quick question about a business name

by **Raf** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:36 pm

As a business name/trademark, would the name "alloy" have strong negative connotations for English native speakers? I notice it has two meanings in English, namely:

- as a noun: the combination of two metals to make a stronger, well, alloy
- as a verb: "to diminish in value"

which of the two would be dominant in English?

by **leecb** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:41 pm

Don't forget alloy wheels (obviously made of an alloy of metals) which has a bit of a boy racer connotation. I suspect a lot of people would think of that first in English.

by **Raf** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:49 pm

never heard of alloy wheels, what are those?

by **Raf** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:53 pm

ah, googled it; are alloy wheels a bit of a laddish, chav-thing? or is it rather neutral stuff - as in, a man needs his alloy wheels and some people just go overboard with the blue LEDs and stuff?

by **leecb** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:09 pm

A bit of both I think but for me it has definite chav boy-racer connotations!

Whether a middle aged man needs alloy wheels is a whole 'nother story and it's prolly best we don't go there in present company!! :roll:

by **crphillips** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:28 pm

Hmm......alloy.......a combination of two metals to form a stronger alloy......this is the most dominant in the english language..........i got alloy wheels on my truck! Nice.

by **Hugo** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:35 pm

I've never heard the verb use.. allay maybe, but not alloy. And 'alloys' aren't cool... they're what dorks put on crap cars along with spoilers, noisy exhaust and dark windows to make them look less crap, though sadly the result is invariably the opposite....

Having said that.. I think my Smart car's got alloys!

by **triptogenetica** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:43 pm

definitely a bit of both - if it was a name for a cool, exotic, electroplating company, for instance, then I'm all for it... otherwise, I'd be slightly confused.

(Assuming it's to do with coffee, i'd fail to see a connection, without thinking it though; "ah, a blended coffee would be like an alloy of metals"...)

by **Raf** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:56 pm

no it would be for an marketing business, tripto

by **CakeBoy** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:01 pm

I'm with the others, it just reminds me of alloy wheels and chav boy racers.

by **espressomattic** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:28 am

Ah you see we have Mag wheels here...I mentioned Alloys ages ago and got a rather blank look!

I think if it was for marketing then people associated with your target audience would see that and not the Chav/Twat syndrome.

Providing the Marketing business markets itself correctly I see no issue.

by **leecb** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:12 am

Ah Mitty, petrolheads, heavy metal and mag wheels, how I miss such spectacles downtown Hamilton on a Saturday night! :roll:

Raf, if you had grown up in Hamilton NZ in the 70's you would truly understand my feelings about alloys!!! :twisted:

by **geedee** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:37 pm

One of the online dictionary definitions of the noun is anything added that serves to reduce quality or purity it also shows reduction as a synonym

Sorry !!

by **crphillips** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:48 pm

Mag wheels.......i had them on my BMX when I was a kid! Justa about every new car has alloy wheels now.....even crap ones.

by **espressomattic** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:19 am

SO gratifying when we crush them...seriously it is...better than any coffee :twisted:

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