https://sputnikglobe.com/20210927/registration-cock-up-hundreds-of-finnish-cars-get-number-plates-with-word-dk-1089437793.html
Registration Cock-Up: Hundreds of Finnish Cars Get Number Plates With Word 'D**k'
Registration Cock-Up: Hundreds of Finnish Cars Get Number Plates With Word 'D**k'
Sputnik International
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency appeared to have no list of blocked letter combinations when it comes to number plates, due to the fact that... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International
2021-09-27T07:27+0000
2021-09-27T07:27+0000
2021-09-27T07:27+0000
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Due to an oversight by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, hundreds of cars received registration plates with letters reading KUK, which is the vulgar word for male private parts in Swedish, one of the country's official languages.The unexpected letter combination was met with a combination of anger and laughter.“My Swedish guests laughed so hard they started to cry,” artist Thomas Lundin wrote on Facebook of the cock-up.“I am Finnish-speaking but of course I got it when the car dealer informed me about the matter. I thought it was somewhat funny,” one of the “cock-victims” told the newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet.Salesman were reportedly instructed by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency to inform everyone who gets a car with “cocky” plates that the letter combination is offensive in Swedish and that customers can therefore replace the registration plates free of charge.Another driver said she initially didn't care, but had to rethink and take the offer after hearing reactions from Swedish-speaking friends and colleagues. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency blamed the attention-grabbing plates on human error.Three-letter words are unusual in Finnish, which is known for its use of double letters. In neighbouring Sweden, the country's Transport Agency has a list of blocked letter combinations (including KUK), which so far doesn't exist in Finland.A vestige of Finland's 500 years under the Swedish throne, the country still maintains a Swedish-speaking population numbering some 300,000 people. The so-called Finland Swedes maintain a strong identity and are seen either as a separate ethnic group, while still being Finnish, or even as a distinct nationality. The Swedish-speaking population is clustered in large cities, along the coastline and on the self-governing archipelago of Åland.
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Registration Cock-Up: Hundreds of Finnish Cars Get Number Plates With Word 'D**k'
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency appeared to have no list of blocked letter combinations when it comes to number plates, due to the fact that three-letter words are a scarcity in the Finnish language.
Due to an oversight by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, hundreds of cars received registration plates with letters reading KUK, which is the vulgar word for male private parts in Swedish, one of the country's official languages.
The unexpected letter combination was met with a combination of anger and laughter.
“My Swedish guests laughed so hard they started to cry,” artist Thomas Lundin wrote on Facebook of the cock-up.
“I am Finnish-speaking but of course I got it when the car dealer informed me about the matter. I thought it was somewhat funny,” one of the “cock-victims”
told the newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet.
Salesman were reportedly instructed by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency to inform everyone who gets a car with “cocky” plates that the letter combination is offensive in Swedish and that customers can therefore replace the registration plates free of charge.
Another driver said she initially didn't care, but had to rethink and take the offer after hearing reactions from Swedish-speaking friends and colleagues.
“My neighbours opposite our house are Swedish-speaking and I thought that it might not be so nice for them to see what it says on my car every day. The company I work for also has Swedish-speaking owners, so after a while I decided to replace the plates after all,” she said.
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency blamed the attention-grabbing plates on human error.
“After we had a batch with 900 KUK numbers manufactured, we started to get feedback on the matter. We managed to pull most of the lot, but some of the cars were registered with the letter combination in question. In the future, we must ensure that such mistakes are not repeated,” head of car registration Jarkko Pudas told Hufvudstadsbladet.
Three-letter words are unusual in Finnish, which is known for its use of double letters. In neighbouring Sweden, the country's Transport Agency has a list of blocked letter combinations (including KUK), which so far doesn't exist in Finland.
A vestige of Finland's 500 years under the Swedish throne, the country still maintains a Swedish-speaking population numbering some 300,000 people. The so-called Finland Swedes maintain a strong identity and are seen either as a separate ethnic group, while still being Finnish, or even as a distinct nationality. The Swedish-speaking population is clustered in large cities, along the coastline and on the self-governing archipelago of Åland.
