New Post
Search
HelpRe: What an ethnocentric view!
in reply to a message by Ylva
I don't see how her post is ethnocentric at all. She is just stating how she thinks it *looks* like Chloe should be pronounced. If English is one's first language, then of course it's one frame of reference. Not everyone knows how Greek should be pronounced, or knows names from the Bible.
That's like dissing someone because they see "Niamh" and think it's pronounced Nye-am. I mean, how does one know how Gaelic is pronounced, unless you are familiar with the language? That's why this is a great website, I'm often looking up names to see how they are pronounced.
That's like dissing someone because they see "Niamh" and think it's pronounced Nye-am. I mean, how does one know how Gaelic is pronounced, unless you are familiar with the language? That's why this is a great website, I'm often looking up names to see how they are pronounced.
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
But she knows the pronunciation
She wrote that Chloe "sounds NOTHINg like it looks, it looks like ch-lo, not klo-ee."
So it is not that she is ignorant of the pronunciation of Chloe.
If someone did not know the pronunciation of Niamh it is not ethnocentric. But if they know that it is Neve and still say "it sounds nothing like it looks", it seems ethnocentric to me.
And most names are not English from the beginning, I would think that people on an etymological site would know that.
- She said he made a racial slur!
- Racial? She is Swedish!
- Maybe he called her Meatball.
"I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’ve decided to be spontaneous."
She wrote that Chloe "sounds NOTHINg like it looks, it looks like ch-lo, not klo-ee."
So it is not that she is ignorant of the pronunciation of Chloe.
If someone did not know the pronunciation of Niamh it is not ethnocentric. But if they know that it is Neve and still say "it sounds nothing like it looks", it seems ethnocentric to me.
And most names are not English from the beginning, I would think that people on an etymological site would know that.
- She said he made a racial slur!
- Racial? She is Swedish!
- Maybe he called her Meatball.
"I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’ve decided to be spontaneous."
1
I think "it sounds nothing like it looks" is a legitimate concern for parents choosing names for their children. The fact that the parents know the pronunciation doesn't mean a phoenetically baffling name won't be constantly stumbled over, misspelled, and misunderstood. And sadly, there are actually a lot of people who don't know how to pronounce names like Chloe.
Aesthetically speaking, we're all somewhat grounded in our own culture. I know foreign names that really don't translate well into English - they might contain funny sounds, or just look crazy written out, even though they're completely legitimate. I'm sure many here wouldn't find these names attractive, and maybe by some definitions that's ethnocentric. But to a certain extent we necessarily have to look at other cultures through the lens of our own - everyone does.
Aesthetically speaking, we're all somewhat grounded in our own culture. I know foreign names that really don't translate well into English - they might contain funny sounds, or just look crazy written out, even though they're completely legitimate. I'm sure many here wouldn't find these names attractive, and maybe by some definitions that's ethnocentric. But to a certain extent we necessarily have to look at other cultures through the lens of our own - everyone does.
1
Also keep in mind...
that unfortunately, a lot of names that are of a different culture don't turn out looking like the way they sound. Chloe is transliterated; that is, it is originally translated from a different type of alphabet and that made it tricky in and of itself. This happens a lot with Indian names. For example, the name Avnith. It looks like you may pronounce it AV-nith, when it is really uhv-NEETH.
that unfortunately, a lot of names that are of a different culture don't turn out looking like the way they sound. Chloe is transliterated; that is, it is originally translated from a different type of alphabet and that made it tricky in and of itself. This happens a lot with Indian names. For example, the name Avnith. It looks like you may pronounce it AV-nith, when it is really uhv-NEETH.
1