Feb 17, 2025
When foreigners first see my name, they often pronounce it as Zone-Tan Lowe, which I don’t mind at all. In fact, I used to encourage this pronunciation to help people get it right on their first attempt.
However, I noticed that people who speak Mandarin tend to pronounce my name with its native sounds, which is significantly different from Zone-Tan Lowe and sometimes creates confusion. Unfortunately, both the Zhong sound and the Luo sound are foreign in English, which make it difficult to be produced by most people without spending some effort.
Inspired by the people who suffer from similar problems, I came up with a pronunciation scheme that resembles the Mandarin sound of my name: John-Town Law. It’s easy to remember, has a nice pun to it, and offers a smoother transition for English speakers. So, from now on, I’ll introduce myself this way.
That said, you’re still welcome to address me however you prefer!