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News & ArtsThursday, August 30, 2012
Life / Teh Internets If You're Gonna Say It, Say It Right
Posted by David Schmader on Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 12:02 PM
This weekend, I have to say the name Nguyen in public*, so I checked the internet for confirmation of pronunciation.
Then I noticed all the other pronunciation videos to be enjoyed. Here's "How to Pronounce Milk," and my favorite is below.
*—Not a Bumber-task, but an officiating-a-gay-wedding task.
3
Also, did you ever consider asking Mr. or Ms. Nguyen directly how to pronounce it?
Also, I think I want you to officiate pretty much whatever happens to me. You are hereby instructed to outlive me and give my eulogy.
Also, I think I want you to officiate pretty much whatever happens to me. You are hereby instructed to outlive me and give my eulogy.
6
3: Yes, but Jake made me feel ashamed for not already knowing how to pronounce what he described as "the Smith of Vietnam," plus anything I can do on the internet, rather than over the phone, I will do.
9
@6 - A lot of people around the world would mispronounce "Smith". Doesn't mean they're stupid, it just means "Smith" looks like it should maybe be pronounced "smeet". I say deliberately mangle the pronunciation, or just say "Viet-Smith". That'll teach Jake to have unreasonable expectations of your worldliness.
10
I would still ask. I first encountered this name in seventh grade and asked Norma Nguyen how it was pronounced, and she definitely instructed me thus: NEW-yin.
You can still be all in-the-knowsy, all "normal pronunciation, right? 'Nhwen'?"
You can still be all in-the-knowsy, all "normal pronunciation, right? 'Nhwen'?"
12
You're all wrong. "Haute couture" is obviously the best one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-3RZl3Yy…
16
The main street in Saigon (refuse to call it Ho Chi Minh City) is Nguyen Hue - and I always heard it pronounced GWEN WAY - now I guess I'll have to listen to the tutorial.
19
my fav! Tear of joy and laughter from this for about a year now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd4fR3Vkq…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd4fR3Vkq…
21
Dave! Don't you remember France Nguyen? She actually changed her name to Nuyen (New-yen) so that people would get it right.
I see a class in 60s television - particularly TV dramas - is due. Run for Your Life, anybody? I, Spy?
I see a class in 60s television - particularly TV dramas - is due. Run for Your Life, anybody? I, Spy?
22
No way. There's at least 10 different ways to pronounce that name. I used to go to a dentist named Nguyen, and he pronounced it Nuh-jen.
23
Holy crap, actual tears of laughter. Thank you! My day has been so terrible, and that Count of Monte Cristo video just MADE MY DAY!
25
I went to school with a kid named Nguyen Nguyen. He was our starting running back, yet the team lost many games. I'll never understand that.
26
@25, I went to high school with a kid named Dang Dang. Our team was the losingest team in the league, so, yeah.
I too, cannot stop listening to the pronunciation guide for haute couture. Also, Carson Daly is a great one.
I too, cannot stop listening to the pronunciation guide for haute couture. Also, Carson Daly is a great one.
29
Christian Slater taught me differently, and he is, and will remain, the highest authority. In Gleaming The Cube, a main bad guy was named Bobby Nguyen. Bobby New-in throughout the whole movie, to everyone, born American and Vietnamese immigrant alike. I just can't change it now; the name will always be New-in to me.
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