Speaking 'properly' & the French

[Mary Ann]

imamommy wrote:

> I instantly weed out all telemarketers who ask for "Mr. or Mrs. 
>Champ-ox."  lol

Heh, I know the feeling.  Cloudt is my maiden name and the "d" is 
silent.  It is a misspelling from the town birth records when my great-
grandfather was born in The Netherlands (it used to be Clout).  In 
that local dialect it was pronounced "Cloot" and my oldest brother 
still uses that pronounciation, but in Canada I always went by Clout 
as it saved me from correcting everyone.  The telemarketers we all 
weeded out were the ones who pronounced the name "Clou-duh-tuh". :D

Mary Ann, now named Jennings, which most people can pronounce :)