Back on Language Log in 2006, I looked at manglings of my name, in writing and in speech. New examples continue to appear. Yesterday, from Equality California, a mailing to
Arnold Swiscky
with the very frequent S for Z, plus a perseveration of the S into the second syllable. A while back, mail for
Arnold Montovani
presumably by hybridization of entries in a big mailing list. Before that, mail from the SF LGBT Center for
Randy Zwicky
a replacement of my (relatively uncommon) first name with a more ordinary one. In 2006 I reported
Ronald, Donald, Harold, Albert, Leonard, Howard
and added Andrew, but since then I’ve collected Herbert and Robert — and now Randy. Trochaic names rule.
Just call me Ishmael.
June 26, 2012 at 8:40 pm |
In Chile my name is frequently miswritten/mispronounced/misheard/misread as Williams, rather than William, because the main reference to William in Chile is Puerto Williams (at the extreme south of Tierra del Fuego), so naive Chilean Spanish speakers assume that it’s the given name and not a family name, and I’m just pronouncing my name wrong.