DLYCBK!* Etiquette #6 Get a person’s name right and pronounce it correctly

 

It is so important to get people's name right. I appreciate that I don’t have the easiest name to pronounce, but, it really means a lot when someone checks how to pronounce it and tries to make an effort to get it right. It boils down to respect.

Sometime ago during a business lunch, I sat next to a gentleman, a term I use very loosely, here is the conversation:

Regine: Hi, my name is Regine

"Gentleman": Oh, you mean "Régine" (pronouncing it with a French accent) 

Regine: Uhm, no, Regine (emphasising the "g")

"Gentleman": Yes, but the French pronounce it Régine

Regine: Yes, they do, but mine is pronounced "Regien"; it is my Grandmother's name.

"Gentleman": waves hand at me and says, "ag don't worry about it," and turns his back to me.

I shared this story with my team as part of our weekly lessons learnt and linking it to our core values during a team meeting. One of my colleagues then shared this wonderful poem:

“Give your daughters difficult names.

Give your daughters names that command the full use of the tongue.

My name makes you want to tell me the truth.

My name doesn’t allow me to trust anyone that cannot pronounce it right”

~Warsan Shire