Say My Name

I never thought much about the pronunciation of my name before moving to Japan. I do remember I would get annoyed at Jon every once in a while because I thought he over-pronounced the tt's. It was like he was making a tsk tsk sound at the end of my name.

I, myself, end Jeannette somewhere around the n's.

Since I am in Japan and have all this official paperwork that needs my name written out in characters rather than letters, I had to choose between Ja-net or Je-net. I chose Je. I believe it is for the reason that everyone, including Motto, pronounces my name Ja-net. Or more often, Jaa-netto.

And then there's the Janet mix up. My students always get a big laugh whenever that name pops up in a textbook. I have to explain the difference to seven year-olds; Je-net vs. Jan-et.

Loads of people I have met here have exclaimed, "JANET JACKSON!" after I introduced myself. Surely we non-Asians don't look that much alike.

I thought maybe I should ask my parents how to say my name, have each of them vote. They did it to me after all. Then I remembered, neither of them have ever called me Jeannette. It's either Jen or Jenny (how sweet). I know for a fact my father doesn't even know how to spell my name.

So I was just lying in bed, mulling it over, repeating Ja-net, Je-net, Ja-net, Je-net, trying to remember how I ever pronounced my name before I moved to the land of katakanaization.

So, kids, I've decided it's Juh-net. I will inform Motto in the morning but will continue to let my students call me Japanetto, Gianetto, or Jaa-ne-sensei.