[Tor]

What does the S (with a circle around it) means that you can see on the bottom of most smurfs?

How do you pronounce "Schleich"? I read somewhere that it rimes with "like".

[Guest]

The UK arm of Schleich say sounding like "like". Not sure what the S means, I just assumed it was S for Schleich but that sounds dumb doesn't it?

[Bunno Smurf]

Its one of those it "sounds too obvious to be right questions" doesn't it? But it most probably is for Schleich.

[Rachel]

Hi guys, I have often wondered about the S as well and it would be great to know the answer.

It hasn't always been there as I don't recall seeing the S when the Schleich Emblem (bendy man / stick man) is marked but it is certainly present in some of the older Hong Kong markings. My guess is that it is a trademark / logo thing but I really am not sure.

[Syd Smurf]

Yep...Schleich rhymes with like...Shlike.....but don't call them Shite cos they don't like that.

[Tojo]

Schleich is pronounced like this:-

the first part is 'shli' rhyming with buy, high, fly etc.

the last part is not said 'ck' so you get a word sounding like 'like' but 'ch' like at the end of the scottish 'loch' as in loch ness. That is to say it's a soft sound made at the back of the throat. It's not a sound normally found in English & that's why it's mostly said 'shlike'.

greetings from chilly Hessen

Tojo

[Syd Smurf]

Thanks Tojo...I did not know that ...so it rhymes with lie

[Tor]

So the first part rimes with "lie" and the second part rimes with "like"?

s-lie-k ?

[Guest]

here I have the pronounciation of the word "schleichen" that is quite similiar to Schleich except the "en" at the end...

http://dict.leo.org/le?26127069

[Brainy's Babe]

Ooops, I've been pronouncing it wrong

[Guest]

Just freaked my son out playing that because he thought it was me saying it, I think he thought I'd become possessed or something because he was just looking at my back!

Claire you do make me laugh

[Rachel]

the last part is not said 'ck' so you get a word sounding like 'like' but 'ch' like at the end of the scottish 'loch' as in loch ness. That is to say it's a soft sound made at the back of the throat. It's not a sound normally found in English & that's why it's mostly said 'shlike'.

Thanks Tojo, I have wondered this in the past. This is often a problem that I have found with the "ch" at the end of words as Welsh people tend to pronounce them like the Germans eg. Bach, when I first went to college I couldn't understand why everyone was saying it wrong and pronouncing it like Bark!

[SA Smurfette]

Just freaked my son out playing that because he thought it was me saying it, I think he thought I'd become possessed or something because he was just looking at my back!

[Rachel]

Hi guys, thought I would drag this older thread back into life as I have a little extra info to add about the history of Schleich.

Interesting to know that Schleich didn't start out making toys. The company was formed in 1935 by Fredrich Schleich and actually produced technical items and protective clothing to begin with. It wasn't until 1951 that Schleich produced their first "toy" when they made their first bendable figure and of course we know that it wasn't until 1965 they produced their first smurfs.

Below is a pic of one of the first bendable figures produced by Schleich in different poses. This figure was used for Schleich's old copyright emblem which can be seen on some of the older smurf figures, hence the name bendyman / stickman logo.

[Syd Smurf]

That's very interesting to see what figure was used for the Schleich Emblem Rach...I had no knowledge of that so thank you

Dyar

[Gerda]

That is neat to find out. Thanks RAchel for digging that out for us. Now the Stick figure emblem makes more sens.


gerda

[Elvissmurf]

Getting away from the Schleich S subject for a second..

My wife asked me today why the American football,Quarterback and Baseball batter Smurfs are all numbered 3..(excluding the ones without the #3 painted of course)..and why the Cyclist+Canoe Super Smurfs are numbered 6...and does the S on the Quarterbacks helmet stand for Schleich or Smurf....i told her she had too much time on her hands to be noticing such things

Anyone have an answer or is it just irrelevant??

Poxy answers welcomed to a poxy question

[eggie smurf]

Anyone have an answer or is it just irrelevant??

I've always wondered the same thing too...maybe women just notice too many things

[Gerda]

Actually the kyak smurf is #4 not 6.

Babe Ruth's number was #3. Maybe the baseball smurfs are numberd after him


gerda

[Elvissmurf]

By Jolly and by jingo you`re right watson!! the Canoeist is a #4

So the Cyclist Smurf seeing as he is wearing a maillot jaune..could be Eddy mercyx...or another Belgian winner of Le tour de France.