Pronouncing difficult (and not so difficult) names

T

Does anyone else not have a clue how to say the name of some of the authors they are citing?!

E

Absolutely. Especially if the names are not latin names

N

Yes, all the time. I try to find out from trusted senior colleagues about some of the more difficult names!

Avatar for rewt

I use google to help me learn the pronunciation

Also when there are several authors with the same last name and initials. It makes my referencing so fun!

P

Personally, I use my best effort to pronounce it. I don't mind being wrong and I don't mind being corrected either.
If the names are tricky, I'm sure you won't be the first to stumble over them.

T

Glad it's not just me! I usually do what pm133 does - but I'm thinking of trying a different strategy, lol! Nesrine, do you directly ask trusted colleagues, or wait until you hear them say it by the by?

I learnt German as a teenager and really loved how the language has such clear sound - letter mapping when it comes to pronunciation. The problem is, I still tend to apply it all the time when I encounter new names and words - of any origin. Then I hear others saying the name/word the "correct" way, and it is so hard to un-learn my German way! :D :D Hence looking for other strategies!

P

Ah beware the German obsession with always being "correct". There lies the path to madness lol.
None of this will help you when it comes to saying names such as K.A. Sheidt, Weiping Dong or R.A. Fuck.
I kid you not, those are real names of scientific researchers. All of them are scientists :-D
How would you handle those?
Shayt and Fook are easy ways around the outer two but the middle one is a problem. Wiping or Weeping are as bad as each other.
The German method would have you go straight for the correct pronunciations. Your audience would be braying with laughter. Good luck with that :-D

N

I do both, depending on how urgent I feel I need to find out! If I need to say the name during a presentation, I'll try to find out beforehand. To be honest, there are lots of non-native English speakers in my field and hear all sorts of mis-pronunciations of names and words and no-one really minds too much. At least I don't mind, I suppose I can't vouch for everyone else!

55308