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HelpRe: Should Gaelic-spelled names be used outside Ireland?
in reply to a message by Brendon_CB
Sure. Though I know in the US: in some states, you can't officially use diacritical marks on the birth certificate. So a Californian would have to be Aodhan not Aodhán...I don't think it "should" be like that, but eh, whatever, it is.
Some have been used a lot like Sean and Siobhan, so are recognizable, and I consider those versions the standard. It's not like there's a standard English alternative spelling of Siobhan, so even if someone uses Shavonne, it might get misspelled as Shivaughn or read as "Shay-vahn-ee" or something. And someone saying Sean and Siobhan should be John and Jane just because those are traditional English names would seem egregiously insensitive/oblivious/rigid.
I mean, this isn't Gaelic but basically the same issue: I talked to a guy named Wouter today. Do I think his name gets pronounced wrong a lot of the time? Yeah. But his name isn't Walter or Vowter. Why use a name you don't like.
I'm not against phonetic spellings, though. I just wouldn't necessarily say they're simpler or more appealing.
Some have been used a lot like Sean and Siobhan, so are recognizable, and I consider those versions the standard. It's not like there's a standard English alternative spelling of Siobhan, so even if someone uses Shavonne, it might get misspelled as Shivaughn or read as "Shay-vahn-ee" or something. And someone saying Sean and Siobhan should be John and Jane just because those are traditional English names would seem egregiously insensitive/oblivious/rigid.
I mean, this isn't Gaelic but basically the same issue: I talked to a guy named Wouter today. Do I think his name gets pronounced wrong a lot of the time? Yeah. But his name isn't Walter or Vowter. Why use a name you don't like.
I'm not against phonetic spellings, though. I just wouldn't necessarily say they're simpler or more appealing.
This message was edited 10/2/2024, 9:18 AM
