my name is difficult to pronounce

[Ban Hammer 14,569]

Without going into a lot of detail about why it is difficult for Americans to pronounce some Chinese words:

I have to be very careful saying Li's son's name. They keep telling me I mispronounce it so that the meaning is 'biting insect'.

Yesterday, I was talking to a Chinese friend. I told him I was excited about going to Jiuzhaigou. He said "Haven't you ever been to Chicago before?".

[sereia 0]

Your name is your name. If people can't pronounce it, this is their issue not yours. I remember the time someone actually suggested my fiancée needs to change her name (Someone might think it's like Allah and we can't have that!) when she gets here! Keep your name! I'm sure your future husband finds it as beautiful as I find my Alla's name!

My friend has an ex gf named Alla who was from Russia. Must be a popular name there. Who knew!

[GabiandVi 34]

My family name has z-y-x in it. Even in Louisiana where people are used to names ending in x, no one can properly pronounce our name. They often don't even try. The only time it has ever been correctly pronounced by people outside of the family was when it was transliterated into Greek, which is completely phonetic.

My first name too, Gabrielle, which is rather common these days, is almost never pronounced the way my parents intended. The original pronunciation is Gobrielle, but most people pronounce it Gab- (rhymes with nab) rielle. I get debraelle, gabrelle, you name it. Here in China it was transliterated as Gah boo rey ya. I just tell people Gabi. You can see the sigh of relief when I say that.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Actually, it isn't too popular. I believe Natal'ya is #1. In my year there, I only met one other Alla.

Your name is your name. If people can't pronounce it, this is their issue not yours. I remember the time someone actually suggested my fiancée needs to change her name (Someone might think it's like Allah and we can't have that!) when she gets here! Keep your name! I'm sure your future husband finds it as beautiful as I find my Alla's name!

My friend has an ex gf named Alla who was from Russia. Must be a popular name there. Who knew!

[psiprez 3]

The population in New Jersey is VERY diverse, with people from all over the world. So we are used to having to 'take a guess' at how to pronounce first and last names. But since most people are not comfortable with attempting to use a foreign accent they aren't familiar with, it gets Americanized. This is because using an accent that isn't your own can be seen as disrespectful, mocking or even racist. So we try to avoid that on purpose.

In general, if someone you would never see again (like a salesperson) mispronounces your name, you just give them credit for trying and just let it go. To stop and correct them would be seen as an annoying waste of everyone's time. LOL.

With someone you'd be more familiar with, like a co-worker, out of respect you would of course take the time to teach/learn the correct pronounciation.

So... in New Jersey at least, expect Aliona to be pronounced "Ah-lee-ON-ah".

And after you explain the correct way, the best you could hope for would be "Al-YAHN-ah".

[GabiandVi 34]

The population in New Jersey is VERY diverse, with people from all over the world. So we are used to having to 'take a guess' at how to pronounce first and last names. But since most people are not comfortable with attempting to use a foreign accent they aren't familiar with, it gets Americanized. This is because using an accent that isn't your own can be seen as disrespectful, mocking or even racist. So we try to avoid that on purpose.

In general, if someone you would never see again (like a salesperson) mispronounces your name, you just give them credit for trying and just let it go. To stop and correct them would be seen as an annoying waste of everyone's time. LOL.

With someone you'd be more familiar with, like a co-worker, out of respect you would of course take the time to teach/learn the correct pronounciation.

So... in New Jersey at least, expect Aliona to be pronounced "Ah-lee-ON-ah".

And after you explain the correct way, the best you could hope for would be "Al-YAHN-ah".

As someone who has almost never heard her name pronounced correctly her entire life, I agree. I just accept anything that sounds familiar, and even when people call me by a different name entirely, I let it go if they are people I'm not going to see on a regular basis.

[eekee 182]

I know 9 million Mashas, Katias, Sashas, Lenas, and Anias. Not so many Natashas. Maybe it's an age thing? Ekaterina is the current most popular name according to some random article I found, but another said Anastasia.

Actually, it isn't too popular. I believe Natal'ya is #1. In my year there, I only met one other Alla.

Your name is your name. If people can't pronounce it, this is their issue not yours. I remember the time someone actually suggested my fiancée needs to change her name (Someone might think it's like Allah and we can't have that!) when she gets here! Keep your name! I'm sure your future husband finds it as beautiful as I find my Alla's name!

My friend has an ex gf named Alla who was from Russia. Must be a popular name there. Who knew!

Edited April 14, 2008 by eekee