Just got back from Vegas and if there is one thing you'll find in Vegas shopping, its watches. Stopped in to the Jaeger LeCoultre shop and talked to the fellow about his Atmos display. I became his best friend I think because he said nobody talks about the Atmos. Anyway, we had a very nice chat about the watch industry and tech, etc. we came around to talking about how different cultures pronounce JLC.

He happened to mention that for the US market, JLC has officially recognized a specific pronunciation for all US dealers to now use...'JayGer leCoolt'...Hard J, Hard G.

Pardon if this is obvious to some, but new to me that it is 'official' now.

He said it was finally the acceptance by JLC that this is how most Americans pronounce it.


Obligatory JLC eye candy of a special edition Mark Newson Atmos. This was in his back office..not even on display or for sale. Mounted in single piece of flawless lead crystal.

 

Hard 'J', hard 'G'? That's a really strange way to pronounce it. I'm having trouble figuring out what that even sounds like. I typically pronounce it like Jay-jayr le coolt... or something to that extent. French Js.

Cool clock!

 

Yay-ger Le cult

 

Well, as the French Prime Minister from 1906-09, Georges Clemenceau, purportedly noted:

"America is the only nation in history which miraculously has gone from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilisation."

 

It’s been my understanding that if you want to sound like a pretentious snob in the USA Jay-gher is the way to go. It is however permissible when in Paris as I was reminded when I was buying one there. In America Ja-Ger is accepted for those of us who don’t want to sound like pretentious a holes.

 

And back to barbarism...

 

YAY-gur luh-cooltruh if you're a suave cosmopolite who can pronounce German and French.

JJ LaCooch if you're 100% 'Murican.

 

Shall we then discuss how to pronounce Cartier?

It sure as hell isn't Car-tee-yay!

Drive me nuts...even members of the Hodinkee team say it incorrectly. And yes, it can be said properly without a French accent.

 

Ex - spen - seev.

 

Love t!

 

Don't remember the French saying that in 1917 and 1944...Or we weren't quite so barbaric/degenerate then...

 

While many Americans enjoy telling the French they'd be speaking German if not for us, they seem to forget that without the help of the French in the late 1700's, America would still be a bunch of British colonies.

Seems to me that we just paid back the French what we owed them.

....now, if you want to talk about recent times and all the labor strikes in France, even AFTER they get 4 - 6 weeks of vacation each year....

 

Really? You should do some research into the use of the A bomb in Japan.

 

All this because JLC isn’t “properly” pronounced per Europeans standards? Can it not also be said that many native Europeans have difficulty properly pronouncing some American English words even though English is often taught as a second language?

 

So must admit these aren't the kind of responses I expected with this thread, but its worth adding that in the course of our discussion, he said that JLC is also allowed to be called 'Gigi' in China (soft Gs, as in 'giant'). Looks like they are doing this in areas to recognize local cultures and languages, and improve connection to the product.

 

4 -6 weeks is barbaric. What's the point of living if you can't spend half your time stretched out like a lizard, baking?

 

Well, if you are asking whether the quote was a bit over the top in response to the limited ability of a population to pronounce a foreign company's name, the answer is yes, of course. But having said that, I'd argue that what may seem trivial is actually a microcosm of the broader, and far more important American "exceptionalism".

Yes, it is true that many Europeans have accents, and would struggle with certain English words. But it is also true that they are generally far superior with foreign languages than their American counterparts. In fact, it's not even remotely close, as few Americans speak a second language, while relatively few Europeans don't!

This kind of cultural exceptionalism is not, sadly, confined to language, either. Americans, again as a group, are much less aware of what is happening outside of their own country than Europeans. And this makes them highly susceptible to swallowing propaganda hook, line and sinker, which in turn allows politicians to make reckless choices that ultimately work against the interests of both the domestic and foreign populations.

Etc.

 

Despite most of us here speak 2-3 languages, I'd say we still manage doing this pretty well

 

I'll have you know that as an American I speak English, Jive, and Redneck equally well.