tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post2510872750855170323..comments2023-10-29T10:47:53.425+01:00Comments on Expat-Experience: Die Gretchenfrage: UPDATEGlobal Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14829642620261054318noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post-9889407599679735202008-04-09T12:16:00.000+02:002008-04-09T12:16:00.000+02:00I just got a letter from Brussels Airlines address...I just got a letter from Brussels Airlines addressed to "Mr. Kitty Lastname"... I've never heard of a man called Kitty before!Princess Cat's Pajamashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09388971009687713246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post-23680666241312998622008-04-08T13:55:00.000+02:002008-04-08T13:55:00.000+02:00That still doesn't make sense. Not with a last na...That still doesn't make sense. Not with a last name like Sylvia.Pointless Drivelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15785191040563416063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post-76008556238557709932008-04-06T03:42:00.000+02:002008-04-06T03:42:00.000+02:00As a fellow Gretchen, I can say I never had this p...As a fellow Gretchen, I can say I never had this problem (during my time in Switzerland). But I definitely had lots of people laugh at the way we pronounce it as one of your anonymous commenters mentioned!Gretchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14810040397858114893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post-61027215031687290272008-04-05T11:04:00.000+02:002008-04-05T11:04:00.000+02:00The latest letter came from someone from the Itali...The latest letter came from someone from the Italian area of Switzerland.<BR/><BR/>But I have received them from people with obvious German names.<BR/><BR/>It's very, very weird.Global Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14829642620261054318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post-29506484418642569492008-04-04T21:58:00.000+02:002008-04-04T21:58:00.000+02:00Hubby kept getting letters from the language schoo...Hubby kept getting letters from the language school where we took classes, addressed to Mrs Zach Lastname.Marcyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00792375260633790983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post-10090227154454301282008-04-04T12:35:00.000+02:002008-04-04T12:35:00.000+02:00My German husband said, "Was?!!?", when I told him...My German husband said, "Was?!!?", when I told him, so I am guessing he would never address a Gretchen (Grate-chhhen) with "Mr". He also thinks the way we pronounce it is funny.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post-69017464193063940702008-04-04T09:05:00.000+02:002008-04-04T09:05:00.000+02:00I get that allllllll the time. Not so odd in my c...I get that allllllll the time. Not so odd in my case since "Robin" is a boys' name here. My least favourite incident of being assumed to be a man was when I emailed the Swiss consulate in Australia about some details about marrying my boyfriend in Australia and both of us changing our surnames, and they replied to Dear Mr BlahBlah. Yes, yes, Robin as a boys' name, but a) not so much in Australia (I have never met a man called Robin), b) that's not how you spell my name anyway; I spell my name in the way that I always thought was regonised as the feminine spelling, c)yes, I could be a man intending to marry my boyfriend and that's fine but it's not actually legal in Australia (which you would hope a consulate would tell you if they thought it was relevant) and d)I'm not a man. Aagh!rswbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18012776363244113631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33053911.post-59253912279595673472008-04-03T21:39:00.000+02:002008-04-03T21:39:00.000+02:00Maybe they're confused because in Switzerland you ...Maybe they're confused because in Switzerland you should be "Gretli"? Otherwise I'm afraid I'll have to leave it to my wife to tell you if she had similar problems...Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06076964401233678093noreply@blogger.com