Linguistic & Cultural Sensitivity Analysis™
Understanding how names are pronounced in different languages and what they mean or might suggest across cultures is as important, if not more, than knowing if the name is legally available.
Why Linguistic & Cultural Sensitivity Analysis™ Matters
The introduction of a new term, or even a dictionary word, as a name for a new experience or brand in various languages and cultures runs the risk of the name saying or suggesting something that is not intended. Additionally, how words or word parts look, what they mean, and how they sound in different languages, across different audiences, and in different cultures may reveal valuable insights worth leveraging at launch and throughout the ongoing marketing of a new brand.
Our Approach
Like everything PS212 provides, our linguistic and cultural sensitivity assignments are tailored to each client. Decades of experience inform the objective and questions for each study, and years of experience have led us to seasoned linguists who know the languages and cultures to complete our surveys.
While every study is tailored to each client, our screens tell us the following:
Pronunciation and Phonetic Spellings
We measure ease of pronunciation for each name in the different languages and regions included in the evaluation. Additionally, our linguists provide a phonetic spelling of each name candidate in the languages of interest.
Regional and Culturally Specific Associations
Our studies also identify any regionally relevant and culturally specific associations with each name candidate, or the word parts contained within the name itself. We require our linguists to identify any associations with the structure of each name and the sounds the word and word parts create.
Intended and Unintended Meanings
Once the associations are noted, we ask linguists to reflect on whether the associations strike the meaning(s) we intended, identify any unintended meanings, then reflect on whether the meanings are positive, negative, or neutral in the context of the language, region, and culture.
Whether we help you create the names or not, we’d like to help you assess the linguistic and cultural sensitivity of each name you’re considering. Let’s talk – please fill out the following form and we’ll respond as quickly as we can.
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