In a really strange conversation with an interview subject yesterday, the man I was talking to was dead wrong and I could prove it. But I chose not to. His pronunciation of my last name was waaaaay off the spelling of it, and when I corrected him, he said, “No, it says right here in my email that it’s (whatever he’d called me).” I corrected him again. And yes, he argued that I was wrong. How does a person respond in that situation?
I changed the subject.
Here was a person who has to be right all the time. I know who I am. This guy had other ideas. It became instantly unimportant to me that I have to change his mind. It was also a signal that this was someone I’d rather not know, so if he mispronounces my name, at least I won’t be associated with him, right?
That’s so funny! Maybe you don’t know who you are. Maybe you just thought you did and you’ve been pronouncing your own name wrong all along. ;o)
How can someone argue about someone else’s name ?!?! This guy was obviously quite a jerk.
I’m still scratching my head over that one! If I’d thought to say it then, I’d have given him my father’s number – apparently, Dad’s been misinformed, too. 😉
Maybe the guy was an existentialist – do we really know who we are?
That’s ok Lori, you did the right thing. Ignore him. Yes, we know who we are. It’s the other guy whom we have to educate. Don’t work with him.
My name has been incorrectly pronounced by my in-laws for 28 years. I couldn’t choose to totally ignore them but I do try to avoid “their” family get togethers and don’t invite them to mine. 🙂
Note: I have my problem fixed with my profile and the email I sent you was returned. I didn’t have your correct address. Thanks for offering to help me.
Carma, any time you want to reach me, head over to my website – http://www.loriwidmer.com. My mail there won’t bounce back. 🙂
Ha ha ha! Some people are just stubborn, aren’t they?
Have you ever tried pronouncing Mossesgeld? That’s my last name btw, and it’s always been a tongue twister. Since it’s a given that people will mispronounce it, I’m kinda jaded.
But spelling!?!
That’s like when a wrong number calls and I tell them they have the wrong number, and they insist I’M the wrong one! Some people are just morons. Hopefully, you never have to deal with that idiot again.
sounds like this guy believes anything and everything in print! lol
Hey Lori, That’s a hoot. Reminds me of my sister Mimi, whose name is pronounced to rhyme with Jimmy. When she was in college, her linguistics teacher insisted that everyone spell their names phonetically. He always took points off her papers because she spelled her name the way she pronounces it rather than the way he insisted it be pronounced. People are just too weird!
That’s funny, Sandy!
This guy was calling me something like Wernergarten. Uh, how do you get Wernergarten out of Widmer? And if the person in question really does know her own name (I’ve been tested – I’m really not THAT moronic!), why on earth would you have to argue it?
Sheesh. Some people’s kids!
This one is laughable; I hope you severed that relationship at once!
Have you been working with my library patrons again?
“No, I’m sure the new Sandford novel is Dog Pray.” That’s my current favorite.
Anne, you of all people know what it’s like to deal with the headstrong! How’s the patrons been behaving lately?
Lori,
Thanks for the chuckle! I think your interview subject revealed more about his character than he realized.
It reminds me of a time I was talking with someone about my husband’s name which is Ed. The person said to me, “Ed, how do you spell that?”
Without batting an eyelash, I said “E, D.”
(I mean, it’s only two letters. How can someone not know how to spell it?)
I love people like that. Good thing you have a sense of humor. ;]