Did You know? The Perils of Pronouncing French Brands

Filipino's have this weird way of pronouncing my name. According to Google the correct way to say "Faith" is this way:

With an emphasis on the "TH" right? In the Philippines, if I say it that way, often times my name gets spelled as "FAYE". I'm like wah?!! 

Me: "Sir it's Fai-T-uh". 

Sir: "Fayah?"

Me: "As in, walk by Fay-T"

Sir: "Oh! Fate!"

Me: *closes eyes and does cleansing breaths

Anyway, though I do know how to say Guerlain (by the way it's "gerr-lahn" with a silent n), there are still a lot of products out there (especially French brands) that I screw up saying. Like one time, I was asking for a Clarins (which I stupidly pronounced as "Kla-reens") Beauty Balm in a Flash, and the girl in the makeup counter was scrunching her face trying to figure out which brand did I want.

Lovely Makeup Counter Lady : "Do you mean "Klah-ra"?
Stupid Me: "No, its "Kla-reens"
Lovely Makeup Counter Lady : *shows the item "This is the only beauty balm in flash we have in "Klah-ra"
Stupid Me: "Yeah! That's the one! "Kla-ra-nz" *trying to mimic her pronunciation

Ever since that day it has now been my life-long goal to be able to say every freaking brand right. Thank goodness for YouTube for the free educational modules. Please watch the video below and take down notes. Because hand in hand with my dream is to also pass on this wisdom to others.


This is her 1st video, with I think has 4 more follow ups? Do check out everything, and enjoy listening to yourself try and say the same thing. And also see yourself pummel the table, ashamed that you've been mispronouncing everything for years.

Happy watching!