Nissan Bonavista

Nissan's new X-Trail Bonavista Edition is generating some chatter, thanks to a spot that features a sales rep speaking with a strong accent and so much slang that he's subtitled. The customer then replies in ordinary English, with a Newfoundland phrase subtitled beneath. RJ found "at best it is annoying, at worst offensive;" more comments can be found on the Nissan forums. What do you think?

Comments

[Lisa]

i'm a newfoundlander, living "away!" I laughed myself silly when i saw it. lighten up folks.

[Helmut]

Hmmm... I wasn't that offended. I wished he really sounded like a Newfoundlander, but I didn't feel upset by it.

[Marilyn]

I saw this ad last night and wondered (aloud but to myself) what Newfoundlanders thought of it. I guess now I'll get to find out.

[Nick White]

XD This is funny, the expression on that other guys face. I'm from Newfoundland but I don't mind dat, b'y.

[Dion]

I'm originally from Bonavista Newfoundland, and I loved this add, I'm proud they used the Bonavista name for there new vehicle. The humor was great. Could of been better if they researched the newfie dialogue, for example "nuf to knock he down" could have been referenced when talking about the climate control etc... But still I enjoyed the add!

[Michael]

I nearly fell outta my chair when I first saw this. My entire family is from the Rock and I actually got this link sent to me from some of my family out there.

Great ad, and far from offensive!

[John]

I thought the thing was hysterical, I am also a newf living away. trying to the it online if anyone has a link.

[Andrew Benson]

I tinks its absolutely deadly that dey got da rigg to represent newfoundland

[Laurie]

I love, love, love this commercial. Of course I had to laugh when I saw it, and it's brought a smile to my face every time since. Thumbs up to the Nissan guys.

[Doug]

I thought this commercial was brilliant. And I used to work with a feller that could have been this guys brother, they sound so much alike. This is the best car commercial I've seen this year.

[neilio]

i'm a newfie and that is hilarious, anyone offended needs to lighten up or even take pride in the fact your culture is so unique, right bye, yes bye.

[Mandy]

I live in alberta where all the newfie's live now and almsot 80% of my friends are newfies, this commercial was funny, i had a smile on my face the whole time. I think it was the most intersting commercial to watch so far!! I wouldn't mind seeing more.

[Ted B]

Does anybody have the script for this ad?

I am a Newfie, however I have difficulty understanding some of the words and phrases. I would like to get the correct script if it is available.

Anybody care to decrypt and post it?

[Ted B]

Does anybody have the script for this ad?

I am a Newfie, however I have difficulty understanding some of the words and phrases. I would like to get the correct script if it is available.

Anybody care to decrypt and post it?

[Barbara]

Probably too many thoughts, but you can just ignore them if you want, of course.

I just saw the ad - GREAT! I was working on my computer and heard someone making a pretty good attempt at using one of Newfoundland's wonderful speech patterns.

When we see this car, we won't say, "Hey, Newfoundland has a placed called Bonavista". Nope, we can say "Hey, that car is named after a place in Newfoundland!" COOL!!!

A non-standard, not widely used variety of a language has nothing to do with intelligence or grammaticality. Such judgements are really misinformed attitudes about what makes a language grammatical.

To be honest, I enjoyed hearing one of our dialects/accents in a milieu other than comedy. Clearly, the person with standard English was having absolutely no problem understanding the non-standard variety of English. Excellent!

In a province so rich in language variation, our own university doesn't seem to recognize the importance of informing prospective teachers about the beauty of language variation. Our schools are filled with teachers who, through no fault of their own, do not know the nuts and bolts of how language works. As a result they go into schools and pass on their own pedestrian language attitudes to their students. And the cycle continues. Maybe the Faculty of Education could have all its students take a course in Sociolinguistics through the linguistics department?

I am in my mid-fifties and have lived outside Newfoundland for over 10 years. Within Canada and the U.S. I have been measured according to my abiliby to do my job; most people don't care about my accent/dialect. Of course, there have been a small handful of Canadians who stereotype me, but before long most realize their error. As for my American friends? They don't even know the word 'Newfie'.

