Re: CHAT: False friends - echos from the mother tounge

In a message dated 2003:07:09 08:36:29 AM, John Cowan writes:

>Stone Gordonssen scripsit:
>
>> Of course, there are sometimes unexpected ramifications. Chevrolet's
>> puzzlement of why their "Nova" didn't sell well in Latin countries. "Nova"
>> -> "no va" -> "(it) doesn't go".
>
>ObMemeStomper:  This story is absolutely bogus.  See
>http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.htm (except it seems to be
>broken at the moment).  Anyhow, the Chevrolet Nova has always sold
>very well in Mexico:  Mexicans aren't idiots.
    IIRC, in Texas, the Chevy Nova is one of the top favourite "muscle" cars
to hotrod amongst the Tex-Mex _vatos_. Amazingly, the early model, tank-like
Buick Malibus are also a big favourite...

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