“If you have a name like mine, Siri often just can’t pronounce it,” Kirk McElhearn reports for Macworld. “I don’t mind Siri mangling my own moniker, but it tries my patience when I set up an appointment or read an email from someone else with a challenging name.”
“A new feature in iOS 7 lets you teach Siri how to pronounce a name. Whether it’s your own or the names of friends, it’s easy to tell Siri how a name should sound,” McElhearn reports. “Start with your own name. Say “Hi Siri.” If Siri responds by cheerfully pronouncing your name like a Martian might, just say, “That’s not how you pronounce my name.” Siri will ask you to say your first name… ”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Doesn’t work that well with mine which is a simple French name.
Siri-pronounce my name (Masson). No matter what, it comes out as an Aerican doing a commercial for a cheap Californian wine 🙁
Merde!
I assume you have it on US English? I wouldn’t expect anything but the American pronunciation from that. If you had on French that would be a different story.
The anglification (or other empirification) of personal and place names is tasteless. All names should be pronounced and spelled in the native dialect as much as possible, with the understanding of course that some letters and accents simply can’t be translated directly.
i.e.,
Sicily = Sicilia
Cologne = Köln
Byzsantium = Constantinopolis = Kostantiniyye = Istanbul (that’s a joke, friends. Listen to They Might Be Giants to understand)
Resisting anglification would eliminate much confusion, offer proper respect, and perhaps open a few doors to teach people a thing or two about others. The most disgusting practice is how former colonials voluntarily adopt english names for public use because they know that their arrogant condescending counterparts will not take the time to learn and pronounce their proper names. How pathetic is that?
You mean just as ignorant, pathetic and horrible as when other countries try and fail to pronounce my name? I used to believe that every name should be sacred and every place should just pronounce it the same but that’s simply not realistic. Some sounds are just so hard to reproduce for some languages/dialects, it just isn’t fair to expect it. For instance, in many Asians countries the soft “D” on the end of many words, or the “L/R” pronunciation. Mexico calls the United States Estados Unidos. Should we insist they call it United States with a perfect business English accent? No, that would be ridiculous.
Some people’s pronunciation may be pathetic, but one should appreciate their efforts.
It is never arrogant to attempt to treat another person as HE is accustomed to being treated.
I refuse to associate with anyone who says “Parei” for Paris in the middle of an English sentence. If you do this you are a pretentious jack ass with no class or style.
Like wise, your own name will get pronounced differently in other countries. It is cool. Often beautiful. Often funny. Go with it.
This is not because people are ignorant or can not say the name. It is because certain sounds and sound combinations are not natural in certain languages.
But names should be understood in their original pronunciation no matter the context.
It is pronounced Par-ee not Parei.
Some countries embrace other language’s pronunciation and spelling. Japan doesn’t expect other countries to refer to them as “Nippon”. In fact, they proudly display “JAPAN” across the front of their national athletic uniforms.
——RM
All well and good, but you keep assuming that it will be obvious to a non-speaker of a given language how a particular name is pronounced just by seeing it written down.
That doesn’t even work in English, for Heaven’s sake, let alone a language that the visitor is likely to be totally unfamiliar with.
An example, one that catches many, is the Cornish village of Mousehole; Mike, care to write down how you think it’s pronounced, without looking it up?
Oh, and to the Cornish, their county is called Kernow, not Cornwall.
I never claimed that local nomenclature was easier for everyone. But you have proven my point – we all now know a bit more of the Cornish heritage. Is that not something to celebrate and share? Do Cornish people not appreciate the effort that a foreigner makes when stuttering his way through the native pronunciations?
It is long past time to retire the condescending attitudes of past (and current) empires.
The inappropriate arrogance the french have is mind boggling
” it comes out as an Aerican doing a commercial for a cheap Californian wine”
Just calling ’em as I see ’em
Are you by any chance on a quest for the holy grail?
http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=french+taunter
I knew a guy who did not like his name. His name was John Dorke, he changed it to bill Dorke.
Cripes almighty. That would be American not Aerican
Are you, by any chance, familiar with the Aerican Empire? As a “citizen”, I was actually pretty surprised when I read that. I almost spilt my drink all over my iPhone!
I just used this feature to correct the pronunciation of several of my friends’ names. It worked like a charm. This is a very welcome addition to Siri’s skill set.
The speakable interaction is new. But iOS 6 Contacts had a field for pronunciation.
Mine is being pronounced fine for me, I said “Steve Ballmer” and Siri responds “Delusional Dumb” so I guess it has a great pronunciation.
“unfashionable know-nothing fat slap head” is another widely accepted pronunciation.
Next up: Maps — “That’s not where that is” 🙂
Siri pronounces my name just fine.
works great!
Apple still hasn’t hired enough linguists. Don’t they know that there are name dictionaries (with pronunciations) out there?
Lets embrace Pinyin for the English language.
Nobody EVER pronounces my surname correctly but Siri does, WTF ! I spend a lot of time in SE-Asia and my first name gets pronounced in all manner of ways. I find it hilarious sometimes as it makes it very endearing and funny for all of us.
I’ve tried so hard to get Siri to pronounce my name and some other people’s names properly, the feature is crap. All I want is a silent T at the end of my name, no matter how I say it when it asks me how I say my name, it adds the T at the end. Don’t ask me how I say it if you can’t pick it up!!!!! Siri frustrates me so much right now…
This country is suffering from a literate cancer for the past 3 years. My classic name usually pronounced “Stee-ven” is being further outstripped because of it spelling with the two consonant “ph” at the center of the name. It has become more “Steffen” now and I have found My name being spelled “Stephan” I have to get it legally changed so that I don’t have to be called a name I’m not. “Steffen” is not My given name!
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