Sunday 15 September 2013

Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele? So where's the 'okina?

Every news agency and his dog is repeating the story of a Mrs Janice Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele whose surname at 35 characters plus an 'okina (a glottal stop shown as an apostrophe) is too long for the Hawaiian driving license which they say has a 35-character limit.

None of the growing number of reporters have noticed that there are only 34 characters shown on the license, so that both the final e and the 'okina are missing.

Nor have any of them reflected that they are reporting her name without the 'okina, so that they are all getting it wrong as well.

I don't know or care where it goes but then I'm not a journalist. At least I can count to 34. Even to 36.


2 comments:

x said...

Is there any law that says a name has to be made of letters? A few exclamation marks would really say something about one.

PS I am having real trouble proving I'm not a rude bit tonight and I haven't even opened the vodka yet.

Chertiozhnik said...

I think we should all have sexual intercourse with a woman, or nearest offer.

If we end up shouting something that wouldn't fit on an Hawaiian driver's license then she wins her case.

If we end up saying "OMFG Theresa" and her name is actually Sarah then we are in a whole world of pain.

Probably best to just let this pass.