Tuesday, March 10, 2015

The Uncommon Name

Names like Kelly, Bill, Ryan, and Nick seem to be common American names, but names like Fareshta, Nujuma, Yodit, Yordanos, and my name personally Msghana is very rare and also likely to be slaughtered verbally by Americans. Here are some other examples of "uncommon" names.  I wonder why Americans seem to be frightened with foreign names. In elementary school we learn how to read and how to say our vowels and consonant sounds. Why does it seem like our elementary school lessons run out the door when a foreign name is presented? I've personally have had many experiences with the slaughtering of my name. I have been called Mishghana, Maghana, and to the extreme extents Meghan. The correct saying of my name is Ms-ghana. Very simple, but has been a trickery to the eye of most Americans.
           
America is very open to diversity. There are over 10 different types of ethnicities that are present in the United States. My argument is not that Americans don't accept different ethnicities and cultures, but how they already judge a name by its background. Americans have a pre-assumed meaning of foreign names which is that they are hard to say. Americans form their brain to reject uncommon names and accept simplistic names for example, Bill. I don't blame Americans for having this attitude because this how they were brought up. They were raised with what they knew as “common” their whole life. I don't blame Americans at all but I also will not pity them either. Educating one's mind is something every individual should do. Americans need to educate themselves to be aware and knowledgeable of other cultures and ethnicities so when these “uncommon” names do appear there won't be that pause of confusions and embarrassment.

Slaughtering an individual's name not only embarrasses the individual but also brings a sense of insecurity as well. Once someone’s name has been repeatedly slaughtered it causes an individual to feel very isolated and different. My name has been slaughtered so many times that I have presented my name before anyone could even try to approach it. I remember having substituents in high school and praying they wouldn't mess up my name but when they did the class would burst out into laughter. It’s not an amazing feeling but I have sadly learned to deal with it.  Even though my name makes me unique I struggle with the idea of growing up and having to constantly correct individual’s pronunciation of it. Hopefully the “uncommon” becomes common.







9 comments:

  1. Very relatable! I actually get really surprised when subs read my name correctly to the class because most butcher it. However, I like having an uncommon name. I feel unique and the story behind my name always reminds me of who I am today.

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  2. Very relatable! I actually get really surprised when subs read my name correctly to the class because most butcher it. However, I like having an uncommon name. I feel unique and the story behind my name always reminds me of who I am today.

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  3. I feel you so.so.so.so bad. My real name (Nhu) actually contains a special consonant which is impossible to pronounce for non-Vietnamese people and evurrry time the school year starts or there's a sub I would not even wait for them to say my name anymore I'm just like yep that's me right there haha

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  4. Another empathetic fellow tutor here. I'm not quite sure if I completely enjoy having a "different" name; sometimes it prompts people to ask where it comes from, which is nice, I guess. But other times, I battle my frustration at how some people barely make an effort to pronounce it in a sensible way. Even so, I have been forced to come to terms with my name, whatever reactions or results it may produce.

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  6. Although I do not have personal experience with this dilemma, I have been a witness to many names being slaughtered. My best friend Taliha often gets similar treatment to yours, as do other people, and I think it is just sad at the careless attempt at pronunciation. Like you said, it is not all the person's fault, but rather the enviornment they grew up around.

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  7. I have the same thing happen to me! My last name is Barraclough and people always pronounce it "Bar- a - cog" or "Bear - a - cow". I don't understand how "Bear-a-claw" can be so hard to pronounce.

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  8. I know we had a class together at some point in high school (of course I can't remember which class now) and I remember thinking how awesome your name is. As someone with a name about as plain as Jane, I admire the "you-ness" a unique name can give people (I mean this in reference to "plain jane" NOT because I think Janes are plain). The most unique thing about my name is the million variations on how it's spelled (I'm a Katherine, but there are so many Kathryns, Catherines, Katharines, etc. out there). But you all with uncommon names will probably be the one and only "Msghana" or "Aijan" or "Nujuma" that some people ever meet. Your names make people take notice and remember you, they give you a level of class and mystery and specialness that the rest of us can't earn through our names that are so generic in America. So even though I cannot even begin to imagine how annoying it'd be for my name to be hacked at and stumbled over, I think that once people get how to say uncommon names, these nongeneric, foreign, exotic names can do so much more than a simple Katherine.

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  9. Since I am in the process of choosing names for our soon-to-be-born baby, I have been thinking about this a lot! Being a teacher, I try to make sure I tell students on the first day of school to correct me even if I'm saying their name slightly wrong, but I know many teachers just butcher the name and dismiss it as if it's not their responsibility to get to know their students. I love unique names and if it were up to me we'd name our daughter Zora (after Zora Neale Hurston)!

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