Uzo Aduba on Late Night With Seth Myers in December 2014.
“If they can learn to say Tchaikovsky, and Dostoevsky, and Michelangelo, then they can learn to say Uzoamaka,” the mother of two-time Emmy Award-winner Uzo Adubafamously once said.
White people mispronouncing and oftentimes refusing altogether to say African names. We’ve seen it too many times before.
As comedian Loyiso Gola put it this week: “You mean to tell me you can pronounce Google but not Gugulethu."
This year, black South Africans are taking a stand.
The hashtag #TheYearWeMispronounceBack started when recent University of Johannesburg graduate Karabo Mahlase (@Spoonkz), 22, shared his wish for 2016 in a Tweet posted New Year’s Eve: “2016 is the year for acting like you don't know how to pronounce white peoples names”, he wrote.
The tweet has since garnered over 8.2 thousand retweets and has sparked one of South African Twitter’s first viral hashtags of the year. Trevor Noah has even got in on the action with a retweet of user @dubsphiwe.
Take a look at some of the best #TheYearWeMispronounceBack tweets below.
2016 is the year for acting like you don't know how to pronounce white peoples names??? ???
— Archie Moroka (@Spoonkz) December 31, 2015
This is so dope! RT @dubsphiwe: If this guy can do it, surely y’all can try Part1 #TheYearWeMispronounceBack pic.twitter.com/s9695atVgX — Sizwe Dhlomo (@SizweDhlomo) January 3, 2016You can make a clicking sound when you call a horse but say khosa instead of Xhosa #TheYearWeMispronounceBack— Donovan Goliath (@DonovanGoliath) January 2, 2016
You mean to tell me can pronounce ecological but not pronounce Tshabalala. #TheYearWeMispronounceBack ???? — Loyiso Gola (@loyisogola) January 2, 2016"Hi, my name is Jonathan" "Oh nice to meet you Jabulani" "No, it's Jonathan" "Lol, tomato tomahto" #TheYearWeMispronounceBack— #FifthDimensionEP (@DJCula) January 1, 2016
"My name is Samantha" "Simnikiwe?" "No, it's phonetic. It's really simple, actually" "Oh! Asinikeizwelethu?" #TheYearWeMispronounceBack — OA MaSibanda (@MaS1banda) January 1, 2016#TheYearWeMispronounceBack Our ancestors did it to biblical names: Paul = Paolosi. James = Jakobo. Jonah = Jonase... Our ancestors were woke— Jimmy Ramokgopa (@JimmyRamokgopa) January 1, 2016
They must learn. Not should, MUST! #TheYearWeMispronounceBack pic.twitter.com/tBpYE1mqUF — Uhlamurile (@uhlamurile) January 2, 2016You mean to tell me you can pronounce Google but not Gugulethu. #TheYearWeMispronounceBack rha!
— Loyiso Gola (@loyisogola) January 2, 2016
Him: Hi, I'm Luke Me: Hello Lungile Him: No, it's Luke Me: Sorry Lungelo! Mind if I just call you Lu? #TheYearWeMispronounceBack — C-BA-C (@Sebasi057) January 1, 2016Calling all the Celiwes, Xolanis, Qhamkiles, Noxolos, etc, this is our year! The revenge is ours ??#TheYearWeMispronounceBack
— Mom kaGovernment (@xolimad) January 1, 2016
#TheYearWeMispronounceBack finally I get my revenge for being called en-cour-bella.... I am coming for you — Nqobi (@nqobile8) January 2, 2016
