[CR]Re: Masi "Russian" bike

(Example: History:Ted Ernst)

Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2003 19:07:10 -0700
From: "david faulkner" <faulkners@neteze.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
References: <CATFOODjTj7zzobr1wp00002293@catfood.nt.phred.org>
Subject: [CR]Re: Masi "Russian" bike

It appears to me that the down-tube decals on this Masi are an attempt to render in Russian Cyrillic the name, "Masi." The "3" is the same character used in Russian to represent the sound that Z represents in English. Unfortunately the last letter, an "N" in English, is not a Russian character. Rather, the Russian character that would represent the final syllable of Masi looks like a backward N. With the bcakward N as the final letter, the tranfer would be the "exact" Russian representation of "Masi." Just think of Gorbachev or Putin saying, "Masi." That's how it would sound.

Did Masi screw up the Russian? It wouldn't be the first time an American company screwed up a foreign name for marketing purposes, nor the last, but Masi? In a Southern California full of universities, college students and Russian refugees, would the mistake have got all the way to making transfers for the finished bikes, and under the clear coat?

--- David I know just enough Russian to get in trouble Faulkner, Sacramento
No, not that kind of trouble. Too advanced for me, in Russian anyway.