(no subject)
Jun. 22nd, 2008 02:08 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
bluegenedream.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
babynamesI have a last name pronunciation question. I have an awful tendency to pronounce any French name I see with a French accent. (I used to confuse some people so badly when I said 'New Orleans') How would you pronounce Foucault or Feucault (the person has awful handwriting) correctly in English?
Would you pronounce it the French way? Fu-Ko (Foucault). Or Feu-Ko (Feucault). I don't even really know how to correctly write out the French pronunciation for "feu" in English but yeah... Any help?
And another more, what do you think, type of question.
Does a name own a person or does a person own a name?
Ok, that wasn't terribly eloquent so I'll try to elaborate.
Of course a person isn't always defined by their name but I was wondering how much you guys let your impression of a name affect your impression of a person. Like, you know, when you hear things like "She just doesn't look like a Jennifer, she looks like an Evelyn instead." Does it take a while for your preconceptions of a name to settle with a person? Are there some names that you feel need a certain personality or flair for someone to "own" it properly?
And then of course, on the other spectrum is a person who owns a name so completely that you can't ever think of it without that person. Like...for me it'd probably be...Ariel. I always think of The Little Mermaid. No questions asked. And when I finally met an Ariel, who was not little mermaid-like in any way, (he was actually a boy) I couldn't stop imagining him with flowing red hair and a tail. What are some names that are already so owned by a person you can never shake off the connotations?
Basically, I thought it'd be interesting to hear some of your thoughts. What sort of names etc...etc
Would you pronounce it the French way? Fu-Ko (Foucault). Or Feu-Ko (Feucault). I don't even really know how to correctly write out the French pronunciation for "feu" in English but yeah... Any help?
And another more, what do you think, type of question.
Does a name own a person or does a person own a name?
Ok, that wasn't terribly eloquent so I'll try to elaborate.
Of course a person isn't always defined by their name but I was wondering how much you guys let your impression of a name affect your impression of a person. Like, you know, when you hear things like "She just doesn't look like a Jennifer, she looks like an Evelyn instead." Does it take a while for your preconceptions of a name to settle with a person? Are there some names that you feel need a certain personality or flair for someone to "own" it properly?
And then of course, on the other spectrum is a person who owns a name so completely that you can't ever think of it without that person. Like...for me it'd probably be...Ariel. I always think of The Little Mermaid. No questions asked. And when I finally met an Ariel, who was not little mermaid-like in any way, (he was actually a boy) I couldn't stop imagining him with flowing red hair and a tail. What are some names that are already so owned by a person you can never shake off the connotations?
Basically, I thought it'd be interesting to hear some of your thoughts. What sort of names etc...etc
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-06-22 07:26 pm (UTC)I live in Atlanta. We have a Ponce de Leon Avenue. It is not pn'd "pawn-say day lee-au" but rather "pawnse duh lee-on". Basically, if you want to pronounce foreign names in an English way, just pronounce every letter. It sounds dumb though.
As far as names being attached to people... I grew up all my life with a cousin named Evan, but when I met my best friend Evan 6 years ago, he kind of became my "standard" for that name. When I hear Evan he's always the first person who comes to mind. Even at family events when I know it's my cousin being discussed. Same with Kylie. Most people think Kylie Minogue, I think of my other best friend.