Virtue of the day: Patience
From yesterday ... two examples of people yet again not being able to pronounce my name ...
Example #1: A Phone conversation.
Me: Hello, may I speak to Mr. Radgman, please?
Woman (who answered): He's not in. Can I take a message?
Me: Can you tell him that Elspeth Duncan called please?
Woman: Esfit?
Me: No. Elspeth.
Woman: Elspart?
Me: E-l-s ...
Woman: What's that? A-l-s-
Me: E-l-s-p-e-t-h
Woman: Oh! Elsphet!
(I leave it at that and our conversation continues. In closing ...)
Me: Okay, thanks. Bye ...
Woman: Wait How you pronounce your name again?
Me: Elspeth
Woman: Elspat?
Me: Elspeth
Woman: Okay, Elspet!
*
Example #2: Ooops! What am I doing here?
Last night I went with a friend to a nocturnal meeting which he had told me about and which I thought (we both thought!) was about saving animals and the environment. Believe it or not, my friend had got something wrong somewhere ... and it turned out to be a political cottage meeting! When I realised this, I wanted to turn around and leave (I don't like politics) but decided to stay and listen, even when it went 'beyond my bedtime'. Afterwards, everyone in the small gathering was asked to say their name and ask a question or give a comment on what had been said by the party members. At one point I put up my hand to say that I had thought this was a meeting about animals and the environment ... and I began: "Hi, my name is Elspeth and ..."
A chorus of voices came from some of the party members, each with a colourful variety of pronunciations of "Elspeth". I repeated my name about twice before they got it and continued ...
Example #1: A Phone conversation.
Me: Hello, may I speak to Mr. Radgman, please?
Woman (who answered): He's not in. Can I take a message?
Me: Can you tell him that Elspeth Duncan called please?
Woman: Esfit?
Me: No. Elspeth.
Woman: Elspart?
Me: E-l-s ...
Woman: What's that? A-l-s-
Me: E-l-s-p-e-t-h
Woman: Oh! Elsphet!
(I leave it at that and our conversation continues. In closing ...)
Me: Okay, thanks. Bye ...
Woman: Wait How you pronounce your name again?
Me: Elspeth
Woman: Elspat?
Me: Elspeth
Woman: Okay, Elspet!
*
Example #2: Ooops! What am I doing here?
Last night I went with a friend to a nocturnal meeting which he had told me about and which I thought (we both thought!) was about saving animals and the environment. Believe it or not, my friend had got something wrong somewhere ... and it turned out to be a political cottage meeting! When I realised this, I wanted to turn around and leave (I don't like politics) but decided to stay and listen, even when it went 'beyond my bedtime'. Afterwards, everyone in the small gathering was asked to say their name and ask a question or give a comment on what had been said by the party members. At one point I put up my hand to say that I had thought this was a meeting about animals and the environment ... and I began: "Hi, my name is Elspeth and ..."
A chorus of voices came from some of the party members, each with a colourful variety of pronunciations of "Elspeth". I repeated my name about twice before they got it and continued ...
Labels: People
posted by Elspeth at Thursday, June 14, 2007
3 Comments:
Don't take it too personally. People all-around are like that. It's a lack of concentration and alertness. Maybe this tendency is about to increase, but in the end you could also make a joke from it, thus entertaining yourself. Not everybody's name allows such a variety of spellings. O.k., Alsbeth?
Happens very often. At first it used to baffle me, but now I just chuckle at the variations.
Now, this post brought a smile to my face…Esfit, Elspeth, Elspart…sorry, Elsphet.
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