candyfloss Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I often see this surname among the Chinese / Vietnamese community. How is it pronounced? Is it Nnnng or Nngggg or Nigggi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbaron Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 One of the lads at high school had this surname - we (and he) simply spelt the name... IE "Enn Gee" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave32 Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 About 8 gazillion Ng's in Southern Cali, and I hear Vietnamese say it one of two ways - both common: "ing," or "ning" -- never anything else. The name that used to screw me up was Nguyen. I used to say - "alright, where's nuh-guy-en" (he was on my team), just got looks like I was stupid. I was. Then I said "where's new-yen" - still nothing. It's pronounced "Win" (or 'when' if you prefer) - and that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horneytorney Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 vietnamese? isn't "Ng" a cantonese and hokkien surname? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave32 Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 vietnamese? isn't "Ng" a cantonese and hokkien surname? I'm displaying my ignorance aren't I. I should've looked it up. Ya know the guys that brought me to Thailand are Chinese/Vietnamese, one is a Ng, and I've always thought the name itself was Vietnamese. Dumbass Dave. Anyway, everyone around here does pronounce it 'ing,' including the "Ng's" and yes I'm sure that's not correct linguistically, but what it has become - result of living with us hick Westerners. And 'Win' is probably not linguistically correct for Nguyen either, but that's the way everyone says it, including the Nguyens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 Dave, You Nguyen some and you lose some! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 I have never heard Nguyen pronounced Win. Maybe because I only heard it pronounced in Vietnam. Must mean folks in LA can't pronounce an "ng". Ng is definitely Chinese. Cantonese often write in Wong. Says Mr Google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng In Thailand it will usually be Sae Ung (sae indicating a Chinese family name). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horneytorney Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 I have never heard Nguyen pronounced Win. Maybe because I only heard it pronounced in Vietnam. Must mean folks in LA can't pronounce an "ng". Ng is definitely Chinese. Cantonese often write in Wong. Says Mr Google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng In Thailand it will usually be Sae Ung (sae indicating a Chinese family name). and Ung is pretty close to the correct pronounciation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave32 Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 I have never heard Nguyen pronounced Win. Maybe because I only heard it pronounced in Vietnam. Must mean folks in LA can't pronounce an "ng". Maybe the original immigrants can, but their kids definitely don't. True story - I was working with a group at a family practice clinic in Baldwin Park, and this very attractive 20something Viet Uni girl was waiting for a physician. They did an overhead page for a "Dr. Win" and her mother was like: "Oh, good, we have a Vietnamese doctor," -- next thing you know, chubby old white geezer came in. Dr. Wynn. Hell, just see how professional poker player Scotty Nguyen refers to himself: Scotty Win. But the people in LA, named Nguyen, refer to that name as 'Win.' or Wynn. or When. or however you want to spell it. And they will definitely ask you to do the same. Didn't you live here for awhile? You needed to get out of the Valley more, that place is a cesspool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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