Pronouncing People's Names in Penang Hokkien

If your name is Lim, you pronounce that, in Taiji Romanisation, as Lim2. If someone wants to call you Mr Lim, he would say "Lim2-Sin3snaeh2" . No change in the tone of Lim2 there. However, if you are Miss Lim, people should call you Lim3 Sio1cia4 . Note, not Lim2 Sio1cia4 . Only with "sin3snaeh2" does the surname retains its original form. Otherwise, any surname that is originally tones 1 or 2 will become tone 3, while surnames originally tone 3 or 4 becomes tone 1, and surnames originally tone 33 remains 33.

If your personal name is, say Hock Guan, composed of two words Hock3 and Guan2 , you pronounce it as Hock1 Guan2 . That means, Hock3 undergoes change. Guan2 doesn't.

Finally, if your full name is Lim Hock Guan, you pronounce it as Lim3 Hock1 Guan2 . Lim and Hock change tone, while Guan remains the same.

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