The Rules
(And their Exceptions)
Part Two of Three Entries

Welcome back!  In Part Two of "Introductions Deconstructed," we'll focus on the importance of names in making introductions.

Saying and Remembering Names

Everyone enjoys hearing her name.  Thus, it’s important to pronounce names clearly when making introductions.  Don’t hesitate to ask someone to pronounce his name again; people are happy to ensure that their names will be pronounced correctly and don’t mind repeating their names or hearing their names repeated by someone else.  Westerners frequently experience difficulty in pronouncing Asian, African and Middle Eastern names and vice versa.  As a result, people whose names are difficult to pronounce in the country in which they live often adopt a nickname that people in their adopted country can understand.  It is in line with the tenants of etiquette to make every effort to pronounce one’s native name, but if a person is comfortable with his nickname, it is acceptable to use it in everyday, informal, language.  I’ll address this topic with respect to correspondence and formal invitations in a future entry.