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Baby names

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Original poster

Why can't get say it right?!

65 replies

igotyoubabe · 27/03/2018 22:42

Ok, so I need a bit of advice... I have a 6 week old daughter who is literally the best thing since sliced bread! Me and my OH chose the name Erin for her which we both adore, however, the MIL can't seem to pronounce it right. Every time she says her name she pronounces it ERUN! It drives me mad! I even make a point of over pronouncing the IN part in front of her but she doesn't get the hint! How do I approach this? Or am I being too sensitive about it? It's a 4 letter name, it shouldn't be hard to get right!? Sorry for the rant (and breathe)

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4strikes · 01/04/2018 13:37

Op I have an Erin and it drives me nuts too! Dh even does Angry

50sQueen · 01/04/2018 00:09

My own dad doesn't even know how to spell my name and constantly pronounces my sons name wrong.

Fozzleyplum · 31/03/2018 23:55

I think that there's a bit of a trend to use the schwa ("uh" sound) instead of a clear "i". The first time I noticed it was in the Blair era, when he said "Uslungtun" instead of "Islington", but it seems quite commonplace now.

RapunzelIsHere · 31/03/2018 23:45

Okay, just read your last post. Maybe she’s just struggling to say it.

RapunzelIsHere · 31/03/2018 23:44

I love the name OP. Keep stressing the ‘in’ when you’re with your MiL. But don’t get too hung up about her pronouncing it wrong, as others have said, it may just be her accent.

Original poster
igotyoubabe · 31/03/2018 22:18

It's definitely not an accent thing as we're all from the same city!

OP posts:
ReinettePompadour · 31/03/2018 18:55

I would say Er-un too but I assume thats because of my accent.

DB is Carl, SIL is Scottish and it sounds like she calls him Carol to me. No one gets that het up, its her accent.

ducksandrivers · 31/03/2018 18:41

I thought the same Greatduck

I have the same struggles with my DM op. She pronounces my dc's name completely wrong and it gives me the rage if we bump into someone she knows and introduces us. I have to correct her every single time!!! It's not an accent thing for my Mum either, she just prefers her pronunciation. Hmm

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 31/03/2018 18:25

To say the letter A in Megan would feel wrong to me. It would sound like MegANNE.

Beeziekn33ze · 31/03/2018 18:02

At 4 Megan thought her name must be spelled 'Megun' because that was what everyone called her. She even insisted at school that her name had no 'a' in it.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 31/03/2018 17:49

We know an Erin, people say Eran and never ErIN.

Greenyogagirl · 31/03/2018 13:51

I think you’re being a bit harsh, is just an accent thing.
When I was a teenager and lost I told someone I lived in Bonthorpe. They replied ‘Bandthorpe?’ I had to spell it out in the end, they kept hearing my ‘on’ as ‘and’

ferrier · 28/03/2018 18:40

But as with all names, it's how the holder of the name wants it pronounced that's important so I would try hard to go along with it. Some sounds are more difficult than others for non-native speakers to manage so a little leeway is needed.

ferrier · 28/03/2018 18:33

Bridget is definitely Brijit here - never heard it pronounced differently. Same with Erin - it's Erin with a short i.

Strippervicar · 28/03/2018 15:36

Well, er, Brijit. I honestly dont know!!! And this poor OP needs to know bt Erin

LivLemler · 28/03/2018 14:28

Not much difference between Er-in and Er-un to my ear, I'm Irish and would probably be somewhere between the two?

I'd say Brijit and wouldn't know how else to pronounce Bridget?

I also want to know how the last syllable of Mendelssohn would be pronounced if not to rhyme with known.

daisypond · 28/03/2018 14:13

I'd say Erun too, really - as someone said, it's the schwa sound you get on unstressed syllables. I'd also say Emmer, Olivier, etc, not Emm-a or Olivi-a. In fact, they sound virtually the same to me.

TatianaLarina · 28/03/2018 14:10

Confused Never said anything of the sort Stripper, just that the standard pronunciation and etymology indicate those who assume it would be Bridgit are justified.

DairyisClosed · 28/03/2018 13:59

My in laws mispronounce everything. So does my father. Children's names included. I don't see the issue.

DontCallMeCharlotte · 28/03/2018 13:57

Strippervicar Can you spell phonetically how your Bridget should be pronounced?

I have a Bridget very close to me and I genuinely can't think of any way of saying it other than "Brijit"?

Strippervicar · 28/03/2018 13:36

TatianaLarina well thank you for telling me I cant pronounce my own child's name.

MiaowTheCat · 28/03/2018 13:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 28/03/2018 12:55

It seems a weird name to pronounce wrongly. Confused SIL pronounces the last syllable of DS2's name wrongly, but we make allowances as she's getting on.

mrsflurph · 28/03/2018 12:52

I would say it depends on the accent too! Your daughter has the same name as me, my Irish family and parents say Erun and English family and friends say Erin. I used to hate people emphasising er-IN as a child, but that's probably down to my accent. As an adult I don't care how it's pronounced Smile

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