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Comment by mwfunk | Hacker News Reader

From their "Translator's FAQ" (which I think is meant for volunteers to help with localization):

"How should I tell to pronounce DoudouLinux?

In French and Chinese it is pronounced “doodoolinux”. However as the word “doodoo” has a weird meaning in slang American English, we recommend English-speakers to say it as if it was an English word, the way they prefer to say it. We also ask to not write “doodoolinux” at all to avoid any confusion (except here!). Of course if pronouncing the word the French way has no awful meaning in your language, please tell to use this pronunciation."

I'm not sure I understand what they mean by "say it as if it was an English word" though.

* http://www.doudoulinux.org/web/english/contribute/translate-...

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Starting out with a name that has a weird meaning in English - not a good idea. It's difficult to find a name that sounds good in all languages and has no offending meaning, but it's not impossible.

They probably started small, found a cute name in French, for their French users. (and there is nothing cuter than a doudou! try to google it!)

They even give a solution for the sensitive Americans: call it "dow dow" and forget about how is pronounced in French.

"Doudou" is French/Dutch for a child's blankie (security blanket).

I don't know about Dutch, but "Doudou" can also be used in French for "Teddy bear".

You mean US English. Sure, I know what "doo doo" means from US TV/movies, but I've never heard anyone use it. Neither would I assume poo if someone said it in relation to Linux.

That's because the word is generally considered juvenile - something a child of 2-12 would probably find hilarious. And despite how you might tell them to pronounce it, I'm pretty sure they'd end up calling it "doodoo" anyway, at least mine would.

I think in Chinese it would be pronounced more like doughdough?

As in "as dead as a Dodo".

    1. naming things
    2. ...

Etc.

doudoulinux is a perfect linux distribution name in chinese because doudou is usually used as child nickname and dou refers bean.

at first glance I thought it had some relation with chinese.

Dodo is colloquial French for "sleep", usually applied to children. It comes from dormir.

I thought French root too-- but pronounced like doux. Plush Linux

According to the Chinese language page it's 豆豆 (lit., "bean bean") which is pronounced in the way that you're suggesting.

Looks like "dough dough" or "dow dow" to me, an English native speaker.

Interesting - I would have gone with "Doo Doo", but I don't think there are standard English phonetic rules for this particular name. Mentally though knowing that it has French origins, I think I just compared it to other French words I know with "ou" when written out in english.

How would you have pronounced "loulou"? Not like the name, "Lou," twice?

As a native English speaker, I would pronounce "Doudou" the same as I'd pronounce "Loulou" -- "Doo doo" and "Loo loo" respectively.

lou, though, through

From http://www.doudoulinux.org/web/english/about/more-about/arti...

"“Doudou” is a French word that means wubby, the teddy bear or the cloth that children carry everywhere and hug very strongly in their arms before falling asleep. In China the word 豆豆 means the same and is pronounced the same too."

Chinese it's pronounced doughdough (4th tone, if anyone cares) as someone else mentioned below.

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