One of the problems that Chinese companies like Huawei and Xiaomi are facing as they attempt to expand into Western markets is that Westerners simply don’t know how to pronounce their names. In a humorous attempt to remedy this, Huawei has released a video that tells us how to pronounce the company’s name: (way-way). Xiaomi is pronounced, (show-me), in case you were wondering.
Huawei, the subject of many a pronunciation snafu on the part of us English speakers, has tackled the issue head-on in a new video in which an instructor humorously aids soccer pundits in pronouncing some difficult Arsenal player names and, of course, the company’s name itself. In the video, pronunciation coach Gordon Friend, representing the “Future Facing Association of Pundits” (or, FFAPS), dives into a short lesson on pronouncing three Arsenal player names with a little help from a swimsuit, cheese, and Cher (yes, Cher). Huawei then tops things off with much shorter lesson on pronouncing its own name (Wah-Way, in case you’re curious). Honestly, words don’t do this one justice—it’s best just to check out the nearly three-minute video above.
