How do you pronounce proper names in a foreign language?

[onodera]

If you are speaking a foreign language and have to mention a proper name from your own, do you say it in your own language or try to say it using the sounds of a foreign language? For example, if you knew Japanese, would you say "George Bush" or "Joruju Bushu" when speaking Japanese?
If you are an extreme case (like my boss) who just doesn't care and uses his or her native language phonetics all the time, please indicate that instead.

I personally alternate between the two. When it's a common name, I use English or German phonetics, when it's something more obscure, I use Russian.

[Asher]

Say the name as you know it. Otherwise you may offend.

[Drake Tungsten]

For example, if you knew Japanese, would you say "George Bush" or "Joruju Bushu" when speaking Japanese?

That's retarded.

[Wezil]

I encounter this fairly often actually.

If I know the correct pronunciation I will use it. If not I make the best of it as I can. So long as you make a respectful effort at getting it right no offense is generally taken.

[Asher]

For example, if you knew Japanese, would you say "George Bush" or "Joruju Bushu" when speaking Japanese?

That's retarded.

If I were Japanese I would think he was mocking me.

[Drake Tungsten]

If I were Japanese I would think he was mocking me.

And you would be right to think so.

Calling George Bush "Joruju Bushu" is the equivalent of approaching a Japanese man who's waiting to shake your hand and then suddenly bowing down ninety degrees like a jackass because you want to "show respect for Japanese culture". Japanese people know who George Bush is and know how to shake hands, for god's sake.

[KrazyHorse]

Too lazy to make copycat thread "How do you pronounce foreign names in a proper language?"

If bc1871 was mine I'd use that account to do it.

[loinburger]

I am incapable of hiring a Vietnamese hooker without repeating lines from Full Metal Jacket.

[KrazyHorse]

Whenever my wife sees a slutty-looking Asian girl she refers to her as "sucky sucky"...

[loinburger]

I also find it silly when English-speaking people pronounce foreign loan-words using the foreign pronunciation (instead of the English pronunciation) when speaking to somebody who is (presumably) from the foreign country from which the loan-word originates. Kah-rah-tee does not suddenly become kah-rah-tay just because you're speaking to a Japanese person (or a Chinese or Korean person because what's the difference am I right?).

[Drake Tungsten]

Agreed. If you're going to use the foreign pronunciation for a word, you should use it consistently. Better yet would be to not use foreign pronunciations at all, with some exceptions.

[Asher]

I'm looking at you FRANCE.

"Frahnce" is bull****.

[loinburger]

"You're from France? Oh, are you from Par-ee?" [chokes on a dick]

[Drake Tungsten]

I propose a scale for rating the offensivness of foreign pronunciations, where "Frahnce" is the worst, "Ehraq" is the best and "Pockystan" is just average.

[loinburger]

There are some exceptions, e.g. when I meet somebody named Boris then it is mandatory that I pronounce it "Bor-ees" with a rolled 'r'. I also need to ask him if he is strong like bull.