Foreign Sounding Names

Have you ever hesitated to address someone because you were afraid you might mispronounce their name?  Next time you are introduced to someone who has a foreign sound name, respectively ask them to repeat or spell it.  Then ask them to teach you how to pronounce it.  Practice the name out loud and invite the person to correct  you.  The ice will be broken and you can both relax.  You’ll feel much more comfortable using the person’s name.

Learning to stress words and names is a difficult part of learning American English. Would you like more practice with this skill? Join our online Stressing Out membership class and learn about this in more detail so that you become an expert at correctly stressing words!