Damn it, it really bugs me when people misspell my name

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Americans spell by the way they pronounce. One spelling I can't stand is 'resteraunt'. And when they can't pronounce a word, they pronounce it they way they want, like how the word 'karaoke' sounds like 'kareoke'.
People often get my last name wrong. It is Wiens; spoken with a silent i. Most people say it with a silent e (like wines). Many spell it Weins; that's even when they have seen it written. Geez!
My mother's family is also Itoh, and having grown up in the US, have had my name misspelled and mispronounced in just about every way possible.

I'm past the point of caring for the most part. Those who know me, will learn my name. Those who won't won't. I know I've mispronounced many names myself, so I sort of chalk it up to the cost of communication.
Well, I agree with you, but it's the same for Americans living in Japan (like me). My name is a very simple American name - David Smith. It cannot be pronounced by Japanese people unless they have extensive experience with English - it comes out as Debido Sumisu. And there's no thought of trying to pronounce it correctly - they just can't.

So, culturally insensitive? You bet. Just don't think it's only English speakers who are culturally insensitive.

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maki

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maki
Switzerland
Switzerland-USA-Japan-and back again

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