linguistic branding

We don’t just speak languages, we understand them.

A deep understanding of linguistics informs each and every project at Catchword. Many of our multilingual staff have degrees in linguistics, and we use this expertise to eliminate potential problems long before name candidates are recommended or screened.

For all naming projects, we utilize standard, English-based linguistic tools—metaphors, similes, synonyms, metonymy, toponyms—but typically we go even further, exploring Indo-European roots (which are easily understood by speakers of most European languages) as well as semantically related words in language groups such as Polynesian and Finno-Ugric. When developing names that must be appropriate for the global market, we’re keenly aware of pronunciation issues, such as consonant clusters, which are difficult for Japanese speakers, and vowel sounds that don’t exist in Arabic. Our names generally do not require translation; they’re pronounceable, if not meaningful, in every required language.

“Names are not always what they seem. The common Welsh name Bzjxxllwcp is pronounced Jackson.” — Mark Twain, Following the Equator (1897)

When testing names for appropriateness, we work with native speakers who reside in the countries where the languages are spoken, and are thus intimately familiar with linguistic and cultural nuances. Moreover, our global linguistics network is comprised of naming-savvy respondents who are sensitive to branding and trademark issues. This approach yields results that far exceed those of a typical translation service.

Check out our Linguistic Glossary for more information on the strategies and techniques we use in naming and evaluation.