| Страници во темата: [1 2 3] > | Poll: Do you think your name influences clients in choosing your services? Лице кое објавува дискусија: ProZ.com Staff
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I suspect most clients don't know how to pronounce my name - I tend to have trouble recognising my name when pronounced by anyone who does not speak Dutch. It might of course put some clients off, but I still get contacted by enough clients to keep me in business.
I do find it a disadvantage when running races. In a marathon, my friend Nina got the crowds shouting Neeee-naaah, ambulance-fashion, on several points. It really spurred her along! Whereas I got one instance of 'Go Mah-Mo... See more I suspect most clients don't know how to pronounce my name - I tend to have trouble recognising my name when pronounced by anyone who does not speak Dutch. It might of course put some clients off, but I still get contacted by enough clients to keep me in business.
I do find it a disadvantage when running races. In a marathon, my friend Nina got the crowds shouting Neeee-naaah, ambulance-fashion, on several points. It really spurred her along! Whereas I got one instance of 'Go Mah-Moh-what?' and generally noticed the crowd choosing to cheer on 'Jane', Tom' or whoever else was next to me with an easier-to-pronounce name. ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Шпанија
Local time: 03:42
шпански на англиски
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| Possible solution | May 26, 2016 |
Marjolein Snippe wrote:
I suspect most clients don't know how to pronounce my name - I tend to have trouble recognising my name when pronounced by anyone who does not speak Dutch. It might of course put some clients off, but I still get contacted by enough clients to keep me in business.
I do find it a disadvantage when running races. In a marathon, my friend Nina got the crowds shouting Neeee-naaah, ambulance-fashion, on several points. It really spurred her along! Whereas I got one instance of 'Go Mah-Moh-what?' and generally noticed the crowd choosing to cheer on 'Jane', Tom' or whoever else was next to me with an easier-to-pronounce name.
You could always shorten it to a nickname - Jolein - and your supporters could chant along to the song 'Jolene': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGEubdH8m0s
As regards the poll query, I'm not sure how to respond. Most of my clients came to me by word-of-mouth recommendation, so I suppose you could say yes, because someone gave them my details. My surname apparently sounds rather rude in my source language (Spanish: 'me cagüen'), but that may be positive rather than negative, as they say any publicity is better than none at all
[Edited at 2016-05-26 08:28 GMT]
PS: I also tell Spanish people my first name is "Nilo" (like the river Nile in Spanish), otherwise they tend to pronounce it "nail"...
[Edited at 2016-05-26 19:35 GMT]
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My surname is only an asset in bars: A la tienne, Etienne.
Philippe
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I don't think my name makes a great deal of difference. However it does sound quite English, especially my initials (HRH), so it might appeal to someone looking for a native English speaker.
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I like that suggestion! I have tried 'Lein' but people still don't know what to make of that and 'Mary' is too generic - I wouldn't recognise it as being meant for me. I'll try 'Jolene' next time!
| | | | | Difficult to say | May 26, 2016 |
but I think it does give me an edge to some degree as, living in Germany, it immediately stands out as not being a German name, therefore a greater likelihood of being a native speaker of English, which, of course, I am.
I also find the Garfield part tends to stick in people's memory more.
| | | | | interesting question | May 26, 2016 |
I would guess that any German looking at my name would automatically initially assume that I'm German, so it might have some effect, although I don't know if it it is likely to be positive or negative or to balance itself out. I could imagine that translators working into English and having foreign-sounding names might generally be at a slight disadvantage.
I also share my name with a German scholar who is a professor in a related field and has done a significant amount of work in t... See more I would guess that any German looking at my name would automatically initially assume that I'm German, so it might have some effect, although I don't know if it it is likely to be positive or negative or to balance itself out. I could imagine that translators working into English and having foreign-sounding names might generally be at a slight disadvantage.
I also share my name with a German scholar who is a professor in a related field and has done a significant amount of work in the field of art. I don't know if that has ever produced any confusion or not. ▲ Collapse
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Vanda Nissen 
Австралија
Local time: 11:42
англиски на руски
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| I hope not:) | May 26, 2016 |
My name does not sound Russian at all so it could be confusing for someone who is looking for a native Russian speaker.
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I just don't know.
However, if I ran a detective agency...
| | | | Catherine De Crignis (X)
Франција
Local time: 03:42
англиски на француски
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... since all details have their importance, but how would I know?
