Put an end to people mispronouncing your name • Hacker News Board

Re: Put an end to people mispronouncing your name

#141

Post by CocaKoala » Fri, Jul 04, 2014, 4:39 PM UTC

PeterGriffin wrote: post #116

CocaKoala wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That'd dodging the question and you know it. Maybe the ring is a family heirloom passed down for generations. Still not sophisticated? What about the person who's father left them his vintage 1913 archtop guitar, and they don't really play it that often but have fond memories of listening to their dad noodle around and play blues music in the evening? Is it more reasonable to say that nobody should attach emotional v…

I wonder if you realize that just because your family bought some trinket (or whatever) for money some time in the past, it doesn't make it special. "Look, honey, my grandgrandfather wasted his money on this piece of junk. He was very susceptible to salesman pitches. He was also a lottery ticket buyer. A drunk. And he beat his wife. Boy, I'm glad I turned out better." Now, if my grandgrandfather crafted a piece of je…

Thanks for explaining the basics of life to me. Thanks to you, I've learned that

a) A hypothetical story about a hypothetical great-grandfather apparently invalidates the value of family heirlooms

b) crafted items are valuable because of the information they hold, which inform us how people thought and what their approach to something was. Their purchasing patterns, however, tell us absolutely nothing about how they thought, what their approach was, or what types of things they valued.

c) Having family heirlooms which were foolishly bought back in the day is primitive thinking (and a sign of being poor). If your will isn't one hundred percent cash you are wasting everybody's time.

d) Sentimental value is bullshit, and market value is a straw man; heirlooms apparently have literally no value at all.

e) You have to make your "name" on your own, but if your name is hard for people to pronounce then you should just deal with it when they give you a different one.

Thanks for clearing all that up.

Re: Put an end to people mispronouncing your name

#142

Post by CocaKoala » Fri, Jul 04, 2014, 4:43 PM UTC

PeterGriffin wrote: post #132

silencio wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surprised you're still commenting... My husband and I also recently got married (congrats to you and your partner from us!) and we designed our rings from scratch - mine with a diamond alternative stone - as seen here: http://cl.ly/image/3A3R24042w0C . PeterGriffin would probably proceed to tell us that our rings are still just garbage sentimental trinkets distracting us from the "substance" of our relationship despi…

No I'm actually impressed you designed your own rings. In another setting that would certainly be worth a nice conversation over lunch or dinner with you and your husband. Maybe my reaction is... beyond understanding ... (cue in spooky music). Also don't confuse "robotic" with my lack of focus on stupid things. I laugh, cry, hate and love a lot too. I can't understand why I need to be a stupid son of a bitch getting…

well wait, I'm confused; my wife worked with a jeweller to design my ring, and I worked with a jeweller to design her engagement ring and matching wedding band. Did we just roll over from "foolish to spend money on rings" to "it's okay because we designed them"? Or does that not count because we didn't make the wax, cast the metal, and set the stones ourselves?

I'm not calling you robot because you don't like to focus on things you think are stupid; I'm calling you robotic because you absolutely insist that anybody and everybody who DOES focus on things you think are stupid are stupid.

Re: Put an end to people mispronouncing your name

#143

Post by PeterGriffin » Fri, Jul 04, 2014, 5:05 PM UTC

CocaKoala wrote: post #141

PeterGriffin wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if you realize that just because your family bought some trinket (or whatever) for money some time in the past, it doesn't make it special. "Look, honey, my grandgrandfather wasted his money on this piece of junk. He was very susceptible to salesman pitches. He was also a lottery ticket buyer. A drunk. And he beat his wife. Boy, I'm glad I turned out better." Now, if my grandgrandfather crafted a piece of je…

Thanks for explaining the basics of life to me. Thanks to you, I've learned that a) A hypothetical story about a hypothetical great-grandfather apparently invalidates the value of family heirlooms b) crafted items are valuable because of the information they hold, which inform us how people thought and what their approach to something was. Their purchasing patterns, however, tell us absolutely nothing about how they…

You're welcome, buddy.

Re: Put an end to people mispronouncing your name

#144

Post by forgottenpass » Fri, Jul 04, 2014, 5:32 PM UTC

restalis wrote: post #135

I read here comments about personal experiences with mispronounced names and how this is looked upon as having little or no importance. I'm shocked. The name is the first and foremost part of one's identity. Why would it be acceptable to be corrupted for someone's convenience? It's like "...look, I don't fancy your name much, so I shall call you [...]! It's fine with you, right?" I may keep quiet in response, for not…

Why would it be acceptable to be corrupted for someone's convenience?

It's for my convenience too. People have been getting my first name wrong for my entire life. It's easier just to let it go, or when the situation allows just use a fake name. I have to pick my battles, this one is often a fruitless waste of energy. The number of people I care get it right is a small circle.

Re: Put an end to people mispronouncing your name

#145

Post by anuleczka » Sun, Jul 06, 2014, 3:09 PM UTC

gnosek wrote: post #120

anuleczka wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same here (Polish names unite!). I usually get embarrassed by the amount of attention mine will get. Using this tool feels like it would just add even more attention to it.

My last name is actually simple to pronounce but I usually ask to "just call me Greg", as Grzegorz is probably the epitome of unpronounceable Polish names. Still, I'm not sure if I'd ever use this tool. Seems somewhat pretentious, even if useful.

Maybe it's a cultural difference? I can almost see people in the States use this, but anyone in Poland would be laughed off.

Re: Put an end to people mispronouncing your name

#146

Post by pavel_lishin » Mon, Jul 07, 2014, 3:08 PM UTC

ward wrote: post #127

eru wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

German names are hard enough for monolingual English speakers.

Yet to encounter a monolingual English speaker to be able to pronounce my first name "Ward" (Dutch speaking Belgian). Only one I know of was someone who had spent several years in Paris (so he knew French and wasn't actually in the monolingual category anymore). I recorded this one several years ago: http://wardje.eu/dll/ward.wav Let's not even get started on my last name...

Wow, yup, that would definitely... take some practice to get right.

I did something similar on YouTube, specifying the way I prefer Americans to pronounce my name: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfTkEaZSMXo

Re: Put an end to people mispronouncing your name

#147

Post by gnosek » Tue, Jul 08, 2014, 5:36 AM UTC

anuleczka wrote: post #145

gnosek wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My last name is actually simple to pronounce but I usually ask to "just call me Greg", as Grzegorz is probably the epitome of unpronounceable Polish names. Still, I'm not sure if I'd ever use this tool. Seems somewhat pretentious, even if useful.

Maybe it's a cultural difference? I can almost see people in the States use this, but anyone in Poland would be laughed off.

Probably.

If you're Polish and you see a Polish name, you instantly know how to pronounce it. In the US It's more more hit-or-miss due to ethnical diversity and the English language itself.

Come to think of it, I'd like other people to use this site, but still wouldn't use it myself. Maybe it's because so far I can't see a way to mispronounce my last name and I've essentially given up on my first name.