The Tale of Tay

An example of the long term effects of bad naming in action:

One morning over the weekend I was casually watching the World Swimming Championships while eating my toast. The commentators were introducing a race featuring a young Australian swimmer and noted that her parents had come up to the commentary box to advise the commentators that they had been mis-pronouncing the young swimmer’s name.

Her name: Tayliah

In what was clearly a travesty, the commentators had been calling her Tay-li-a, as opposed to the apparently correct pronunciation of Tay-leeee-ahhh.

The commentators corrected this, but noted with well concealed amusement that they would now just be calling her “Tay”, which was what her team mates had also resorted to.

Also from the weekend’s sporting engagements, poor young Danyle Pearce from the Port Adelaide football club. His debut game, he kicks a big goal, and all the commentators can discuss is the stupid spelling of his name.

So let these be lessons to you, oh future parents with dreams of your off-spring becoming sporting stars. Consider what happens when they do start to become famous and no one can spell or pronounce their name. (Hey, that may even go some way to explaining why Lleyton Hewitt can’t beat Roger Federer.)