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When @sendavidperdue called his colleague of many years “Kamala-mala-mala, I don’t know, whatever!”, I recognized him at once. All my life, I have run up against the unwillingness and inability of many Americans to say my name right.
New in The Ink: https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
New in The Ink: https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
The unwillingness and the inability are connected but distinct. In the Perdue case, unwillingness flew under the cover of inability.
The “I don’t know, whatever!” part was a pretense of personal limitation to soften the blow of “mala-mala,” which was pure middle-school mockery.
The “I don’t know, whatever!” part was a pretense of personal limitation to soften the blow of “mala-mala,” which was pure middle-school mockery.
The obvious word for what Perdue did is “mispronunciation.”
But in today's newsletter I propose a better term: “dispronunciation.”
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
But in today's newsletter I propose a better term: “dispronunciation.”
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Mispronunciation is people trying too feebly and in vain to say our names — and dispronunciation is people saying our names incorrectly on purpose, as if to remind us whose country this really is. https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Mispronunciation is a matter of limited tongues.
Dispronunciation is a matter of limited hearts. https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Dispronunciation is a matter of limited hearts. https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Let me be clear. I'm not even talking about my last name here! I will set that aside for a moment.
For now, I want to share my bafflement and frustration with the insurmountable difficulty of getting people in the United States of America to say “Anand.” https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
For now, I want to share my bafflement and frustration with the insurmountable difficulty of getting people in the United States of America to say “Anand.” https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Don't ever say The Ink doesn't publish news you can use.
A guide:
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
A guide:
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
It has been a lifelong battle to get those five letters, those two syllables, said right -- “AH-nund.”
Instead, there has been “ANNE-ind” and “ah-NAAND” and “AY-nanned.” And those are just the ones I remember. https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Instead, there has been “ANNE-ind” and “ah-NAAND” and “AY-nanned.” And those are just the ones I remember. https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
For all my school days, my name was said wrong virtually all of the time, by students and teachers.
And I was still years away from gathering up the courage to insist that they expand their repertoire beyond the mouth movements of the Mayflower.
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
And I was still years away from gathering up the courage to insist that they expand their repertoire beyond the mouth movements of the Mayflower.
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Mayflower mouth levies a tax many of us must pay several times a day, every day, simply to keep moving through life. https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Mayflower mouth constantly tells us: you are not of us, you do not belong to our default, you need to be explained, you come with instructions, you are a hard case, you take extra effort, you don’t just glide into the mix, you require extra preparation, you may get offended.
And I wrote about the strange dilemma we end up having:
1. Say nothing and feel misrecognized.
2. Say something and be a burden.
3. Become more worried about the feelings of the mispronouncers than about the mispronunciation.
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
1. Say nothing and feel misrecognized.
2. Say something and be a burden.
3. Become more worried about the feelings of the mispronouncers than about the mispronunciation.
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
And I wrote about the strange double standards of American mispronunciation.
John-Bob Mouth can somehow manage "Daenerys Targaryen" and "Hakeem Olajuwon."
Just not Ta-Nehisi, Kamala, or, well, Anand.
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
John-Bob Mouth can somehow manage "Daenerys Targaryen" and "Hakeem Olajuwon."
Just not Ta-Nehisi, Kamala, or, well, Anand.
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Anyway, it's a more personal piece than usual, and it culminates in a story about the time a man came to my book launch and promptly told me: “You’re very brave to keep your name." https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Pronunciation is political.
This election is a referendum on whether America is a John-Bob republic or a country for us all.
The John-Bobbers aren’t winning.
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
This election is a referendum on whether America is a John-Bob republic or a country for us all.
The John-Bobbers aren’t winning.
https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
We are here. We’re not going anywhere. Our names aren’t “I don’t know, whatever.” It’s time you told your mouth.
Thank you for reading The Ink, and sign up here to get posts like this in your inbox -- free. https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
Thank you for reading The Ink, and sign up here to get posts like this in your inbox -- free. https://the.ink/p/kamala-versus-daenerys
