One of the privileges of working with 2-3 year olds AND foreign language learners/speakers is that you get blessed with many unique and special names, especially when you have a name hard to pronounce like Jenica. Seriously, I would estimate 90% of my clients and their parents never, ever pronounce my name correctly.
This week I was surprised how frequently my name is translated to Angelica or with my french speaking clients Angelique. Seriously? Angelica and Angelique sound nothing like Jenica, no even close but it doesn't matter how many times I stress JENICA it always comes out different.
These are some of my most memorable name variations:
Versions of Mom are the most common: Mama, Mami, Ma, etc.
Mas (Spanish for "more" the first word I taught a client who then thought it was my name)
Caca
Jenkaka
Jenka
Jenga
Daisy (as in Daisy Duck - not kidding)
Ana
Jessica
A-kah
and my all time favorite:
Chankalah
Then you get the names your co-workers call you.....but not gonna go there today.
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