Serious question about a name pronunciation.

My company that I'm a partner and owner in is growing and we are starting to make a few international contacts. Tomorrow evening, I'm to call a gentleman in Japan with the last name of "Ng".

SOO. To prevent me from making a total ass of myself when I call...

How do you pronounce that? I've heard it slaughtered before at company events and on T.V., but I've never heard the correct pronunciation.

So, you linguists out there... help!

n = as in new, g = as in gourd
That's the best I've got.
Why don't you post this question in the Japanese forum, I'm sure there are at least a few english speaking members, who would be able to help you out much better than the lot of us .

The name Ng is pronounced as "ing", as in "wing". I have known several people with that last name, and that is how it is pronounced by an English speaker.

I'm fairly sure it's a Vietnamese name, actually.

just like it's spelled, ing without the i.

I've been told it's like the "ng" in "sing," though hard for English speakers to say. I'd go with Christiano's "ing."

Is the person Chinese? Ng is a common chinese surname. If that is so, then its not pronounced as the ng in wing. The sound is closer to the sound when you groan or try and lift a heavy object. The sound is mostly nasal.

Yeah, Yeah, it's Chinese, not Japanese. I rechecked the International code I'm going to dial and it's in China, not Japan. Bejing, actually.

I'm going to sound like a po-dunk redneck from Ohio tomorrow, but oh well. Thanks everyone!

Ask Anshe. From my experience, if she's got the time, she's very helpful.

Ooh. Now I have that They Might Be Giants song stuck in my head.

~Ulrika~

You are worried too much. Say 'Ing' and forget about it. Good enough.

I've known many people with that last name for over 20 years and not one of them has ever been picky about it.

That takes me back. I once knew a Pharmacist with that name who saved me endless ruined shirts by telling me to clean off biro stains with toothpaste. I used to say 'ing' without the 'i' and it seemed acceptable.

I believe it is pronounced "Smith"

Lol, same thing happend to me, gonna grab that CD to listen to on the way to work this morning.

or "Luxury Yacht"

Imagine you're on the toilet after a week of cheeseburgers.

Ok. Now that's how you pronounce it.

I thought that was pronounced "Throatwobbler Mangrove."

Eeeps yep it is

And now we must do the Fish Slapping Dance!

Ahahaha..

I just wanted to say is all..

strange coincidence - I saw a financial reporter on CNBC last night who mentioned her name while signing off (may have been Irene Ng, I think).
she pronounced it somewhere between ung and ong. sort of like ahng - but with a short vowel sound.

I knew someone who had been descended from someone with the last name "Ng", part Chinese and part Italian... it got changed to "Eng" for pronounciation simplicity, and indeed, when I asked, it was pronounced like the beginning of "Eng-lish".

Ng was the last name of my 9th grade Art teacher, and the way Torley says it is the way he said it.

Just my two cents.

P.S. He was one of the best teachers I have ever had, but then art teachers are usually a bit quirky - which I enjoy tremendously!

k, found a site that has a clip of TMBG singing Ana Ng. You can hear their pronunciation at the end of the clip. (clip is down near the bottom of the page)

http://www.music.com/release/lincoln/1/