Is it bad that I mispronounce the names of these famous people even though I'm aware of how they're actually pronounced?

I’ve suffered for years wanting to pronounce “Porsche” correctly, but the masses here in the U.S. insist that it’s one syllable. And I bow to the masses.

No, it’s not “bad”—but aren’t we all silly not wanting to get things corrected once and for all ;-)

You’re a bad person, and you should feel bad.

Not as bad as my German relatives calling my Italian relatives ”those EYE Tay Lens”

I thought it was Steve Booskeemee…
And “lasagne” is pronounced lehzagnee

Yes it is bad. It should be a crime punishable by death.
Though I do pronounce “americans” as “colonials”.

@picante In that case, neither pronunciation is all that accurate. Most people pronounce it as “por-shuh” when the “e” is a schwa sound and it’s much more subtle in German. It’s not the same sound as the “u” in “cut” but rather the “o” in “harmony”.

I seldom have to say those names, but when I do, I guess I give them a quasi-Italian treatment. So far no one has asked me for protection money.

I also say “Porsche” according to the rules of pronunciation that I learned as a student of German. No one has ever objected.

Considering how many words with one correct pronunciation are routinely slaughtered, I don’t worry much about choosing the less favored option among legitimate alternatives, especially when they involve guessing whether someone prefers to anglicize their name or expects you to know the rules of their name’s original language group.

I find myself pronouncing Sarah Jessica Parker as Seabiscuit, time & time again.

It probably only matters if you are introducing them to your friends

I doubt they care how we pronounce their names as long as we keep talking about them. If I ever meet them in person, I will ask them to clarify how they pronounce their names.

@Yok-oo-laid

I don’t know that it matters much.

That is what you keep hearing so it gets stuck in your head, no biggie.

I have used Arnold Schwartzenberger for years! Nobody has ever corrected me!

Actually, for Martin Scorsese, the proper pronunciation according to him is Score-sezzy. There is no long A sound in his name at all.

This is according to a recent interview with him on a talk show when he was publicizing his latest movie, Hugo.

But it was the host correcting himself by admitting he had been pronouncing it incorrectly for years with a long A sound until he discovered it was actually the way I described it above. Scorsese merely said that while he appreciated the effort, hes been used to people mispronouncing it for so long that it just wasn’t that big a deal to him.

So, if he doesn’t get out of sorts about it in person, I doubt its of much significance how you pronounce in some its pretty unlikely you’ll ever be meeting him in person :)

And Steve Buscemi likewise has a pretty relaxed attitude as well.

Honestly, I think the only thing most Hollywood actors or directors care about is that their name is spelled in the film credits and that the checks clear OK :)