I am in constant touch with many extremely successful Newfoundlanders living outside Newfoundland. Those FEW 'mainlanders' who have negative attitudes about us will have them. It is likely they will also have negative attitudes about others who are different from themselves. They are definitely a minority within the general Canadian society AND they have definitely NOT held US back.

I've never gotten used to being called a Newfie though. For the first 40+ years of my life I lived in Newfoundland. I only used the word Newfie as an adjective and probably in only one context - 'Newfie joke'. For some reason people outside Newfoundland (and maybe some within Newfoundland these days) have taken to using this adjective as a noun - calling people from Newfoundland, 'Newfies'. It "feels" ungrammatical to me, SO I don't use it; but it is clearly grammatical to other English speakers. That's the beauty of how language works in society!

Maybe we ARE a bit sensitive about the word Newfie. For all my years in Newfoundland the word was generally followed by the word 'joke'. Therefore, it's understandable that when I hear someone call me a 'Newfie' I feel a little discomfort. But, I've also come to recognize that people outside Newfoundland don't have my history. To them, 'Newfie' carries the same meaning as Newfoundlander does for me - a word that designates a person is from Newfoundland.

Done!
Barbara

[L]

Hey! I'm a Newfoundlander living away too. When I saw the Nissan ad for the first time I thought it was the funnies flippin' thing I had ever seen. I didn't find it offensive at all. I do agree that some research should have been done on the phrasing, and the accent. It's not the greatest attempt at a NFLD accent I've ever heard but close enough. We get it. :)

[Jeremy Barry]

I think the ad is great! The dialogue is a little artificial though, and the actor almost had the accent right ( I've read that he's from Cape Breton). But good enough! I laughed out loud at the end..."Lord Tunderin!'".
I wonder who's idea it was to name the model Bonavista?

[Tammy]

I think Nissan owes the Newfoundland people an apoligy.
I think it is downgrading and ignorant.
If they think they will sell their STUPID CAR by doing this ,I dont think so.
I would never buy one for that reason and my family and friends won't either.
P. S.
U didn't think MAINDLAND PEOPLE were so STUPID
Tammy living away from NL

[Newfounderlander]

Nissan YOU ARE TOO STUPID

GET A LIFE AND LEARN SOME MANNERS & RESPECT

[Newfoundlander]

Newfoundlanders How can you think this is great .
Making fun of us and our culture.
WE deserve an apoligy.
Nissan People are disrespectful.

[Rufus]

To; meek, sickofit & stupid, all @hotmail.com
Howzitgoiin,bye?
get a life, folks! the AB gov't has approved the personal lisence plate "NEWFIE" for one of your proud ex-citizens and happy new-albertans

BE content you weren't born & raised in Saskabush

[Lawrence Guy]

I tinks dis add is good for Newfoundlanders,cuz it will help tourists decide on a holiday there...the add is not meant to be offensive...lighten up

[john kolanko]

hey i think this add is great im not from the rock but im from labrador and as soonas i herd it i knew it was newf... and hell i aint ashamed i think thats a smart way of advertiseing it it almost gives the truck a bit of charicter

[kim]

I think it is great. To many of us have had to leave our home land to find work and have had to leave our culture behind in the process. I loved it and laughed so hard.

[Terri]

FYI -- the "newfie" in the ad is actually from Sydney, Nova Scotia... way to go Billy-Joe!! I love every distinct accent to be found across the country, and I hope we never lose them... what a shame if everyone spoke like a teenager from Toronto.

[Lewis Garnier]

I am a newfoundlander, but sadly had to move out of province 40 or so years ago when i joined the military.I think this ad is great and any newf who finds it offensive must be a few bricks short of a load .Lighten up fellas.

[Newfie living away]

The first time that I saw this commercial I was impressed that Nissan named a vehicle after Bonavista, I used to live there, but really disappointed with the actor. All I was thinking was "who talks like that? I am not offended by the commercial but think they did a poor job in representing true Newfoundland dialect.

[Mark Bridger]

I am from Gander Newfoundland and when I saw the commercial I thought I was going to piss myself...... Good Job On the commercial hopefully there will be more in the future.

