Dear People of the Earth,
When using someone's name in print please make a TEENY TINY effort to spell that person's name correctly.
Clues as to how to spell someone's name are pretty easy to locate. Here are some hints:
On Facebook: the person's profile name is a STRONG indication as to what the accurate spelling of their name might be.
In email - the individuals email address will commonly give you a clue. See example:
joe.jones@hoppedup.org
I bet you $10 he spells his name J O E.
In other communications, people tend to leave a signature, that is also a clue as to how their name is spelled. My signature at work is:
Terri XXXXX XXXXXXXX
Information Security
Blah Blah Blah
Phone Number
I commonly get "Thanks Tracy" or even "Thanks Patty"
Where Patty comes from I have no idea. (Actually, I know a Patti and she's from New Jersey, but that's a different story.
Use the clues given to you you find your way!
End of RANT
2 comments:
Also, in the Seattle area, where one is likely to run into many people of Scandinavian descent, one should note that many names that sound alike may end in either -en or -on, depending on the family's nationality -- and although it may not make any difference to you whether someone is Hanson or Hansen, it definitely makes a difference to him or her.
I have a friend that married out of her SON and into an SEN and holy crapola I have to really make an effort to get it right. I campaigned for her husband to change it to SON as a compromise (for me) but alas he didn't think it was such a great idea.
But... you know my new last name: "Lacsentartsseterse." Clearly, the joke is on me.
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