# S-M-I-T-H pronounced BROWN **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040 "2004-12-15T22:02:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/1 "2004-12-15T22:02:54Z")
So there’s this local politico whose name is spelled Voyvodich. Yet he pronounces it Voy-duh-vitch as if the d comes before the v. Something about it being his name and he can pronounce it however the hell he wants. However arrogant and verbally lazy that might be, it’s his right of course. But how far can one take it? Is there a legal boundary? ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/2 "2004-12-15T22:06:11Z")
Ask Coach “K” down at Duke… Krzyzewski == “Shh- **Shef** -Ski” Perfectly straightforward. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/3 "2004-12-15T22:25:29Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > Ask Coach “K” down at Duke… > > Krzyzewski == “Shh- **Shef** -Ski” Perfectly straightforward. Well, maybe in Poland. 😉 The last name on my driver’s license if “Golaszewski”. I’ve asked a number of people who speak Polish the correct pronunciation, and I have got either “Gaw-lah-shef-ski” or “Go-wah-shef-ski”. From what I was told, Polish doesn’t use the exact same character set as English, thus whatever my ancestor’s name was was transliterated. Since I don’t know what the exact name was in Polish, they were having to guess what it was. Of course most everyone on the US just sees that name and says “Go-lah-zoo-ski”. I tell them it’s “Gaw-lah-shef-ski”, and hope I am not insulting my ancestors. I’m pretty certain the end part is “shef-ski”. All the Polish speakers I have asked said “ski” at the end means “son”, thus my name means “son of Golaszew”. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/4 "2004-12-15T22:27:59Z")
[Monty Python] No no, my name is spelled Luxury Yacht, but it’s pronounced Throatwarbler Mangrove. [/Monty Python] ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/5 "2004-12-15T22:28:54Z")
Here’s one: pronounce _Worcestershire_ ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/6 "2004-12-15T22:30:06Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > The last name on my driver’s license if “Golaszewski”. Oh, so that explains your choice of the easy-to-pronounce username… 😛 Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/7 "2004-12-15T22:31:45Z")
“I am reminded at this point of a fellow I used to know whose name was Henry. To give you an idea of what an individualist he was: he spelt it H-E-N- **3** -R-Y.” “The 3 was silent, you see.” TL ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/8 "2004-12-15T22:35:40Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > Well, maybe in Poland. 😉 The last name on my driver’s license if “Golaszewski”. I’ve asked a number of people who speak Polish the correct pronunciation, and I have got either “Gaw-lah-shef-ski” or “Go-wah-shef-ski”. From what I was told, Polish doesn’t use the exact same character set as English, thus whatever my ancestor’s name was was transliterated. The confusion would come from the fact that the “l” could either be a normal l or an l with a slash: ł, which is pronounced like a “w”. So “Golaszewski” would be pronounced “Golashevski”, but “Gołaszewski” would be “Goh-washevski” (with a short “o” still). Googling “Gołaszewski”, with the accent gets 14,300 hits. “Golaszewski” without the accent only gets 12,300, so when you take into account the people who can’t (or can’t be bothered to) render the accented ł, I think it’s a fair bet that the actual Polish surname had the accent. So it’s “Go-wah-shev-ski”, if you want to pronounce it like your forefathers 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/9 "2004-12-15T22:35:49Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > Ask Coach “K” down at Duke… > > Krzyzewski == “Shh- **Shef** -Ski” Perfectly straightforward. That was exactly the name I thought of when I started reading the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/10 "2004-12-15T22:38:13Z")
Different ethnic origin, same problem. The first “a” in my last name is pronounced more like an “o” the second “a” more linke an “ah” there’s an “s” pronounced like a “sh” and for good measure, there’s a “y” pronounced either like “ay” or “ee” depending on who I ask. And we DID use the Roman alphabet. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/11 "2004-12-15T22:40:06Z")
> [@jimpatro](#): > > But how far can one take it? Is there a legal boundary? Anyway, to answer the OP, I very much doubt there is a legal ruling. History is littered with people whose names bore very little relation to the spelling - in fact I rather suspect it was a snobbish thing in some cases, so that “the commoners” wouldn’t know how to pronounce the name. For instance, the English name “Featherstonehaugh” was pronounced, by different branches of the family, “Fanshaw”, “Fenshaw”, and “Fernshaw”. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/12 "2004-12-15T22:41:46Z")
