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From: deb5@ellis.uchicago.edu (Daniel von Brighoff)
Subject: Re: Pronouncing your name in another language
Message-ID: <1995Jan14.232114.15618@midway.uchicago.edu>
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Reply-To: deb5@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago
References: <J8yYBWU.padrote@delphi.com> <moose-1101951036570001@pacsci-28.pacsci.org> <3f5tif$l5o@nic.umass.edu>
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 1995 23:21:14 GMT
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In article <3f5tif$l5o@nic.umass.edu> smailer@twain.oit.umass.edu (Ira Smailer) writes:

>You gotta be kidding. It is bad enough to have to endure how other
>people butcher one's name, so why would one wish to join the butchers.

One is not joining them, one is circumventing them.  Like I said before,
I'd much rather have foreignors correctly pronounce a nickname which
I've chosen than murder my actual name.  Like you, I feel a sentimental
attachment to my name, but not everyone does.

>I think one should try to use the correct (local) pronunciation whenever
>possible, and especially when speaking with a person from that country.

This often causes more harm than good, unless you're a phonetic wonder.
If you're talking to a Dane and mangle K0BENHAVN, she'll have no idea
what you're talking about.  If you simply use its common English name,
Copenhagen, which she's been accustomed to since she started English
in school, you'll spare both of you a lot of trouble.

 

-- 
	 Daniel "Da" von Brighoff    /\          Dilettanten
	(deb5@midway.uchicago.edu)  /__\         erhebt Euch
				   /____\      gegen die Kunst!
