Is there such a thing as Creative Pronunciation, and isn't it a bit...

[Mahauld]

...mad?

I mean where people use pronunciations they have decided on which are obviously wrong.
Is it really bad manners to correct them and isn't is just 'creative' pronunciation.
Or is it acceptable to make-up your own pronunciation as some make-up names?

UpsyOne, you're another one having a wee joke, yes?

I've seen De'Ath pronounced Dee-Arth

and Anger as a surname would probably be pronounced Ain-jer, like Granger or whatever - seems perfectly logical to me as many surnames derive from occupations, like Fuller or Tanner

some people just like being bloody awkward and would relish the oportunity to say "no, no, your name is DEATH"

no idea why

this is what keeps me coming back to this thread

Why in hell would you WANT to dictate to somebody else what their name is?

pointless petty little power grab - life is too short!

We considered Catriona (as Katrina) for one of our DD's, but avoided it because of the pronunciation issues - we're in Scotland but yes, some Scottish people do say Ca-tri-oh-na. And reading this thread, I'm glad we called her something else and saved her some grief!

MamaLazarou - That's pretty much what I thought (although I (wrongly) thought the origin was Cath-leen instead of Cat-leen) but thank you for the elucidation. I bit my lip when friends named their daughter Caitlin (pron. Kate-Lynn)

If someone says their name is Siobhan, pronounced Seeohban, shut up and deal with it. Whilst I would not advocate creative pronunciations, once it's done it's done and the parents' choice should be respected. The child can always change the pronunciation should they so wish.

Upsyone, perhaps that is how their surnames are pronounced and have been for centuries and you were wrong with your assumptions?

I have a cousin called Sean - pron. See-an!

I am being serious I did meet this people. I am surprised at how irate some people are becoming on this thread - I wonder what your real names are?

My post was light hearted, I was amused to meet these people. Death was polite and good natured when he told me how his name was pronounced, it was the first time I had come across. I can assure this is not one of lifes moments that I relish, I had never given it a second thought until I came across this thread.

Anger/ainjer - I was amused at how ainjy he was with me for not pronouncing his name "correctly"

My name is totally phonetic and workaday

and so are my children's

I just don't like the idea of people claiming to know better than a parent or the individual him/herself how a name is pronounced. It's rude, petty and arrogant. IMO.

My name would have been better had it had a creative pronunciation because then it wouldn't have rhymed. But that is beside thepoint.

You can't take it upon yourself to tell someone else how their name is pronounced. I rather suspect they know better than you seeing as it's their own name.

oooh, also knew someone whose surname is Rabone - pronounced Ray-bone by his entire family and he for the first 5 years I knew him. Then for no reason he started pronouncing it Rab-on-ay

I'm going to have to go and have a scalding hot shower and a damn good scrub now. I'm feeling a little green.

Whilst agreeing with the tone of the thread, would like to point out to qofe that Asia is usual spelling in English of Arabic girls name "Essiya".

However this is forgivable if you haven't grown up here, not if you have.

So you guys that are getting cross will be wrting in to points of view to complain about the Hyacinth Bucket they ran for many years?

It's unreasonable for someone to be angry with you for mispronouncing their unusual name, but it's also unreasonable for you to assume that they're getting it wrong and it's not you just learning something new.

(and yes, conflict of interest admitted, I have a Gaelic name which is always either mispronounced or misspelt - I don't get my knickers in a twist about either, but I might rouse myself slightly if someone started accusing me of making it up. I'd just assume that they weren't very bright though.)

it might be a bit late for that Upsy

Isn't it you that would be complaining about the incorrect pronunciation of Bucket, Upsy?

I know a Caitilin who pronounces her name "Coshleen." She's Irish.

Ooh I have always wanted to call my daughter Catriona but my DH has put his foot down and said no. I'm glad now as I didn't know it was pronounced Katrina - I don't like that at all. There was a girl in my year at school called it but she pronounced it Cat-ri-oh-na.

I think its funny. I couldnt give crap what people call themselves. But they have to expect people to raise an eyebrow if they do decide to pronounce their name in a peculiar way to how its spelt.

For what it's worth I call people what they ask me to call them, makes no difference to me. But if I happen to come across a conversation like this I will most likely talk about them.

Come on - Jme, seriously!

I have a surname that people struggle to spell, but it's just one of those things. I don't bat an eyelid when mail is mispelled and I have to spell my name out for everyone.

Yes, people are perfectly entitled to adopt any spelling or pronunciation they like. But if it seems as if they've chosen that spelling or pronunciation because they have never actually heard the name spoken out loud (See-o-ban, maybe) or are being pretentious (Hyacinth Bucket) then we are entitled to smirk, although only inwardly and silently. Putting them straight about their ignorance/pretension/daftness is rude and there but for the grace of God ....

Right - I have sat on my hands for quite long enough, and have namechanged to a)ask the whole of MN to stop discussing my bloody name because it is FREAKING ME OUT and b) to tell you that I don't care how you say it. I've always been Catreena, but I answer to CatriOHna, or CatriUHna, or Cat, or in fact most things. I think CatriUHna is probably the most correct. Enough now, please.

Well i do like Katrina and i like Catriona, but which ones best, theres only one to find out - FIGHT!!!

Oh you are already.....as you were then

I was desperately waiting for someone to point out the very "light" pronunciation of the Gaelic Catriona. well done buda. You have to imagine the accent of a native Gaelic speaker, or someone from far highlands and islands to get it right. There's no hard "oh". It's a fast, soft "ee-uhn" sound. It's a beautiful pronunciation when said with the Gaelic lilt, but the same lilt cannot easily be re-created with an English accent, without it sounding hard and forced.

Anyway, your name is whatever your parents or you say it is, however bizarre. If people want to drop vowels and add annoyance to their lives then so be it.

I don't mind when people mispronounce my name - I just politely correct them - but I get really pissed off when people change it instantly to something that suits them, along the lines of:

"Hi, my name is Susan". "Oh Hi, Susie, what brings you here?"

Name's not Susan either, but I have this problem with about 80 per cent of people. I say one thing and they hear another. It's so rude