The calls and e-mails keep coming in about Scotts being called Todds and Todds being called Scotts. One listener left a voicemail about a christening where the priest called the baby by its oddly common misnomer. Another listener by the name of Stefanie complains that she keeps getting called Jennifer. Perhaps it has to do with rhythm, and the patterns we develop out of sounds and syllables. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Scott/Todd and Stephanie/Jennifer”
We’re still getting a lot of calls and emails about the names Todd and Scott being confused.
Right.
The interesting thing about these emails is that there are two things happening there.
On one hand, the guys are really delighted to find a community of other people who have the same problem, right?
On the other hand, they’re all annoyed.
So it’s like this buzzing beehive of men who are like, my name is Scott, not Todd.
My name is Todd, not Scott.
Yeah, and somebody called in and said that they had gone to a christening where the priest called the baby Todd and he was really Scott or the other way around.
I mean, it’s hilarious.
Stephanie’s small sent us an email and her problem is that people think her name is Jennifer.
I don’t know how you get from Stephanie to Jennifer or vice versa.
And she has a double problem as well.
Just like the producer of our show, she spells Stephanie with an F.
Anyway, it’s really interesting stuff.
Confused names.
It’s who we are, right?
When somebody gets your name wrong, it’s like a blow to the chest.
It is.
Or kicking the pants anyway, or at least being goosed.
Yes.
All of the above.
Now I’m wondering, now that you’re mentioning the Stephanie Jennifer thing, if it has to do with rhythm.
Stephanie, Jennifer, Todd, Scott.
That’s a great point.
I think it might have something to do with that.
We expect what we’re hearing to fit patterns that we know well, right?
Mm—
Well, if your name is constantly confused, we want to hear about it.
Send an email to words@waywordradio.org and find us on Facebook and Twitter.
