Sunday, May 15, 2011

Teva


Do you have a pair of Tevas?  How do you pronounce it?  Tee-vah or teh-vah?  I've always called them tee-vahs, with a long E.  But it's actually teh-vah, with a short e.  How did this discussion come about?  Nathan had a career day at school on Friday.  Some of the parents talked to the kids about their careers, and one of the dads designs shoes for Teva.  Nathan came home talking about teh-vahs, and we said, "Don't you mean tee-vah?"  Nathan insisted it was teh-vah, so we googled it.  Here's what the company said (under history):

"In 1984, a young Grand Canyon river guide revolutionized the footwear industry when he created the world's first sports sandal. This idea soon spawned a brand, and the new adventure of Teva® was born.

It's been 25 years since we took our first step into the Grand Canyon, and not a moment has gone by that Teva® (that's "teh'-vah," not "tee-vah") hasn't been hard at work developing products that enable and encourage your adventure. Of course, given our heritage, we have an obsession with water, and our passion lies in identifying and enhancing the areas in which water effects an adventure. To us, water presents a paradox. It is the source of a year-round playground, but it simultaneously poses a year-round problem. Anyone who has ever slipped on a patch of ice or been forced to deal with soaking wet socks can attest to this duality.

Essentially, Teva® has two fundamental responsibilities: to play and to protect. We play in the water, but we also see the need to be protected from it. Our responsibility is to manage this delicate balance, so you can go forth without reservation. Armed with a quarter-century worth of knowledge and technology, we are dedicated to developing products that strike this balance to deliver the most out of your adventures."

I also learned that teva is the Hebrew word for nature.  Very appropriate for an outdoor sandal.  See the interesting things you can learn from your 1st grader?

Anyway, here's another T name for you Carrie and Tyson - you can call him Teva (Teh-vah) and no one will think he's named after the tee-vah shoe!  :)  (Carrie is about to have her 5th child tomorrow.  She has 3 boys, 1 girl, and a boy on the way.  They all start with T:  Trey, Trent, Tru, and Taylee.  Do you know anyone else who likes to name their kids with the same letter??  Crazy people...  ;)

3 comments:

Tyson and Carrie said...

LOL That is so funny! Thanks for the last minute name idea. :)

30 year-old Dad said...

There is (or used to be) a similar explanation inside every issue of the Ensign. And yet, I still hear people pronounce it like a naval rank. Go fig.

Jeannie said...

That's so funny because we have always called them "tee-vas." Thanks for the tip!