERTS manufacturer.
Gawd, guys DO SOME READING.
A great text to read regarding the development of the automotive and toolmaking industry in Japan is the Biography of an American Engineer named Gorham.
I have referenced the book before on this very site. It is VERY enlightening, especially on the role of Americans regarding wartime production of materials during the war, and gives a real understanding why after the war, in the 1950's why the Japan Trade Ministry sought out and employed W. Edwards Demming the way they did.
American Consultation was PARAMOUNT in guiding the Japanese Industrial Machine toward the direction they took in the modern day. While the Japanese (as per their usual refinements) kept the base ideal pure, the Americans, and most of the rest of the world lost their way and were guided by MBA's and Businessmen, instead of Engineers.
Now Nissan has an Financial guy at it's head, they moved the company HQ in North America to take advantage of all the 'skillsets' for financial profitability required... and have debased the company to it's fullest extent.
This bodes not well for Nissan. But hey, the 90 day figures will look great...
Correct on the pronounciation Dood, but how can Imperialisim be related to a company that was founded in the 1920's (except to Koreans?)
DATSUN was in production during the war, Nissan was simply a PERTS manufacturer.
Gawd, guys DO SOME READING.
A great text to read regarding the development of the automotive and toolmaking industry in Japan is the Biography of an American Engineer named Gorham.
I have referenced the book before on this very site. It is VERY enlightening, especially on the role of Americans regarding wartime production of materials during the war, and gives a real understanding why after the war, in the 1950's why the Japan Trade Ministry sought out and employed W. Edwards Demming the way they did.
American Consultation was PARAMOUNT in guiding the Japanese Industrial Machine toward the direction they took in the modern day. While the Japanese (as per their usual refinements) kept the base ideal pure, the Americans, and most of the rest of the world lost their way and were guided by MBA's and Businessmen, instead of Engineers.
Now Nissan has an Financial guy at it's head, they moved the company HQ in North America to take advantage of all the 'skillsets' for financial profitability required... and have debased the company to it's fullest extent.
This bodes not well for Nissan. But hey, the 90 day figures will look great...
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41,282 Posts
Partial History...
"though most of the people it was aimed at didn't understand what it was about. "
Partial History True Enough.
What they leave out is when Datsun was started in the USA, there were TWO general directors. One east coast, one west coast.
The west coast outsold the east coast over 2:1 during the trial period, and the East Coast Director was called home to Japan, with the West Coast Director becoming head of NNA (Yutaka Katayama)
As usual in business, the FIELD OPERATOR with skills is kept doing what he does best: making money for hte company.
The guy who couldn't sell...well he stayed at Corporate, and rose in the ranks. (Peter Principal).... When he got high enough, the fact that Datsun was still a strong name in the USA... and that it was a constant REMINDER of his great loss of face that he could not outsell an 'older nad washed up' competitor.... well it was just too much. And he went on an active campaign to KILL OFF the Datsun name. Regardless of image or cost to the company.
The mark of a TRUE executive: Vanity overcoming common sense and decimating the bottom line.
The history is out there, you have to look for it, though.
Or meet the player in person, and they will tell you firsthand what happened, if you know them well enough and they trust you.
"though most of the people it was aimed at didn't understand what it was about. "
Partial History True Enough.
What they leave out is when Datsun was started in the USA, there were TWO general directors. One east coast, one west coast.
The west coast outsold the east coast over 2:1 during the trial period, and the East Coast Director was called home to Japan, with the West Coast Director becoming head of NNA (Yutaka Katayama)
As usual in business, the FIELD OPERATOR with skills is kept doing what he does best: making money for hte company.
The guy who couldn't sell...well he stayed at Corporate, and rose in the ranks. (Peter Principal).... When he got high enough, the fact that Datsun was still a strong name in the USA... and that it was a constant REMINDER of his great loss of face that he could not outsell an 'older nad washed up' competitor.... well it was just too much. And he went on an active campaign to KILL OFF the Datsun name. Regardless of image or cost to the company.
The mark of a TRUE executive: Vanity overcoming common sense and decimating the bottom line.
The history is out there, you have to look for it, though.
Or meet the player in person, and they will tell you firsthand what happened, if you know them well enough and they trust you.
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41,282 Posts
Wacky Wikipedia...
"I read it on the internet, it MUST be true"
They are taking license with names there. Datsun went to China. Mr Yutaka Katayama was attached to the Datsun Manufacturing Facility there for a time during the war.
Nissan was a conglmoerate, some of the other manufacturing concerns were not really viable "Truck Companies" as they are claimed to be.
For the most part they were parts manufacturing firms. If you look at the actuall production numbers, Ford and Chevrolet were the biggest sellers of vehicles in that timeframe...and those companies supplied them with parts as well.
"I read it on the internet, it MUST be true"
They are taking license with names there. Datsun went to China. Mr Yutaka Katayama was attached to the Datsun Manufacturing Facility there for a time during the war.
Nissan was a conglmoerate, some of the other manufacturing concerns were not really viable "Truck Companies" as they are claimed to be.
For the most part they were parts manufacturing firms. If you look at the actuall production numbers, Ford and Chevrolet were the biggest sellers of vehicles in that timeframe...and those companies supplied them with parts as well.