Vanda Nissen wrote:
My name does not sound Russian at all so it could be confusing for someone who is looking for a native Russian speaker.
Good point!
I heard a translator say she was considering reverting back to her maiden name, so she would sound native again!
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My name is rare both in Ukraine and in Russia, and - I was surprised - even in Greece! This fact may be thought of as an advantage for standing out from the crowd. Unlike my surname, however.
Moreover, my surname is transliterated differently from Ukrainian and from my native Russian. Here on Proz and on Linkedin and everywhere on the web I used transliteration from Russian, but when it comes to signing an SLA, NDA and invoicing, I have to use my official Ukrainian passport typing,... See more My name is rare both in Ukraine and in Russia, and - I was surprised - even in Greece! This fact may be thought of as an advantage for standing out from the crowd. Unlike my surname, however.
Moreover, my surname is transliterated differently from Ukrainian and from my native Russian. Here on Proz and on Linkedin and everywhere on the web I used transliteration from Russian, but when it comes to signing an SLA, NDA and invoicing, I have to use my official Ukrainian passport typing, i.e. Danylov. Some of the customers are confused with the difference and wonder, if they are dealing with the same person Sometimes I even reflect over rebranding my name on the web, but I think it actually doesn't worth while. ▲ Collapse
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| Other - no idea, probably not | May 26, 2016 |
Occasionally, people assume I am Danish because I use my married name, and slightly more expect me to translate into Danish because of my name.
I have once or twice been reprimanded about some of my formulations ' No native would ever say that' ... I remember occasions when amateur proofreaders have assumed I was Danish, but I had carefully researched expressions used in English versions of Danish law but not necessarily English law, AND had them approved by my qualified English-nat... See more Occasionally, people assume I am Danish because I use my married name, and slightly more expect me to translate into Danish because of my name.
I have once or twice been reprimanded about some of my formulations ' No native would ever say that' ... I remember occasions when amateur proofreaders have assumed I was Danish, but I had carefully researched expressions used in English versions of Danish law but not necessarily English law, AND had them approved by my qualified English-native mentor!
I make enough noise in Danish circles for many clients to know who I am and choose me for other reasons. If others drop me because of my name, there are still plenty who find me. ▲ Collapse
| | | | LilianNekipelov
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 21:42
руски на англиски
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| Yes, unfortunately to my disadvantage. | May 26, 2016 |
I have quite a complex name, my full legal name, of mixed national origin—not fully corresponding to the languages I translate into, or language rather. So, I get all those stupid questions, or comments, sometimes, especially when communicating with some administrative personal. "So, where were you born? Where in Russia? Where did you go to school?" Sometimes they speak Spanish to me based on my legal first name, automatically.
Really weird situations, if I use my full legal name... See more I have quite a complex name, my full legal name, of mixed national origin—not fully corresponding to the languages I translate into, or language rather. So, I get all those stupid questions, or comments, sometimes, especially when communicating with some administrative personal. "So, where were you born? Where in Russia? Where did you go to school?" Sometimes they speak Spanish to me based on my legal first name, automatically.
Really weird situations, if I use my full legal name. How did you learn Polish??? All the symptoms of stereotypical thinking, and profiling.
[Edited at 2016-05-26 09:56 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I use indifferently my commercial name (Bureau Portugais de Traduction, in short BPT) and my personal name (Teresa Borges). When I lived in Belgium I had to shorten my full name (otherwise I would be spelling it out 100% of the time): Portuguese tend to to have very long names - the first two being first names, the third and fourth names from the mother side of the family and the last two names from the father side, plus the husband’s name. In Belgium, maybe a Portuguese sounding name - commer... See more I use indifferently my commercial name (Bureau Portugais de Traduction, in short BPT) and my personal name (Teresa Borges). When I lived in Belgium I had to shorten my full name (otherwise I would be spelling it out 100% of the time): Portuguese tend to to have very long names - the first two being first names, the third and fourth names from the mother side of the family and the last two names from the father side, plus the husband’s name. In Belgium, maybe a Portuguese sounding name - commercial or personal - could make a difference when looking for Portuguese translations, but most of my clients came to me by word-of-mouth. This being said, now that I’m living in Portugal I don't think my name makes a great deal of difference. ▲ Collapse
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