http://www.livejournal.com/users/msram/2001/04/05/
'No va' in Spanish means 'It won't go'. Little wonder then that General Motors was unable to push their Chevy Nova in South America. They later renamed the car in all Spanish markets to Caribe. The Ford Pinto met a similar fate in Brazil. As it happens, 'pinto' is the local slang for 'tiny male genitals'. The same vehicle was reintroduced as the Ford Corcel, meaning 'horse'. [more]
The latest controversy is surrounding the Pokemon, which is supposed to be short for 'pocket monster'. However, according to certain creative interpretations, Pokemon means 'I am Jewish' and Pikachu (the game's main character) is a highly offensive reference to Allah. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have banned the game, and reports say that sentiments are running wild in Jordan too.
