Klarinet Archive - Posting 000043.txt from 1999/05

From: LeliaLoban@-----.com
Subj: [kl] chadash
Date: Sun, 2 May 1999 18:26:24 -0400

> Yes. . . but Guy Chadash pronounced it "chad-ash" when I talked to him on
the phone.>

>>He pronounced it "Hadash" when I talked to him briefly at ClarinetFest>>

Sounds familiar. My mother's family is Czech. When most of the family came
here, an official at Ellis Island misspelled the name. Both spellings are
pronounced the same, but it's such a non-intuitive sound for North Americans
that the second generation in the USA gave up and adopted the most common
mispronunciation. The older generation pronounces the name either way,
depending on the phase of the moon or whatever. Most of us are very pleased
when someone says the name the traditional way, and some of us will explain,
but some, particularly the older and more traditional people who don't take
the USA for granted and have good reason to feel especially grateful to live
here, will go along with any pronunciation (even adopt it for the nonce, on
the theory of "When in Rome...") rather than correct someone. I hear that
French people will correct someone's pronunciation, but in many European or
Euro-American communities people won't correct someone, especially in a
host/guest situation. If asked, "Is this or that pronunciation correct?"
many members of my family will answer that either way is all right. (I think
that kind of non-answer, though well- intentioned, drives Americans nuts!)
The best way to find out for sure: When in doubt, just ask, "How do you
pronounce your own name?"

Lelia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Doesn't even have to buy a vowel!" ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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