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HelpRe: Picking a Pronunciation
in reply to a message by chaotic
Well, here's a hypothetical example: French-speaking parents want to name their daughter Denise, which they naturally pronounce Deh-NEEZ, near as I can tell. Denise is pretty common in the US, but it's always pronounced Deh-NEECE. Should they name her Denise?
Yes, I think they should. Because of their language and accent, everything they say, including any name they might call their kids, is going to be pronounced differently than it is in English. That really can't be helped.
But if a non-French-speaking parent wants to name their daughter Ophelie, a name pretty much unused in the US, and they want it pronounced the French way, Oh-FAY-Lee, I think they're out of luck and should choose a name with an unambiguous pronunciation.
I know a woman named Melissa. Her family is totally American, no foreign accents or connections. Her mother insisted on pronouncing Melissa's name as Meh-LEE-Suh, completely ridiculous given the double s and the family's lack of accent. So Melissa is Meh-LEE-Suh to her immediate family, but Melissa to everybody else. She introduces herself as Melissa, pronounced the usual way.
I say, name pronunciation should go with the flow of where you live and the people around you. If the conventional pronunciation bothers you that bad, you should save everybody a lot of grief and choose another name.
I think, therefore I judge.
Yes, I think they should. Because of their language and accent, everything they say, including any name they might call their kids, is going to be pronounced differently than it is in English. That really can't be helped.
But if a non-French-speaking parent wants to name their daughter Ophelie, a name pretty much unused in the US, and they want it pronounced the French way, Oh-FAY-Lee, I think they're out of luck and should choose a name with an unambiguous pronunciation.
I know a woman named Melissa. Her family is totally American, no foreign accents or connections. Her mother insisted on pronouncing Melissa's name as Meh-LEE-Suh, completely ridiculous given the double s and the family's lack of accent. So Melissa is Meh-LEE-Suh to her immediate family, but Melissa to everybody else. She introduces herself as Melissa, pronounced the usual way.
I say, name pronunciation should go with the flow of where you live and the people around you. If the conventional pronunciation bothers you that bad, you should save everybody a lot of grief and choose another name.
I think, therefore I judge.
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We took that into consideration when naming our children, giving them names that work acceptably in both French and English.
So no names ending in "th".Even French speakers who have excellent English find that hard/impossible.
I have a friend named Ruth-her English-speaking father insisted on that, in spite of her French-speaking mother's objections. So, a life-time of "Root"!
So no names ending in "th".Even French speakers who have excellent English find that hard/impossible.
I have a friend named Ruth-her English-speaking father insisted on that, in spite of her French-speaking mother's objections. So, a life-time of "Root"!
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