Is it bad manners to shorten someone's name?

DEFTLEFTHAND · 03-11-2016 06:37PM

pilly wrote: »

So can you pronounce every foreign name once someone tells you how it's pronounced. I have already explained there are words that I simply can not pronounce.

Bear in mind now that most of my colleagues don't speak any English, I'm actually the one in the awkward position. Is it disrespectful for them not to speak to me in English?

That's fair enough. I understand that it must be an awkward position to be in.

Hammer89 · 03-11-2016 06:55PM

Alun wrote: »

There's a guy who works in my local Aldi, who by his accent and looks is clearly not Irish, although I can't quite place where he's from. He does bear a striking resemblance to Dale Winton though, even down to the orange fake tan, and proudly wears an Aldi name tag with "Dale" written on it. I must ask him his real name one day

Bill Shankly kept going back to Liverpool training when he retired so it might be similar with Dale.

tupenny · 03-11-2016 07:16PM

New guy in work is Gareth, I call him Gar. Am I rude? 😯

9or10 · 03-11-2016 07:21PM

1.618 wrote: »

Got a genuine business fax from a guy in England years ago

".................
Yours Faithfully,

Richard Brain"

Years ago, I cashed a Giro for a woman called

Mrs P Enis

I wasn't cool at all. I was nearly in hysterics.:o

Pinch Flat · 03-11-2016 07:25PM

I worked with a guy called Paul Mycock a few years back. We shortened his name to Tug.

Advbrd · 03-11-2016 07:26PM

1.618 wrote: »

Got a genuine business fax from a guy in England years ago

".................
Yours Faithfully,

Richard Brain"

Yeah, worked with a Richard Head. He didn't respond to Dick.
Also worked with two brothers called Nick and Mick who also had a brother called Rick.

gw80 · 03-11-2016 07:38PM

Just call them by wherever they are from, because that's not annoying at all,
Eg, if he from England, just say" hey English, what you at"
Or " hey India, india, yea I'm talking to you, come here I want ya"
And so on and so forth,

RobertKK · 03-11-2016 07:43PM

If your name is Robert, you get called Bob, Rob, Robbie, Bobby, Roberto apart from Robert.
Some are shorter, some are longer.

Lone Stone · 03-11-2016 07:49PM

Well unless it's a friend or family member it would be rude, depends on your relationship with the person.

WildWater · 03-11-2016 08:50PM

seamus wrote: »

Yes, it is rude to modify anyone's name in any way without them asking or telling you to.

This includes shortening it, modifying the pronunciation, or interpreting it into a different language.

If you're unsure of how to pronounce it or would like to use a shorter version, ask first. Say, "I'm sorry but I don't know how to pronounce your name." Most people will then tell you how, or give you a different name to use.

I tried to explain to my primary school teacher in the 70's that the gaelic version of my name is not my name. Needless to say all it gained me was slap across the head.

lawlolawl · 03-11-2016 08:58PM

I don't care what people call me, as long as they don't call me late for supper! Am I right guys?

Thoughts and prayers xxxxx

Ferrari3600 · 03-11-2016 09:12PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That%27s_Not_My_Name

Robsweezie · 04-11-2016 02:20AM

it can come across a bit forward and over familiar, you're taking a risk in that you dont know if they're comfortable with it. its then awkward if they reject the shortened name and correct you. it may not seem much but it is when you think about it, its someones name. i've done it once or twice and learned from it.

from now on when i meet *louise, shes louise until i properly get to know her and grow closer to her. then she can be lou, if she wants.

i actually think shortened names, nicknames, or altered names can be good. it shows knowledge and affection for the person.

califano · 04-11-2016 09:06AM

I shorten double barrel names. Like 'Davin-Power', usually addressing the most common part of the double barrel. Cant be having the increasingly popular double barrel names.

uck51js9zml2yt · 04-11-2016 09:46AM

I used to go into McDonald's in Hong Kong and be served by an Apple

One of my son's has a short name and people in my wife's country lengthen it...I hate it!
We gave him a short name to stop people shortening it.
The other son has a long name and same applies in reverse.

Dravokivich · 04-11-2016 09:55AM

RobertKK wrote: »

If your name is Robert, you get called Bob, Rob, Robbie, Bobby, Roberto apart from Robert.
Some are shorter, some are longer.

No thanks.

I always had a preference towards Bob because people I was introduced to wouldn't believe it for some odd reason.

Mint Sauce · 04-11-2016 09:56AM

Half the people I work with are either Indian, Philippinean, Eastern European, etc. Nearly all offer a shortened version, or the English translation to go by.

Saying that, allot of the English/Irish staff gets called by shorten versions as well, although generally by consent.

I have occasionally been called by, or asked if I could be called by the Irish nickname version of my name, one I was never called growing up (in England), and have always either quickly corrected, without caring if caused offence, or politely refused.

pilly · 04-11-2016 10:15AM

One of the guys is actually called "uncle Johnny" by everyone, I've on idea why but he doesn't seem to mind. It reminds me of "here's Johnny"!

HensVassal · 04-11-2016 10:22AM

osarusan wrote: »

Yes, it is.

Especially if they don't like it but you continue to do it.

It always annoys me when English speakers (and, infuriatingly, English language teachers) unilaterally decide to give a foreign person, such as a Chinese student, an English name, just because they can't be bothered pronouncing their actual name.

But you have to understand that there are 4 distinct tones in Mandarin. Get it wrong and you could be insulting the Chinese person. For example "Ma" has four different meanings when the tone is applied. One is "mother", but with a slightly elongated tone it becomes "horse".

You could be calling someone's mum an oul mare.

xiao wang (pronounced "see-yoaaw wang") means Little King, very common Chinese name, or xiao li.....Little Dragon. But pronounce xiao wrong and you could be calling the person a foot or something.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 04-11-2016 10:48AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEYGaBxfpMM&sns=em

Gunslinger92 · 04-11-2016 11:04AM

Yeah, I think it is. My name is one that has many different shorter versions and if someone started calling me one of the shorter versions of their own accord I'd be a bit taken aback. A load of people call me the shortest version and I hate it!

kunst nugget · 04-11-2016 11:10AM

seamus wrote: »

Yes, it is rude to modify anyone's name in any way without them asking or telling you to.

This includes shortening it, modifying the pronunciation, or interpreting it into a different language.

Ah, that's only because people would shorten your name to 'Sham'...

sbsquarepants · 04-11-2016 11:11AM

Ted111 wrote: »

We can have chinese names too Get a chinese name

My Chinese name is Kong Tou Ke - but you can call me King for short:cool:

No, it is not rude to shorten peoples names. In fact if anything it is the opposite, I would only really do it with people I like.

Is it bad manners to shorten someone's name?

Comments