1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Pree-us or Pry-us?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by newts, Feb 2, 2004.

  1. newts

    newts New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2004
    78
    3
    0
    Location:
    Newt Hampshire
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    1. I've heard owners pronounce it differently. Is there an official, accepted or otherwise correct way to say it?

    2. If it isn't Latin, what does it mean?

    3. Anyone else think the name is too close to Priapus?


    jv
     
    #1 newts, Feb 2, 2004
  2. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2003
    1,763
    6
    0
    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    The dealer says Pree-us, so I changed to that.

    Counter-intuitive, but then I never studied Latin...
     
    #2 mikepaul, Feb 2, 2004
  3. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2003
    7,093
    2,101
    1,174
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    To Go Before - hence, you'll see some people on here with license plates like ToGoB4 or 2GoB4, etc.
     
    #3 Danny, Feb 2, 2004
  4. jeffrey

    jeffrey New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2004
    94
    0
    0
    Gatta laugh at Priapus :)

    PREE-us is correct, and I believe it means "To go before" but I got that from Toyota propaganda. I do not remember that much of my HS latin :(

    Peace :)
     
    #4 jeffrey, Feb 2, 2004
  5. Bob Allen

    Bob Allen Captainbaba

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2004
    1,273
    11
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    about what "prius" means

    Howdy: The word, "Prius" is in the form of a masculine noun, not a verb. In this form it can't mean "to go before", but, more likely, "the one who goes before". If it were a verb, it would be something like "preire" or "priare", although I don't have a Latin dictionary handy. The Japanese do a fine job of contorting English, so perhaps they have turned their skills in this area to Latin. I really like the name, whatever it means.
    In any case, it sure beats the machismo idiocy of "Charger", "Avenger", "Cobra", or the insipid "Explorer", "Navigator", etc. Original car, orignal name. Now, if you please, would you be so kind as to deliver my Prius? It's so hard to "go before" when everyone else has already gone.
    B
     
    #5 Bob Allen, Feb 3, 2004
  6. tag

    tag Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    2,526
    19
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Looked it up in a couple of those online latin-english dictionaries.

    "Prius" = before, formerly, prior

    "Praeeo" (also "praeire") = to go before
     
    #6 tag, Feb 3, 2004
  7. satchm0

    satchm0 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2004
    49
    1
    0
    Location:
    St Charles, MO
    ...or, to boldly go where no one has gone before. So, then, the Star Trek Enterprise was actually a Prius! :mrgreen:
     
    #7 satchm0, Feb 4, 2004
    Chuck. likes this.
  8. newts

    newts New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2004
    78
    3
    0
    Location:
    Newt Hampshire
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    It does have hybrid warp/impulse engines...
     
    #8 newts, Feb 4, 2004
    Chuck. likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)