25 Nov The Importance of Being Called by Your Name

The Importance of Being Called by Your Name

By: Ann Heath-Huynh Work

As the year draws close to an end, we all seem to have different reasons to be scrambling about. Perhaps, in a rush to close business deals or to buy Christmas presents, or planning holiday events.

We get so caught up in our tasks that we may forget the little things in life: such as your name, and the sound of it.

Names painted on a bench as a tribute, featuring ‘Robert Wise’ prominently

I was prompted to write about this topic because of an email I received one morning last week. A colleague of mine here at NAJIT kindly sent an email just to ask me about my preferred name—given that I have a very long and unusual name. 

This colleague not only has seniority in terms of age, but also in terms of work experience as a fellow linguist. This is someone for whom I have great respect.

That simple email showed me that he has a superb level of EQ and instilled a sense of gratitude in me. Unless you were born with easy-to-pronounce names like John, Mary, and David, you know very well how having a difficult name to pronounce can be quite embarrassing at times.

It can draw unwanted attention and/or can sound funny when others try to pronounce it. Many of my colleagues in the interpreting world who moved to the U.S. from another country, myself included, may have lived through the waiting room experience, the one when the nurse comes out of the exam room, looks down at the chart and all she can say is “Mr./Mrs.…uh…” That’s when it’s usually you, the one with a name that may be challenging to pronounce, and I mean both first and last names in my case.

For many people, hearing others say your name with the correct pronunciation/articulation may not be that important. Or, even worse, there may be some who have given up and/or gotten used to the incorrect version of their names. Like when my father lived in Thailand and most of the mail he received while he was there came addresses to a Mr. Brian Health. Well, his name was Brian Heath. He didn’t fuss over it and simply got used to it.

Colorful name cards with calligraphy, celebrating individuality

My last name is pronounced “win” as in “win-dow.” But I just roll with everyone pronouncing it “hun”. It’s easier that way. I got used to it. As a matter of fact, it surprises me when occasionally people get it right.

The people that we serve as interpreters, however, those who need our services, are people who speak a language other than English and their names are in another language. Unless it’s a joyous event, like a marriage ceremony, my experience in court with LEPs [Limited English Proficient individuals] are usually to assist them maneuver through the legal process. They are in a room with intimidating figures who are speaking a language that they don’t really understand.  While going to court may be another work day for us, but it can be a life-changing event for some. Making a small effort to correctly pronounce their names can make them feel not only heard, but also respected.  It is a small way to validate their identities as individuals.

A meeting in progress, with one individual speaking to a group

November is notorious for turkey dinner, pumpkin pie and gratitude.

Sometimes it’s ok to slow down a little. Take a quick stop and smell the roses. A simple act like this could make someone’s day or even change their life.

What has been your experience when working with LEPs when their names are not pronounced correctly in court?

Were you able to do something to make them feel that their voices are being heard?

Thank you for reading!

The author has consented to the use of their image in this blog. Additionally, all other images featured herein are sourced from Unsplash, a platform that offers high-quality photos free for both personal and commercial use without requiring attribution.

Join the NAJIT Observer’s vibrant community of contributors! We are seeking passionate writers to share insights on legal translation and interpretation. Email your pitch or draft today and help shape our industry. Visit najit.org/blog for more details.

A professional portrait of a smiling woman exuding confidence and warmth

Ann (Jiraporn) Heath-Huynh grew up in a bilingual Thai-English household, using both languages in day-to-day life. Having lived on four continents, she now calls the U.S. home. Following the birth of her daughter in 2010, the chance to work in the language field afforded her an opportunity to change career directions; what began as a part-time job became a career that she is passionate about. After being added to the Maryland Judiciary’s roster of interpreters in 2015, many opportunities opened up to her, eventually leading to Department of State Conference Interpretation for Thai and English. Although she works mostly as a conference interpreter, she has always considered Maryland courts to be her home. Whenever an assignment is offered, she is always pleased to accept it and proudly wear her first-ever interpreter’s badge as a Maryland Judiciary Court Interpreter.