In doing some quick searching it appears the Voyvodich is a not uncommon Serbian name. Do you know that his pronunciation differs from other families? Could it be an issue of transliterating Serbian? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/13 "2004-12-15T22:49:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Krzyzewski Actually, that’s not far removed from the proper Polish pronunciation. K = as in English rz = a hard “zh” sound, like in “pleasure” y = “i” as in “it” z = as in English ew = “ef” or “ev” ski = as in English. so Kzhizefski. Drop the K slightly and slur the z a bit and you’ve got “Sh-shef-ski”. (I’ve never heard of this guy, BTW). ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/14 "2004-12-15T23:00:16Z")
> [@furt](#): > > “I am reminded at this point of a fellow I used to know whose name was Henry. To give you an idea of what an individualist he was: he spelt it H-E-N- **3** -R-Y.” > > “The 3 was silent, you see.” > > TL I bet some people have mispronounced MY user name. The a’s are . . …😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/15 "2004-12-15T23:02:07Z")
Reminds me of this Brett Farve I keep hearing about. Farve != Favre ---
**Author:** ![oh\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b38774/32.png) [@oh\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oh_s)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/16 "2004-12-15T23:03:33Z")
> [@jimpatro](#): > > So there’s this local politico whose name is spelled Voyvodich. > Yet he pronounces it Voy-duh-vitch as if the d comes before the v. > Something about it being his name and he can pronounce it however the hell he wants. However arrogant and verbally lazy that might be, it’s his right of course. > > But how far can one take it? Is there a legal boundary? ``` I've often wondered, but when you live in a 'Multi-Cultural Enriched' society, (who thinks up these phrases). You have to learn to keep your head shut. ``` I deal with the public so I get some real corkers, I’m constantly asking how do you spell that & not so fast. I have to make little notes, sounds like sort of thing, but I’m getting even. I’ve changed the spelling of my name and I get some funny looks when I say it’s Smith with 2fs. which it now is. ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/17 "2004-12-15T23:04:18Z")
Funny thing about Coach K not even pronouncing the K in his name. I have heard another person named Voyvodich pronounce it as it’s spelled so who knows what’s “right.” And I think the various pronunciations of Featherstonehaugh are a matter of slurring it out as quickly as possible. As in forecastle(fok-suhl). If you listen closely as you say it you can hear the essence of the full spelling. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/18 "2004-12-15T23:32:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Worcestershire Wore-chest-er Wore-chest-shire. _sobs_ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/19 "2004-12-16T00:04:57Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Here’s one: pronounce _Worcestershire_ **Wurs** -tr-sher or **Wus** -te-shuh, depending on whether you’re using your posh voice… 😉 I once had a business associate, a vendor, whose last name was Sajdak, pronounced “ **Sigh** -dock.” Since _my own_ name is considered somewhat unusual, out of kinship, I suppose, she would regularly lament about the constant mangling of her name. We fell out of contact when she rather suddenly quit her company, but four years later she came calling at our convention booth. I was apparently unrecognizable with my Vandyke and longish hair; she introduced herself as _Sajak_. “Just like Pat,” she said. I speak from experience: it’s a downer to have to keep correcting people. Although I never have, the temptation is immense to just “go with the flow,” and smile through the ignorance. For that reason, I’ve never had any respect for Brett Favre. ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040/20 "2004-12-16T00:06:13Z")
I used to live on Cholmeley Park Rd in Highgate (London). Pronounced Chum-ly. There is also the famous Lester Square in London, unfortunately they spell it Leicester Square. Worcestershire - that’s an easy one… woos-teh-sure When it comes to English names, just ignore the difficult parts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/s-m-i-t-h-pronounced-brown/280040.md?page=2)