08 August 2011

What's in a Name?

Thanks for backing me up, Ting Tings.  CREDIT.
One of the reasons I go by Sauce is because my actual name isn’t exactly common.  In fact, when I introduce myself to tables it often becomes pretty apparent that my name sort of scares the shit out of  people because it catches them so off guard.  Seriously, it does.  Quickly following my name with “Sauce” is somewhat of a necessity.  Otherwise people’s heads might spin off or something and that would make me a murderer.  I’m not into that.

Recently I introduced myself as normal to a guest at the bar and rather than the usual response of “your name is what?” or “how did you make that shit up?” I was met by, “well you’re pronouncing that VERY wrong.”

Wait, what?  You say I’m pronouncing my own effing name wrong?  Yes, that is certainly what the middle-aged man across the bar from me was asserting.  And he was asserting it quite strongly.

“I know a girl with that name and it might be spelled that way, but that is most certainly NOT how you say it.”

He then went on to “correctly” pronounce my name full of all sorts of letters that have absolutely no place amidst or connection to the actual letters in my name.  This guy was pulling shit from all over the alphabet and jamming it all in my name however he saw he fit.  For the record, I’ve heard my name pronounced lots of ways, but this was certainly not even close to one of them.

So I attempted to correct him.  He would have absolutely none of it.

Let me get this straight.  You’re trying to tell me that for twenty-six years I’ve been saying my name totally incorrectly?  You’re also telling me that my father – who is still a citizen of the country of origin of my name – has also been pronouncing my name incorrectly.  This leads you to basically be telling me that a whole freaking country has been pronouncing my name incorrectly for hundreds of years and not giving two craps about it.  Clearly something is not adding up here.

For the record, he never believed that I was pronouncing my name correctly.  It was clearly a lost cause.
If you’re reading this, dude.  It just might be possible that your friend’s parents were the ones who choice an odd spelling of a different name.  I’m not saying they are wrong, I’m just saying I’m definitely not wrong.  I know my shit.  And believe it or not I know my name too.  It’s a gift.

10 comments:

  1. The part where you said, "Well, you're pronouncing it wrong." made me laugh out loud. It's your name.

    People do the samething to me with my last name. They always add an R to the prounciation or spelling as if I spelled it wrong. People are idiots

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  2. What an idiot. I'm afraid I'm related to someone like that. Besides, it's *your* name--you can pronounce any way you want, is the way I look at it. Sheesh.

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  3. Some older British lady did that to me a few weeks ago!! AND had the gall to say " I'm a teacher, I know!". Best part was, when she tried to tell me the "correct" pronunciation, it sounded the exact same. I just laughed at her and walked off :p -Serenity

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  4. To Kerry...I didn't publish your comment for obvious reasons. However, the way you wrote my name in your comment was the incorrect way the guest in question said it was pronounced. Sorry, that's not my name!

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  5. kinda curious to know your name now. tease :) My last name is the same way, maybe one out of 50 people actually get it right.

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  6. Kerry: It's true that my name can be found on the Internet without much work. But honestly I don't really care. In the beginning of my blog I was worried about my anonymity because of the realization that Hooters might not like my blog - like so many companies. Luckily for me, not only did they approve, but they enjoyed it so much it turned into a job opportunity with them. Of course a lot of that is based on the fact that I'm actually rather careful about what I say (there are bounds after all).

    Now I maintain my very measly anonymous status on the blog not because I'm worried about people finding out my name, but because I think it makes it more interesting. Rather than being "oh there is this ONE somewhat funny, marginally interesting Hooters Girl online" it's more an "any-Hooters Girl" who brings light to the fact that most all of us aren't the cliche Hooters Girls that a lot of the world assumes we are.

    That makes sense to me at least.

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  7. ahh this happened to me at work about six months ago. some guy told me that my name is of french origin (actually it is of british origin) and that i was pronouncing it wrong, like an 'ignorant american'. sigh. some people...

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  8. Well I generally follow your blog as well, because it is interesting. I am glad that Hooters has embraced your writing and general marketing concepts on many levels..I find that "cool" as well.

    And heh A rose called by any other name is still a rose...Sorry my shakespeare is terrible I may have to look up that for a more accurate quote from Romeo and Juliet.

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  9. People always mispronounce my last name! :| They see it and like add letters. I always have to correct people a couple of times before they get it.

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