The Mangling of Names...

[johno]

See mdlbear's post about the use of names for where this started. My response got very long, so I decided it needed to be a post to my own journal.

My last name (O'Halloran) is fairly long, but actually fairly simple by Anglo/American pronunciation rules. Even when there is a choice, the alternate pronunciations come out fairly close.

O {full stop} Hal - lor - ran (preferred)
or
O {full stop} Hall - or - ran

I'll even accept (as not all folks recognize the apostrophe as full stop):

Oh - all - or -ran

Every letter is used and there are no implied sounds.

So how do folks come up with:

Hull-er-en -en -en (yes, some folks echo the last wrong syllable and where did the O go?)

Hill-er-en (What's with substituting of e for o and a?)

Ah-hor-ro-ron (Hmm, Will all the O sounds added, where did the leading A come from).

And a few more that I'm now sure how to even spell out.

When I'm in a really sadistic mood, I'll let a sales droid, telemarketer or checker dangle, as they attempt to pronounce it two or three different ways.

I've actually told sales droids "If you can't even come close, how do you expect to sell me anything?"

Comments

[redrob.livejournal.com]

And while we're on the subject, I go by my middle name - always have, always will. My first name is a fairly useless dangling appendage to honor my ancestors. And this causes untold problems to this day.

I was applying for a 'Club Card' for a Las Vegas casino - the equivalent of a Safeway card. They needed to see an ID to verify identity, so I showed them my driver's license. Then the fun ensued. My driver's license reads "William Alexander Borders"

The clerk entered 'William A. Borders'

I said that was not correct - 'William A. Borders' was not my name. My name is 'Alex Borders'

The clerk informed me that they had to use my legal name. I offered them three choices, 'W. Alexander Borders' (which I use for most legal documents), 'Alex Borders' (my standard use-name) or 'William Alexander Borders' (just spell it all out).

Apparently the full name would not fit in their computers, and neither of the other options was my 'legal name' (isn't my bank, the Social Security Agency, the IRS, and my employers going to be surprised). My only options were 'William Borders' or 'William A. Borders' as any other choice could be seen as an attempt to defraud the casino.

A manager was called over, and repeated exactly the same thing, although in better English. At that point, I told them I was unwilling to sign a fictitious name, and left. I figure the right to be me is more valuable than a 1/2 price lunch coupon.

Alex

[poorprncesstina.livejournal.com]

That last sentence was one of the best things I've read in a long while.