<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d11733185\x26blogName\x3dBethlehem+Steel\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dLIGHT\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://bethlehemsteel.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den_US\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://bethlehemsteel.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d7130506578480119449', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script>
Bethlehem Steel

Failing A Little Less Each Time. 

29 March 2005

06:40 - Funny Names

Part of working in business is calling people to get what you need to do your job. In Europe, since I work with so many different countries, it's inevitable that I don't know how to pronounce half the names. Some of them are nearly impossible to pronounce and some are just hilarious.

For example, in the nearly impossible department:

Defuns Maik
Xiomara Verschaeren
Hatiboglu Deniz
Ruud de Voogd

And from the hilarious department:

Mike Buijtenhuijs
Cathelijn v/d Meijden
Cees Fonteijn
Wiwit van Wissen

Added bonus: Microsoft Word unintentionally funny spell check suggestions for "Wiwit" include:

Wait
Dimwit
Wowed
Nitwit

Also strange is how I find myself pronouncing my own last name (Klaver) differently depending on who I'm talking to. If it's a Dutch or German person, I'll pronounce it the "correct" or original way, KLAH-fer. But if I'm talking to a non-yermanic person, I'll pronounce it the Americanized way, CLAYV-er. Fittingly, only the Dutch and Germans spell the name correctly without me spelling it out letter by letter.

Blogger Unknown said...

I have never seen my name as hilarious. But I am proud to be in your list. (only people in the Netherlands an Belgium pronounce it correctly)

Mike Buijtenhuijs  

Post a Comment

© annie 2005 - Powered for Blogger by Blogger Templates

Site Meter