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meadowlander

(5,185 posts)
8. When names are Americanized, the pronounciation sometimes changes.
Sat Jun 27, 2026, 05:19 AM
Saturday

I think you should respect the pronunciation that the individual uses themselves, not the "correct" home country version.

See Stephen Colbert choosing to change the pronunciation from what the rest of his family uses "Col-bert" to "Col-bear" because he likes the sound better.

Likewise, lots of Italian surnames are "mispronounced" in America because the accent shifts to a different syllable or some letter combinations are pronounced differently. For example Sciavo is more often "Shah-vo" rather than "Skee-a-vo" or "Ca-pone" not "Ca-po-ne". Lapaglia is "lah-pay-ah" in Italy not "La-pag-lee-a".

In Ireland, McLaughlin is usually pronounced "Mac-loch-lan" but in America it's usually "Mic-lof-lin". Gallagher is usually "Galaher" not "Galager". Dougherty is usually "Docherty" not "Dough-er-tee". Often these are reflecting regional differences in accent in the original country.

There's isn't really a "correct" way to pronounce a name other than the way the person introducing themselves tells you it is pronounced. If he preferred "Ep-steen", I'd say that's the least of the things you could find objectionable about him and it's not the media's job to be the pronunciation police and correct it.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I'm sure you're right about the correct Germanic pronunciation senseandsensibility Friday #1
It took me a long time to get used to the pronunciation PatSeg Saturday #18
I would go by what people with the name say karynnj Friday #2
OK I'm not arguing with that, but I never knew the man Jeffrey Epstein FakeNoose Friday #4
You are not the only one. DavidDvorkin Friday #3
I pronounce it -STINE as well Gruenemann Friday #5
Good point - Yiddish is a German dialect, not a separate language FakeNoose Friday #6
The sculptor Jacob Epstein (born in the USA, spent most of his adult life in the UK) was Ep-stine muriel_volestrangler Saturday #7
Fronkensteen róisín_dubh 7 hrs ago #37
When names are Americanized, the pronounciation sometimes changes. meadowlander Saturday #8
Australians pronounce it 'EHPST-eyen' Violet_Crumble Saturday #9
Most Jewish people with Stein in there name edhopper Saturday #10
They must be American, yes? FakeNoose Saturday #12
Yes edhopper Saturday #24
Gertrude Stein. Ben Stein. Sergei Eisenstein. Are you sure? (nt) muriel_volestrangler Saturday #13
Most in the Jewish community edhopper Saturday #21
Of famous "Steins" I found the pronunciation for so far, we have: muriel_volestrangler Saturday #22
AFAIK edhopper Saturday #23
It could be a post-war America thing muriel_volestrangler Saturday #25
Yeah edhopper Saturday #33
I pronounce it Ep-steen. Either way, Emile Saturday #11
If the guy called himself steen.... usedtobedemgurl Saturday #14
My point is that I don't know him personally, I just read the name FakeNoose Saturday #15
Sure, and your point is valid. usedtobedemgurl Saturday #16
No, no...it's not pronounced "Franken - Stein" haele Saturday #29
. Rstrstx Saturday #31
This message was self-deleted by its author LtTx Saturday #17
Evidently that's what the child sex trafficker told his students. Kid Berwyn Saturday #19
You'd be surprised at how many people pronounce it "steen." ananda Saturday #20
;-{) THIS Goonch Saturday #26
Awesome! I want one! FakeNoose Saturday #27
Ep - stein. One does not call the Iconic Austrian-German Tankard haele Saturday #28
Yes Bayard Saturday #30
I was a little surprised to hear it pronounced with the "ee" sound fujiyamasan Saturday #32
The correct pronunciation of a name, is how the person says it themself. RandomNumbers Saturday #34
Maybe the news announcers are all saying it wrong? FakeNoose 20 hrs ago #35
Happens a lot to names DenaliDemocrat 9 hrs ago #36
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