To think that this is probably not a wise name to call an internationally-exporting company?

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

A relative kindly bought my DS a plastic film tie-in Disney-Pixar cup from a major British supermarket chain, which he instantly loved. However, when washing it, I noticed the sticker on the underside containing the bar code, product details and the name of the company who made/imported it.

The company name is P-Slinky. According to its website, the 'Slinky' bit is a more recent addition (they make the famous stair-descending toys) and they were formerly just called P** Products.

The asterisked word is spelt out in full, in capitals, and is what I always understood to be a grossly offensive and pretty-much-anathema term for a gay man (sounds similar to a horses foot).

I assumed it was maybe an Asia-based company attempting onomatopoeia for a magic trick reveal or something without understanding the implications in colloquial English, but no, they're based in New Jersey, USA.

It's a huge, general company making all kinds of worldwide-market toys and similar products - it's not like it's a trendy company aimed at the gay community and trying to reclaim the term (as with Jonathan Ross's erstwhile house band). It looks like they chose the name both because of the rapid success of their company and the fact that they make a lot of foam-based toys(?!).

Does the word not have the same connotations in North America? Is it just me or is it not that different from calling your company N-word Products?

sounds similar to a horses foot

I can kind of get why you didn’t want to type “poof”, but surely “hoof” is fine?

Stealth, it's a puff of smoke you numpty

"I assumed it was maybe an Asia-based company attempting onomatopoeia for a magic trick reveal or something without understanding the implications in colloquial English, but no, they're based in New Jersey, USA."

This doesn't mean that it's offensive American slang for homosexual, though. There are so many differences between British and American slang. See this:

(NB I'm not sure Rachel Weisz is right about the definition of some of these, especially "Bob's Your Uncle"! But it's interesting to see how many common phrases just draw blank looks from the gorgeous Emma Stone!)

Anyway, the point is that if it's not US slang for homosexual, it's just one of those 'lost in translation' things and not a deliberately offensive name!

You're making me want to watch a spot of 'four poofs and a piano'

it’s a bit late to start calling for a name change since you’ve only just noticed

I'm not demanding a name change or calling for public burnings of the products and board members

I'm just thinking that it wouldn't be my first choice of company names were I to start one - same as, if I were to start a business selling radios, I wouldn't call it 'The Tranny Company', even though this was once a very common everyday term for the device (abbreviation of 'transistor radio').

@HankNPat, I love your username. It was meant to be.

You know that in 2004 the company POOF merged with another, right?

I’m loving the confusion between pronunciation of puff and poof on this thread

Puff is what you do when youre smoking a cigarette (having a puff) or breathing heavily (huffing and puffing) or disappearing in a puff of smoke. It doesn’t rhyme with hoof. It does rhyme with tough.

Poof is the offensive word used about gay men. It is also used in the same way “bang! and the dirt is gone” I saw used. “Poof! And she was gone” it rhymes with hoof but not tough.

Also, poof and hoof don't rhyme! Bizarre thread!

I can kind of get why you didn’t want to type “poof”, but surely “hoof” is fine?

I wasn't pearl-clutching about the word 'hoof', I was more alluding to its spelling as I know it's pronounced in different ways depending on accent, much like the word 'poof', it seems.

Yes they do!

Also, poof and hoof don't rhyme! Bizarre thread!

See above

I should have just typed 'poof', but I was under the misapprehension that it might be grossly offensive to some. Turns out I'm wrong - I still wouldn't go and shout it out in the High Street, though....

I’ve definitely heard use of the word to describe things that are cushiony, but never written it down, so maybe that’s Pouffe rather than Poof. Something like, This chair’s really pouffy. Or, my hair’s gone all pouffy. In that context it would certainly make sense for a company solely making foam toys (as they did prior to the merger with Slinky). So maybe it’s an Americanisation of the word Pouffe?

To me puff rhymes with tough
Poof rhymes with hoof and if basically just poo with an f on

The word 'poof' isn't used in the US as slang for gay.

You know that in 2004 the company POOF merged with another, right?

yes, Slinky, which isn't (AFAIA) an offensive word to anybody. Why would that make it any different as they retained the word POOF, though?!

On further procrastination it’s tickled me that fag doesn’t travel the other way across the Atlantic - maybe this is their revenge!

@BlueJeansNiceTop

Poof and hoof do rhyme.

But it doesn't rhyme with tough so no idea why the OP said that.

" Slinky, which isn't (AFAIA) an offensive word to anybody."

According to Urban Dictionary, it is. (News to me). Mind you, according to Urban Dictionary virtually every word in the English language has some awful and derogatory slang meaning.

The word 'poof' isn't used in the US as slang for gay.

No, I realise that, but they export to many countries including the UK. There are lots of company and brand names that don't travel very well internationally, one of the funniest being the Mitsubishi Pajero which, I believe, means, erm, 'an energetic self-pleasurer' in Spanish Oddly enough, it seems that 'Nothing sucks like an Electrolux' was used deliberately, in full knowledge of what 'that sucks!' means in the US.

@downcasteyes

It IS?!?!?! Maybe I was focussing on the wrong part in my OP, then

basically just poo with an f on

I DO hope that's part of the actual authorised script they use when training new employees

is this a problem? Its just a silly company name?.

This thread is one of the funniest things I've read on mn for a while.

The OP trying to skirt around typing the word poof and trying to come up with rhymes so that we can work out what it is.

Took me a while tbh. Rhyming it with tough rather threw me.

I am totally and utterly bamboozled now as to how some people pronounce either 'horses foot' or 'gay man, can be pejorative'....
They do rhyme in my accent and although I am well travelled I just can't think how they might not....

ah well...