How to pronounce my name, Hakki

Well, it is actually written as Hakkı. The Turkish 'ı', or the 'close back unrounded vowel' is often confusing for European language speakers. The mid central vowel, often characterized by the sound 'schwa' is as close as it gets to the Turkish vowel 'ı'. At least when I hear 'schwa', my Turkish ears hear the 'ı'. More accurately it is the sound we make when we think of a word ('uuhhh').

So here is me pronouncing my name:

Here is me using my name in a sentence. Reads: "Hakki just started a new blog".

So here below is an example of the most common wrong pronounciation of my name:

Is it too much of a big deal to pronounce my name wrong?

Not at all! See, there are people who will pronounce my name with their unique accent. For example Turkish people from Thracia does not usually pronounce the letter "H" in the first place, telling my name as -'akkı-. Likewise, European language speakers may have difficulties pronouncing this formidable 'ı' sound.

I wish I had reciprocal attitude from people with other languages, such as Chinese. I have so many Chinese friends whose names I always try to learn and pronounce. However after a few trials, they usually rule that I am simply not pronouncing it correct. Quite understandably, when I don't pronounce their name correctly, their ears will hear something quite off. And yet the reason of my difficulty reading their name does not come from an issue of exact pronounciation, but my accent, which I acquire through speaking Turkish phonemes. I am not claiming that I pronounce Chinese names correct. I am just saying that it is really, really hard for me to do so, unless I enroll for a semester learning Chinese phonetics (I really should).

Another such example comes to my mind is about the two female names 'Mary' and 'Marie'. Hearing them sounds almost identical to my ears. The latter is a like an elongated version of the former. At least this is how I perceive it. And yet a European ear will easily distinguish them when I try to pronounce them.

This is the reason why I usually don't bother correcting people when they pronounce my name incorrectly. But well, here is my first post on this blog forever explaining the case on that matter ! :)