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Xtremjeepn
Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2012
Posts: 1543
Location: Colorado
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 Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:19 pm Post subject: "Westphalia" vs "Westfalia" |
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I searched and didn't see this discussed at all so just thought I would ask.
I was just looking at some Vanagon listings on Criagslist and I frequently see people call them "Westphalia" instead of "Westfalia" out of some sort of misguided "snooty correctness." 
What am I missing here?
"Westphalia" is clearly a region while "Westfalia" is the company that converts VW vans. Which if you read the companies history it seems it has always been "Westfalia".
Does the confusion come from some "origin sticker" or similar marking that designates the region where they were built?
http://www.westfalia-mobil.net/en/unternehmen/unternehmenshistorie.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfalia |
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photogdave
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Xtremjeepn
Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2012
Posts: 1543
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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For example, this guy uses "Westphalia" all through his ad but puts "Westfalia" as a keyword. So obviously not a misspelling. It also has the correct "Westfalia" stickers on the van.
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/4413575709.html
Last edited by Xtremjeepn on Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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vanagonjr
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Xtremjeepn
Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2012
Posts: 1543
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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| vanagonjr wrote: |
Some spell checks will change it to Westphalia.
Signed,
Phred. |
Phunny.....cause when I was searching for it I had exactly the opposite problem with my spell check and Google. Both were constantly changing the "Ph" to "F"
Clearly "spelling" and autocorrects aren't the issue in the above ad. |
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pedrokrusher
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Zeitgeist 13
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Joined: March 05, 2009
Posts: 12169
Location: Port Manteau
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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I'm pretty sure I've used Westphalia here on the Samba a few times. I'm a longtime VW guy, but I took German in college, and was taught the names of the various regions, so I've learned a geographical bias that overrides my VW lore.
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SteelB12
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Joined: December 21, 2010
Posts: 591
Location: Central Virginia
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Zeitgeist 13 wrote: |
| I'm pretty sure I've used Westphalia here on the Samba a few times. I'm a longtime VW guy, but I took German in college, and was taught the names of the various regions, so I've learned a geographical bias that overrides my VW lore. |
I believe this is what I did when I bought my second Westy after several years without onw
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luVWagn
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Joined: February 21, 2008
Posts: 1342
Location: Snoqualmie (WA)
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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phalia and phalic look similar, so perhaps folks have a sexual connotation for the wonderful westies with their double-beds? 
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OddN
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Joined: August 19, 2010
Posts: 690
Location: Northern Norway
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 2:36 am Post subject: Re: "Westphalia" vs "Westfalia" |
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| Xtremjeepn wrote: |
I searched and didn't see this discussed at all so just thought I would ask.
I was just looking at some Vanagon listings on Criagslist and I frequently see people call them "Westphalia" instead of "Westfalia" out of some sort of misguided "snooty correctness."
What am I missing here?
"Westphalia" is clearly a region while "Westfalia" is the company that converts VW vans. Which if you read the companies history it seems it has always been "Westfalia".
Does the confusion come from some "origin sticker" or similar marking that designates the region where they were built?
http://www.westfalia-mobil.net/en/unternehmen/unternehmenshistorie.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfalia |
Actually Westphalia is only the British translation of the name of the region. In German it is called Westfalen: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfalen
So I guess that is why so many english speaking people also translate the manufacturers name "Westfalia" into Westphalia...
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djkeev
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teej
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Posts: 905
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:36 am Post subject: |
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| djkeev wrote: |
While I see a lot of borderline illiteracy and a lack of spelling skills on various forums, I do think in this Westfalia instance it is more a matter of a spell checking function making "corrections" that are not wanted.
Dave |
defiantly!
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nemobuscaptain
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ZsZ
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Posts: 1735
Location: Budapest Hungary, Europe
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:14 am Post subject: |
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| teej wrote: |
| djkeev wrote: |
While I see a lot of borderline illiteracy and a lack of spelling skills on various forums, I do think in this Westfalia instance it is more a matter of a spell checking function making "corrections" that are not wanted.
Dave |
defiantly! |
I always laugh on local ads. Here nobody can spell correctly Mitsubishi, even if they only have to look on the back of the car 
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kamzcab86
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Joined: July 26, 2008
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:29 am Post subject: Re: "Westphalia" vs "Westfalia" |
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| OddN wrote: |
Actually Westphalia is only the British translation of the name of the region. In German it is called Westfalen: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfalen
So I guess that is why so many english speaking people also translate the manufacturers name "Westfalia" into Westphalia... |
^This.
And it's no different, even in the year 2014, people spelling the manufacturer's name as Volkswagon, despite the name being prominently spelled out on the '80's and early '90s models' rear ends. No different than people spelling "Karmann" in a way other than what is spelled out on the front fenders of Karmann-built cars. No different than spelling VW's home as "Wolfsberg", despite the little round badges up front on Wolfsburg Editions saying otherwise. No different than spelling the van's name as "Vanagan". What makes these people appear even more inept than they are: Close-up photos in their ads showing the proper, manufacturer spelling.
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Yondermtn
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Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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There's a Westphalia in MO and KS.
I always thought it had something to do with Phish 
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LachlanMcLean
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Location: Adirondacks
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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I refuse to spell it "Kleenex." I use "Clean Ecks." I also spell out the whole name of my unit: Pretty ENormous Intimidating Schlong, rather than the more commonplace "penis."
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vanagonjr
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Dampcamper
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Well, here is the classic poem about a citizen of that region:
There was a young man from Westphalia
On his arse tattooed an azalea.
An exquisite design
And the color was fine,
But the smell, oooh, there was the failure.
But it's quicker to write it with an "f". I'm going to ponder this while I take my dog, Phideaux, for a walk. |
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Syncroincity
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