Primark+Armani=Primani

Yesterday one of my colleagues ironically referred to cheapo clothing chain Primark as 'Primani'.

I don't know how widely this portmanteau of Primark and Armani is used, or how long it has been around for, but it does appear on the Urban Dictionary site.

I've also found a story on The Scotsman's website which claims that Primani is the phenomenon of "mixing high street staples such as Primark with high-end fashion like Armani".

Oh, and here's a Digital Spy thread on derogatory or funny names for companies.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The word 'Primani' has been around for ages. I think I heard it first a couple of years ago, when Primark started to get really popular again.

TootsNYC said...

In the U.S., we have "Tar-JHAY"--the spiffy French pronounciation of "Target" (an inexpensive chain store, much like Wal-Mart).

(in Des Moines, there are several;
-the one on the west is Tar-jhay, cause that's the right side of town
-the one on the south (Italian) side is Targetino
-the one in the center (where the neighborhood is poorer) is Targhetto

Anonymous said...

LOL it's like when you buy some cheap tat from Argos, it becomes "Argo" (silent 's')!!

JD (The Engine Room) said...

It makes me laugh when the names of 'posh' parts of London are (for comic effect) pronounced in a faux French accent - Crouch End, for example, which becomes something akin to Crooshond or Crooshonh...

Roy said...

As far as I am aware the original faux French pronunciations for areas of London came with the "gentrification" of Clapham and Battersea which became "Clahm" and "Batt-er-see-a".

JD (The Engine Room) said...

Yesterday a mate reminded me that Streatham is sometimes called St Reatham...