Re: The Origins of Audi

[Dan Simoes <dans@ans.net>]

>      In the interest of historical accuracy, please note that it was August 
>      Horch who founded the company which began producing Horch automobiles 
>      early this century.  Herr Horch subsequently left (or was forced out 
>      of) the company he created. However, his interest in automobile 
>      manufacturing remained unabated.  He formed a new company called Audi 
>      which is Latin for "to listen" (or "to hear," I forget exactly which). 
>      "Horch" in German means much the same thing.  The two companies later 
>      fell under the same corporate umbrella that was Auto Union. 

Correct.  I forget where I read this, but the reason they chose
"audi" was to give the company a softer, non-German image in
post WWII commerce.  I'll have to dig up the reference.

Which raises a good point - here we go with a big discussion, but
let's settle it once and for all...

I call the company OW-DEE (rhymes with howdy).
Some people call it AWE-DEE (rhymes with haughty)
Given the origin of the name from Latin, and that the word
"audio" has the same origins, perhaps the latter pronunciation
is more correct, though less common?

Donning nomex...

| Dan |