What's My Name Again?

November 4, 2009 8:55 AM

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out this person's name. She says it, right there in plain language, but I just can't catch it. Does the name sound familiar? I kinda think the last name is Gomez, but even that I'm not so sure of.
posted by ericc to writing & language (11 comments total)

It's Xochitl Gamez. That's pronounced "Sow-chee Gah-mez." The first name is Aztec for "flower."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:58 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]

Where "sow" rhymes with "row," obviously.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:58 AM on November 4

You rock! Thanks!
posted by ericc at 9:30 AM on November 4

Where "sow" rhymes with "row," obviously.

That doesn't help much to someone just reading this (for whatever reason). "sow" as in female swine, or "sow" as in plant?
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:38 AM on November 4

Cool Papa Bell, is the 'tl' silent? Not a Nahuatl-speaker here, but I was told by someone who studied it that 'tl' represents a voiceless alveolar lateral affricate.

Might be a moot point, since I have no idea how I would make that sound or transcribe it on AskMeFi.
posted by d. z. wang at 9:53 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]

I had a student who pronounced it "So-sheel" with the "sh" being pronounced like a cross with "ch".

I, obviously, am not a linguist.
posted by Seamus at 10:35 AM on November 4

Cool Papa Bell, is the 'tl' silent?

No idea what it's supposed to be in it's original language. I just have a friend with this name and recognized it from the recording. She pronounces it "so-chee" when she introduces herself, and her brother calls her that, too. They may just be making it easier for others to pronounce.

That doesn't help much to someone just reading this (for whatever reason). "sow" as in female swine, or "sow" as in plant?

"Sow" as in "So, this is MeFi, huh?" And "row" as in "row, row, row your boat..."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:44 AM on November 4

I'm not Mexican but I've been going to Mexico a couple times per month, every month for the last year.

If this girl's name really is Xochitl, then she's seriously mispronouncing it probably because she grew up in the USA.

The "Xo" part is pronounced as a monophthong, more like "saw" rather than diphthongs like "how" or "sew".

"chit" is more or less as you'd say it in English, but clipped and without emphasis.

d.z. wang is exactly correct about the "tl" ending.
posted by randomstriker at 11:12 AM on November 4

Just as a follow up, Cool Papa Bell officially nailed it.

Because of the specific context, we couldn't confirm the name without knowing it first. (It's weird, but it had to do with privacy issues. We couldn't get a list of "Gamez"s and match up first names, but could only ask if a specific name is on the list. Xochitl Gamez was on the list.)

Thanks again. AskMF rocks!
posted by ericc at 11:49 AM on November 4

Heh. Score one for the old guy that remembers the funny name of a girl he hasn't seen in more than 20 years and corresponding it to an mp3.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:28 PM on November 4

I was told by someone who studied it that 'tl' represents a voiceless alveolar lateral affricate

Few Mexicans know how to pronunciate nahuatl words (I have no idea what that is, either). Most people would pronounce Xochitl as Soh-chit or Soh-chil, but I've heard Soh-chi-tl too. The accent is in the first syllable.

Great answer, Cool Papa bell.
posted by clearlydemon at 3:46 PM on November 4