How child's name is pronounced

[OnlyAThought]

Hey all

Just a quick opinion, my LO started school yesterday. When I asked how his day went, the first thing he told was, they are saying my name wrong.

I advised him to correct them, but he feels he can not.

Again, today, at pick up (only part time for the first couple of days as he is in reception), the same sort of conversation and he tells me his name is pronounced incorrectly and stamped his feet said it's not my name.

Should, I ask/tell his teacher, I don't know?

Let me know your thoughts

@Doubledenim305 NAY-o-mi, Nay-O-mi, NIGH-o-mi, Nigh-O-mi, Nah-O-mi.

Yes absolutely, just politely drop into the conversation with the teacher at drop off when he’s gone in. It’s important for them to pronounce it correctly

Could well be!

Well, my former Depute swore that he had to ask "Ah...What spelling of 'Gooey' are you using?"

As for "La-a" we genuinely had one at our school for transition week, but her parents decided to take enrol her in the local magnet school instead.

Having said that, I can't find anyone of that name listed as being born in Scotland in the last 24 years.

Googling has been annoying as most results were about how to pronounce GUI. But I still found half a dozen examples of the Guy/gooey story, including a transatlantic one.

https://eu.augustachronicle.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2014/08/28/guy-any-other-name-just-plain-gooey/14399107007/

I would talk to the teacher, my son (now 14) would get his name mispronounced often. He would correct them sometimes. Other times he would tell me if he didn't feel comfortable telling them. He still gets it pronounced wrong. His name is Ciaran in case anyone is curious. My youngest is 4 and people try to shorten his name, he will correct them.

You voice the R as of it was the first letter of Rock n roll, Robert, Richard III, etc.

COR-mack.

Not Caw-mack..

I'm a teacher. If you don't tell me there's a problem with pronunciation of your DS's name and he doesn't tell me, then I don't know. It doesn't need to be an issue at all. All I need to hear is, "Mikhail mentioned you've been pronouncing his name is Mike-el. It's actually Meek-hale. Could you please call him that from now on?" It's a complete non-issue.

If it's down to accent you need to explain that to your son. However, if you speak to the teacher in sure it can be resolved.

Still can't say it right as R after an o sound only comes out as aw.

Surely you are not saying that a non-rhotic speaker needs to affect a rhotic accent to say this name? There are non-rhotic regional accents within Ireland!

Do you drop your rhotic ‘r’ when talking to an English Martha?

Yes agree, Caw-mack is the correct pronunciation of that name for a non-rhotic speaker.

I wouldn't love it, and so wouldn't pick a name like Cormac or Orla if I were living in England, but I'd never dream of correcting someone as that would be both wrong and rude.

I know a Barbara who lives in a country where both R's are sounded. She gets annoyed when people don't sound the first one. As a non-rhotic speaker, I find it really hard, especially as the r is rolled in her language.

I would mention you son feels he hasn't been having his name said correctly, as her how she says it.

I remember asking a Dutch woman with a similar name (ending in ja) how her name was pronounced and she said 'oh, just as it's spelt' - which of course it is, in Dutch.
Unfortunately, as I don't speak Dutch, I got it wrong for quite some time 😅

@ZoyaTheDestroyer , that's not a straight comparison. Martha is used in different languages, whereas Cormac is an Irish name.

If Martha was French, I'd say it as Mar-ta, not Ma-tha, but I'd not put on a French accent.

Agree you need to nip this in the bud and have a word with the teacher on Monday. It’s important his name is correct pronounced for his sense of belonging.

So what if the teacher has a different accent. You can’t have the whole class saying his name wrong it will follow him through school.

i wouldn’t expect a young child to correct his teacher, secondary school age, yes. You need to be willing to step in and advocate on his behalf.

I had a parent correct me on the pronunciation of their child’s name. The only problem was, they waited until the last half term of the year to do it. It didn’t bother me in the slightest.
I now always check with a child if I’m saying their name correctly and if I’m not, I ask them to correct me.
Speak to the teacher.