Really???

[Anonymous]

Once there was a joke about the companies Fairchild and Honeywell merging to form Fairwell Honeychild. But that doesn't come close to this one, which is apparently on the level (from BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8118721.stm):

Russia's energy giant Gazprom has signed a $2.5bn (£1.53bn) deal with Nigeria's state operated NNPC, to invest in a new joint venture. The new firm, to be called Nigaz, is set to build refineries, pipelines and gas power stations in Nigeria.

I guess those suckaz don't care what it sounds like here.

[Apologies to anyone who might be offended. Note -- I was directed to the BBC page from http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/]

[jsteele]

Funny, but it's probably pronounced "nigh-gaaz" -- with a long "i" and long "a".

[Anonymous]

You know, I didn't even get your joke the first two times I read it. I was immediately reading it as Ny-gaz, since the company is based in NY-ger-i-a.

I'm surprised the BBC is making a gaff out of that, very unbecoming to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know, I didn't even get your joke the first two times I read it. I was immediately reading it as Ny-gaz, since the company is based in NY-ger-i-a.

I'm surprised the BBC is making a gaff out of that, very unbecoming to them.

My apologies to BBC. They did not imply that there was anything wrong with the name. It was one of TPM's guys who called it an unfortunate choice, and my evil mind (perhaps thinking of how a Russian, German, French, or Italian might say it) that took the suggestion. I am sure both the PP and Jeff are correct about the English pronunciation. Killjoys!