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people mispronouncing DS's name

41 replies

Nanoon · 03/04/2008 14:05

DS2 is 17 weeks old and i have noticed a few people (family and friends) slightly mispronouncing his name. His name is Reuben but some people pronounce it Reubin rather that Reubun.

I never thought it would be one to get wrong. I feel too embaressed to correct them. What would you do or say?

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Nanoon · 09/04/2008 13:48

ah yes Belgo - i'll have to watch out for people calling him Woob'n!

I think it might be an accent thing as it tends to be people that were born and brought up in our local area that pronounce it Roobin instead of Roob'n.

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MrsMattie · 08/04/2008 10:13

I've only ever heard people pronounce it Reub-in int he same way people pronounce Joseph 'Jo-sif'. Reu-bun sounds a bit odd. Maybe an accent thing? I'm in London.

nappyaddict · 08/04/2008 08:13

no i mean what's the diff between jacub and jacob.

flight · 08/04/2008 08:11

Depends on the parents I think, I'd ask them.

Could be Yakkob or Jaycob.

nappyaddict · 08/04/2008 08:08

how should jacob be said then?

oliviaelanasmum · 08/04/2008 08:08

My dd2 is called Elana-Rose and my pil insist on calling her Lana, it drives me crazy!
I have only heard of the Reubin pronunciation, it's a lovely name though

flight · 08/04/2008 08:07

The Hellin thing is weird. Like people saying 'Gerball' rather than Gerbil.

argghhhhh

SmugColditz · 08/04/2008 08:04

It's a accent thing. I bet you are living Furver Sarf than you were raised.

belgo · 08/04/2008 08:04

I would never have noticed the difference between Reubin and Reubun! If I said it, you would be complaining about people who never learnt how to say their 'r's properly.

remismum · 08/04/2008 08:01

Wouldn't worry about it too much hun. My DS is Joel with the French pronunciation, so not jole but more Jo-elle. It used to bug us when it was mispronounced especially by my mum! From about when he was 3 though when people mispronounce it he tells them straight!!

Califrau · 03/04/2008 16:50

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amyjade · 03/04/2008 16:24

I get this all the time, Ds is called Fraser but some people think he's called either Frasher or Frasier?

fryalot · 03/04/2008 16:14
Califrau · 03/04/2008 15:49

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Egg · 03/04/2008 15:44

Yep I agree with Squonk (as always Squonky ).

Grouchyoscar · 03/04/2008 15:38

Ah, sorry

Just never considered the 'bin' ending for such a lovely name

fryalot · 03/04/2008 15:33

but that's Roob'ns

Grouchyoscar · 03/04/2008 15:32

Always been Roo B'n as far as I'm concerned, as in Barrichello

MadameCh0let · 03/04/2008 15:22

I agree with squonk. To be absolutely pedantic, it is Roo-b'n. Lovely name.
, but unless your are puff diddy you can spell it the normal way!

cyteen · 03/04/2008 15:17

I've always said it as Rooben/Roob'n, never heard the Roobin pronounciation before. But it is a small difference, small enough to be caused by accent rather than intention IYSWIM.

Similarly it baffles me when I meet people who pronounce Helen as Hellin. I've known two Helens whose sibs and sometimes parents say the latter. V strange.

biglips · 03/04/2008 14:56

my 3.6 yrs old dd had a unique name and im still correcting people how to spell and say her name. im getting used to it now

Nanoon · 03/04/2008 14:53

Thanks all for your interesting comments. i probably am being oversensitive and will just carry on and hope people copy.

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ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 03/04/2008 14:32

Think that's an accent thing. You might have to get used to it.

bergentulip · 03/04/2008 14:28

Surely if you say Reubin or Reubun quickly it sounds the same anyway?? Can't see the problem myself.
It's a bit like the word 'dear'- some people say 'dee-yaa', others the word comes out with one syllable.

Obviously if it bugs you that much, just correct someone- in a friendly, non-pedantic fashion, and they'll soon get the point. Although, you might find people staring blankly wondering what is different between what you are saying and what they are saying TBH.

(also think its a great name)

MrsBadger · 03/04/2008 14:22

yes squonk, exactly

I have a secret love of IPA though