All I wanted was a simple name for my kid. Nothing complicated. Just 1 syllabus name..... except... I was told much later.. it's not 1 syllabus but 2!!!! NABEH!!!
Then why the hell did everyone pronounce it the way I know all my life?!?!?!
When I grew up watching Ian Rush (that liverpool legend).... people pronounce Ian as Yan/Yen or something like that.
But when I told some of my friends of "higher" society, I became a laughing stock.
It's not pronounce as "Yan/yen" or single syllabus... but it's supposed to be a dual syllabus with a very soft "e" in front.
Thus.. it's pronounce as "e-yen".
Of course some "lower" society will pronounce IANAHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Nabeh. Now I'm super lost.
Friend 1: What's his name?
Me: "e-yen"
Friend 1: huh?
Me: YAN.
Friend 1: Orhh.. Y A N issit?
Me: No... I A N.
Friend 2: What's his name?
Me: "yan"
Friend 2: orhhh... Y A N issit?
Me: No... I A N.
Friend 2: ahhh... I see.
My friend of "higher" society tells me that "Ian" is of Irish heritage. Thus the need to pronounce it the irish way.
Just like "JOSE" is not pronounce as "JOES" or "JO-SE", but "Or-Say".
Or
"Genting" while commonly pronounce as "JAN TING", I was told it's "Geng ting"
Or
"Johan" is not pronounced as "Jo-han" but "Your-han"
Or
If a French guy called "Robert", you don't call him "Raw-bert", you call him "Raw-bear". If a Singaporean called "Robert", you don't call him "Raw-bert", you call him "Lor Bert"
Interestingly, when my Phillipino Maid first arrived, she called my son "e-yen". My wife and myself were embarrassed.
And as a Father, I felt a terrible need to correct myself constantly so that I pronounce it the correct way, so that my son will learn his name correctly and not have to be corrected by some "higher" society friends.
Now... the bigger task at hand.... how to correct the "lower" society not to call him IANAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Ian: Daddy... what's my name?
Me: "e-yen"
Ian: Then how come ah gu call me IANAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Me: Ok... tell mummy, you don't want to go Ah Gu's house every sunday ok.
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2 comments:
You're a dimwit!
Jose is not pronounced as Or-Say, the correct pronounciation is Ho-Say, just like San Jose in California.
I agree that Jose is pronounced at Ho-Say but I like your blog, it's funny and interesting :)
Cat from Malaysia
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