[Krista From St. John's]

I love this commercial I thought that this was the funniest car commercial ever. This is voted number 1 auto commercial of the year in my books. Keep Up The Good Work Me Son

[Paul Crummey]

Yes man, nutting wrong this commercial old man. I saw this and laughed me arse off. I lives Alberta and everyone i works with loves to listen to the way i talks. So what if ain't proper english, thats what makes us different from the rest of the world and gives us a distinct culture. To all ye other newfies who are offended by its time ye grew up and not take life so serious. Giver oil patty.

[MollyMouse]

I had not seen this comerical on the Bonavista until a couple of days ago.. I watch very little TV, but I sure heard lots about it. Everyone was asking me if I had seen it. Every one said they loved it. So I went on the internet and took a look.. its a unique commercial as is our language. I have lived away from home for 36 years and have never lost my accent. Its a part of who I am. I would be very interested in knowing how Nissan came up with this idea. Is there a Newfoudlander in the ranks of the Nissan commercial staff? I did not take offence nor have any of the people I know. I love hearing different dialects. Although I don't remember any as thick as this one. But the bottom line for Nissan is, will this sell their car?? People take offence as various things, for various reasons.... I think I would rather see this commercail than to see some women draped over the hood of the car, some one who looks like a halibut starving in the woods.. Most women do not look like that and I am sure there are women who are offended about that also, but who now hardly even notice anymore. You can be assured that no matter what commercail you make someone out there in this wide world of ours will take offence to it..

[jim young]

As a Newfoundlander, I cannot imagine why some of my compatriots have take offense at this harmless (and slightly amusing) caricature. So what if it is not exactly how people in Bonavista talk?! It is parody. And don’t tell me that Newfoundlanders have never enjoyed a good natured ribbing of Calgarians or Torontians. It’s good fun. Lighten up!

[Travis]

Bestkind commercial... I'm livin away goin to school in the states and loved it when a buddy sent me the commercial. Some people gotta lighten up b'y!

[Myrtle Anstey]

I saw the commercial a few weeks ago and I couldn't help but wish I could understand what the actor was saying. I am from central Newfoundlander and like the idea that the car is named after beautiful Bonivista - who cares if no one can understand what he is saying, the fact is the customer purchased the car!! ha-- good laugh.

[sue]

Well I don't really see the Big Deal of this comercial!! If they didn't reconize Newfoundland, it would have been an issue. I am from Newfoundland, and I thought it was Great! People gotta Lighten up eh! And everyone knows sometimes it's hard to understand Newfies.. The words are juss for those ppl who don't! And at least they Say Inspired By Beautiful Newfoundland!!! Cause we all know it's NICE HERE

[cynthia Hillman]

Hi Just wanted to say about time a comercal Had Newfie lingo in it regardless of the rest of the country couldnt understand our newfie slang

[Rykc]

The problem that I have with the Nissan commercial is that Nissan bastardizes a language and stereotypes a unique culture at the expense of Newfoundlanders. Another part of the equation is Nissan does not even provide the service for their products province wide (only poor service in St. John's). They have one dealership in St. John's O'Neil Motors and they run that operation providing substandard service implying to Nissan owners "you listen to us! You have no choice because you have nowhere else to get service for your product." Service anywhere in Nova Scotia is on a scale of 1-10 is a 10 where the customers leave the dealership content that a maximum effort was placed on their service. The rude and ignorant service department in St. John's avoids at all costs WORK and especially province wide service. It’s not Nissan Canada but Nissan 9 Provinces. Even the territories receive optimal service comparing to Newfoundland. So if you’re not even a supporter of the province how can you ridicule and mock the culture and expect zero retort. Yes Ontario Nissan’s hired production company made a commercial to the expense of and once again ridiculing Newfoundlanders and that is defiantly wrong! Nissan in St. John’s Newfoundland (not the people of Newfoundland) are also wrong for retaliating with an immature “you make fun of us we’ll make fun of you,’ radio spot. And yes you may argue that it was all in good fun and the positives out way the negatives. Well a rapist would assume the same. It felt good and the positives outweighed the negatives. (Facetiously.) Must be right!

[Phantasm]

The only reason why I was offended in some way by this commercial is due to the fact that the person who is supposedly playing the role of a newfoundlander is from Cape Breton... obviously this ISN'T part of Newfoundland. That is not a Newfie accent .. it's more of a mainlander accent. at least they could've gotten someone who is from Newfoundland to do the commercial..