Altria: A new Latin name for Philip Morris!
EyBiSi
best-known corporate names, plans to change that name by next year to
the "Altria Group".
The new name, which is subject to approval by shareholders at the
company's annual meeting, is drawn from the Latin word "altus,"
meaning "high," and is supposed to suggest high performance according
to the company's senior vice president for corporate affairs.
Tobacco opponents claim though that instead of changing its business
practices, Philip Morris has chosen a public relations campaign to
divert attention away from what it mainly does, selling of cigarettes.
Thus they claim the Latin name is a diversion, or excuse the pun, a
smoke screen.
But for us at least, it is yet another proof that Latin is still
alive, at least for diverting attention from or just the reverse, for
getting more attention into oneself.
EyBiSi
psi
psi
EyBiSi
> Isn't there a snappy Latin term for 'heart disease'?
>
> psi
:) :) :)
Ay loved that! Did they have heart desease way back then?
;) ;) ;)
Good point though. That was the take by many liberal commentators
also. "Guardian" British newspaper chose "Philip Morris Buries Past
With Latin" for its headline of the announcement.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids couldn't agree more. They said the
name change would make no difference. Philip Morris is changing its
name to Latin because it is unwilling to change its harmful business
practices.
However many experts would say giving any company a Latinate name will
over time dilute the stigma that it is basically a tobacco company. In
any case, Philip Morris says it is not just a tobacco company for they
also market brands as diverse as Philadelphia cheese spread, Toblerone
chocolate, Kaffe Hag, Estrella beer and Grape Nuts cereal!! They've
got to remove the association between all their brands and tobacco.
In this context, the corporate practice of adopting vague,
faux-Latinate names can help companies shed their image problems, said
Michael Thibodeau, creative director of the New York office of
FutureBrand.
frank
Did the tobacconists in their arrogance fail to consult someone who actually
knew a bit of Latin ? `Altria` could not by any stretch of imagination have
anything etymologically to do with `altus`= `high`, as far as I can see. It
*might* quite easily however be an (unrecorded, as far as I know) Late Latin
contraction of `altaria`, which according to my dictionary means not in fact
`altar(s)` but also `that which was placed upon the altar (`ara`) for the
burning of the victim`. Now if we`re talking about sacrificing victims by
burning.........
Come to think of it, could make an appropriate brand-name for cigarettes,
never mind the company - `20 Altria, please`.......
Well and truly hoist by their own petard, I would suggest. Anyone volunteer
to tell`em ?
cheers
frank
PS Remind me not to eat any more Philadelphia cheese spread.
"EyBiSi" <eyb...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:cac90e4.01111...@posting.google.com...
EyBiSi
> Hi all -
>
> Did the tobacconists in their arrogance fail to consult someone who actually
> knew a bit of Latin ? `Altria` could not by any stretch of imagination have
> anything etymologically to do with `altus`= `high`, as far as I can see. It
> *might* quite easily however be an (unrecorded, as far as I know) Late Latin
> contraction of `altaria`, which according to my dictionary means not in fact
> `altar(s)` but also `that which was placed upon the altar (`ara`) for the
> burning of the victim`. Now if we`re talking about sacrificing victims by
> burning.........
>
> Come to think of it, could make an appropriate brand-name for cigarettes,
> never mind the company - `20 Altria, please`.......
>
> Well and truly hoist by their own petard, I would suggest. Anyone volunteer
> to tell`em ?
>
> cheers
>
> frank
>
> PS Remind me not to eat any more Philadelphia cheese spread.
Frank
What a blunder then by those Philip Morris people, isn't it? They have
added insult to injury by not doing proper checking of Latin language
with experts.
And what does that say of the international business news reporters
who bought into this Latin thing almost absent mindedly without making
their proper research or for consulting with the linguists to expose
PM's faux-pas.
Sincerely
EyBiSi