Some brand names, like Lego, are so familiar that we may never ask ourselves where the word came from. But sometimes the names have real meaning – in a foreign language.
Have you ever thought of translating the brand name Lego? Or Nestle? Dr Haslina Haroon has. Haroon, a lecturer in Translation Studies at a School of Humanities in Malaysia, reveals the meaning of these world-famous brand names in a recent article entitled “Lost in Translation.”
According to Haroon, the term “Lego” derives from two Danish words: “leg godt.” Literally, they mean “play well.”
The language translation of “Nestle” is a different story. The company’s founder was named Henri Nestle, so in that respect, the brand name is not a translation. But the company’s logo, a bird’s nest, was created because “Nestle” also means “nest” in German.
As Dr.Haroon puts it in the conclusion to her article: “Welcome to the fascinating world of translation.”
Betty Carlson
Language Translation Inc. is specialized in language translation, interpretation and localization. Based in San Diego, California, we have been working in the language service industry since 1989. “Let us show you how good translation should be.”
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