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41,282 Posts
OH OH OH! LETS ADD MORE!!!
And Ni-San can literally be taken to mean
"2-3"
OH GAWD! 23!!!!!
WHERE IS JIM CAREY!
Wikipedia is not the greatest source of information on the subject, they are necessarily condensing information for those unwilling to do the research or reading to understand a VERY complex time of industrialization in Japan.
The Nissan Company was indeed a conglmoerate of many companies, and Datsun was one of their acquisitions.... The reason for the acquisition was that to that point the Nissan Corporation was only manufacturing components of vehicles, but not the end product. Datsun was in vehicle manufacturing, and that is the direction Nissan was envisioned to go.
Actually, the master plan was to nationalize the whole of the automobile production capability of Japan into a megaconglomerate like all the other industries there, but it never happened that way due to the war and the segregation of the industry in it's aftermath.
And Ni-San can literally be taken to mean
"2-3"
OH GAWD! 23!!!!!
WHERE IS JIM CAREY!
Wikipedia is not the greatest source of information on the subject, they are necessarily condensing information for those unwilling to do the research or reading to understand a VERY complex time of industrialization in Japan.
The Nissan Company was indeed a conglmoerate of many companies, and Datsun was one of their acquisitions.... The reason for the acquisition was that to that point the Nissan Corporation was only manufacturing components of vehicles, but not the end product. Datsun was in vehicle manufacturing, and that is the direction Nissan was envisioned to go.
Actually, the master plan was to nationalize the whole of the automobile production capability of Japan into a megaconglomerate like all the other industries there, but it never happened that way due to the war and the segregation of the industry in it's aftermath.
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41,282 Posts
HUH?
Americans say Knee-Sawn...same as that commercial.
I fail to see your point.
Z or Zed is another matter. From that very commercial, you can tell the Japanese say "Zet-to" which is what I called it for years.
Knee-Sawn or NEE-San is the same phonetically.
That "Nee-sin" is the abberation I have heard down under. Pathetic!
Americans say Knee-Sawn...same as that commercial.
I fail to see your point.
Z or Zed is another matter. From that very commercial, you can tell the Japanese say "Zet-to" which is what I called it for years.
Knee-Sawn or NEE-San is the same phonetically.
That "Nee-sin" is the abberation I have heard down under. Pathetic!
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41,282 Posts
Excuse Me?
"Nissan calls Nissan "Neesan" in the states, in japan they call it "Ni-san", so that's what it's supposed to be. Anything else is just pointless arguing."
HUH? Exactly what is the difference between what you are saying there?
a pause?
Phonetically they are pronounced IDENTICALLY. An American saying "Knee-Sawn" will be totally understood in Japan.
It is the Brits and their commonwealth neighbors that have the Japanese confounded trying to figure out what the **** a 'Neh-Sin Zed" is...
They will ask "Zetto?" and figure it out from there, but asking for a "Neh-Sin" dealership will most likely get you sent to either a Noodle Factory or a Paint Dealer (NISSIN)...
"Nissan calls Nissan "Neesan" in the states, in japan they call it "Ni-san", so that's what it's supposed to be. Anything else is just pointless arguing."
HUH? Exactly what is the difference between what you are saying there?
a pause?
Phonetically they are pronounced IDENTICALLY. An American saying "Knee-Sawn" will be totally understood in Japan.
It is the Brits and their commonwealth neighbors that have the Japanese confounded trying to figure out what the **** a 'Neh-Sin Zed" is...
They will ask "Zetto?" and figure it out from there, but asking for a "Neh-Sin" dealership will most likely get you sent to either a Noodle Factory or a Paint Dealer (NISSIN)...
I was just talking to a buddy of mine who is living in Japan and teaches english there, he had a good old laugh. By the way how it's said in the UK it cannot be mistaken for the number because two S's in the name indicate a slight pause, I read that much of your post(s).
He's also familiar with the whole "I'm American so I'm right" attitude we all know so well. Basically the problem is with how Americans stretch out their words, the Japanese do not do this. So although the "intentions" of how it's said in the U.S maybe similar to that of Japan it's not said the same because of how slow americans talk when pronouning words i.e "Kneeeeesaaaawn" where as in Japan it's pronounched much shorter.
It's like leisure (us: leeeee-sure versus uk: lez-sure), Theatre (us: theeee-AY-der versus uk: theah-ta)
If you listen to that commercial it is most certainly not said how Americans say it, it's more inbetween the two variations if anything so there nobody is right!
He's also familiar with the whole "I'm American so I'm right" attitude we all know so well. Basically the problem is with how Americans stretch out their words, the Japanese do not do this. So although the "intentions" of how it's said in the U.S maybe similar to that of Japan it's not said the same because of how slow americans talk when pronouning words i.e "Kneeeeesaaaawn" where as in Japan it's pronounched much shorter.
It's like leisure (us: leeeee-sure versus uk: lez-sure), Theatre (us: theeee-AY-der versus uk: theah-ta)
If you listen to that commercial it is most certainly not said how Americans say it, it's more inbetween the two variations if anything so there nobody is right!
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