What’s
in a name?
The Hill presents a pronunciation guide to some of
the most tongue-tying names in the 112th Congress
By Kris Kitto
Rep. Scott DesJarlais’s (R-Tenn.)
last name befuddles so many
people that he dedicated an
entire campaign ad
to its pronunciation.
In the ad,
DesJarlais
sits at a picnic table,
introducing himself,
when an old
man interrupts
him, holding up a
mustard jar while
asking, “Dijon?”
“Not the mustard!”
DesJarlais’s family shouts as
the politician says his name again.
The 112th Congress opened
with one of the legislative
body’s largest freshman classes, and with it come several
names that have the potential
to embarrass any staffer, lobbyist or reporter attempting to
introduce him- or herself or get
a lawmaker’s attention.
In an effort to avoid such
situations, The Hill offers a
pronunciation guide to the
most difficult names of the
freshman class, as well as
a refresher on how to pronounce some veteran
legislators’ tricky
names.
Starting at
the top
Speaker
John Boehner
(R-Ohio): BAYnur. It should be
w e l l - k n ow n b y
now that the new House Speaker has a last name whose vowels
betray their intended sounds.
Lest there remain any doubt,
the first syllable of his last name
has the long-A sound — despite
the juvenile mispronunciation that persists.
No matter how long they’ve
been in Congress, these members have names that regularly
get mispronounced.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.): Billuh-RACK-iss
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito
(R-W.Va.): KA-pih-toe
Rep. Michael Capuano (DMass.): Cap-yoo-ON-oh
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah):
CHAY-fits
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho):
CRAY-poh
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas):
KWAY-ar
Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.):
EN-sin
Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) :
SHAW-kuh Fuh-TAH
Short — but
still tough
Sen. Kelly Ayotte
(R-N.H.): A-ott (The
first syllable rhymes
with “day.”)
Refresher
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen
(R-N.J.): FREE-ling-hi-zen
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas): een-oh-HO-suh
Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.):
Sis-uh-LEEN-ee
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.):
IN-hoff
Rep. Scott DesJarlais (RTenn.): DAY-zhar-lay
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii): In-OH-yay
Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.):
GIN-tuh (It’s a hard G, as in
“good.)
Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.):
HI-zing-guh
Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio):
Ruh-NAY-see
Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.):
HO-vun
Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.):
Row-KEE-tuh
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.): EYEsuh. We’ll be hearing Issa’s name
more this Congress now that he’s
Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman.
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.):
HYULES-camp
Redux
Rep. Larry Bucshon (RInd.): BOO-shon
Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.):
Cruh-VACK
Rep. Dave Schweikert (RAriz.): SHWEYE-kurt
Rep. Steve Womack (RArk.): WHOA-mack
Longer —
and even
trickier
Rep. Franc i s c o
“Quico”
Canseco (RTexas): KEE-ko
Cahn-SEH-ko
Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.):
BOAZ-min. Boozman made
the switch from the lower to
the upper body this Congress
— just when House staffers
learned that his last name
doesn’t sound like “booze.” It
remains to be seen how long
it will take for the Senate to
learn this lesson.
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio):
SHA-bit. Chabot returns to
Congress this year after a rematch last fall with another
politician with a tough name,
former Rep. Steve Driehaus (D).
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D Minn.): KLOW-buh-shar
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.):
LAN-juh-vin
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (RMo.): LUKE-tuh-my-ur
Rep. Mike Michaud (D Maine): MISH-oh
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (RTexas): NAW-guh-bow-ur
Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.): PEE-try
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (RCalif.): ROAR-uh-bock-ur
Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.):
Veh-LAW-skes