Mis-pronouncing DD's (not outlandish/ made up or odd) name at school

[dorathecommuter]

DD's name is Thalia, which we pronounce TAR lee a (no 2 on that link)

Before she started school her teacher and TA came to visit and asked us how her name was pronounced. Recent forays into school have revealed that the teacher and all the children are now calling her Tally-er :( It really grates and isn't her name.

I've asked her if she tells people that isn't her name and she said she does and that the TA did tell the whole class how to pronounce her name. She's only in Reception so we've got at least another 6 years of this. I think the biggest problem is her teacher has a very 'local' accent and this might just be the way they say it (Bristol - but her nursery at Bath everyone managed the right pronounciation). Obviously I don't want to upset her teacher (who is lovely BTW) but I would like the children and the staff to use her name. How?

Are you sure you're pronouncing it correctly? There's no R in Thalia...

I think it's an accent thing - in Bristol the a sound is often pronounced ah not arr, as in S-a-ndra not S-arr-ndra.

Its not especially unusual ,I knew several growing up and there are several at my children's schools ,I would pronounce it the same as you .i would raise it politely with the teacher and say it is upsetting your daughter Tally -er is awful ,it sounds like a short form of Italy.However ialthough i haven't heard it pronounced differently judging from other posts you are going to have to teach her to correct people

Actually I have a very common/popular name (at least for my generation in the UK) and I still get various pronunciations of it, often depending on the person's accent or first language. As long as I know it's me they're talking to, I don't really mind!

It's just one of those things. You correct people if it bothers you, let it go if it doesn't.

I grew up with a name that no-one else had and it was hell quite frankly. I gave all my kids very straightforward "ordinary " names as a result. My 2nd dh has 2 kids with names no-one else has - one of which most people can't spell or pronounce. Does my head in...

It's actually a Greek name- and you're pronouncing it wrong!

What is the correct pronounciation?

A friend of mine has a daughter with this name and pronounces it the way you suggest. The parents are both Israeli, if that makes any difference.

It sounds like you're actually saying you want it pronounced with a long vowel sound.

T- AHHHhhhhh- lia

as opposed to

T - a - lia

That's an accent issue IMO

It's Greek. She was the muse of poetry, I think. And it's pronounced Th-ay- lee-ah. If I had a greek keyboard I could show you.

Are you sure that YOURE pronouncing it correctly?

never heard it pronounced like that

My DD has a name that can be said in different ways. Although not Thalia. Some years her teacher gets it right, other years they say it wrong. I asked her if she wanted me to go in and ask them to say it 'our' way. She said she wasn't bothered so I left it.

I know a Tahlia. I will ask her mum if she has this problem, as she says it Ta-lia.

I would say it the same was I would say the ending of Nathalia.

seeker it isn't just Greek but Israeli/ Hebrew which is pronounced the way we say it.

I am quite used to complete strangers getting it wrong, and that is to be expected, but the teacher who has asked you how to say it?

Thanks for your suggestions - looks like I'm going to have to ask the teacher nicely

I think its to do with accent as well.They presumably hear your DD say her name your way, but then reproduce it in their dialect and you can't expect people to change their accent for your sensibilities!