What’s In a Name?
I saw a sign on the Camp Lejeune 7 Day Store during a visit last fall that made me roll my eyes and wonder what they’ll come up with next. The sign had two messages, one I don’t quite remember, the second said, “say and speak my name correctly: Luh-jern.” I couldn’t believe it. Was someone really making a fuss on the correct pronunciation of Lejeune? Why in the world does this even matter?
By the time I finished shopping and left, I had forgotten all about the sign until last Wednesday when I attended the graduation ceremonies for Drill Instructor School aboard Parris Island, SC. The narrator would read off the prior assignment for each new Drill Instructor as they marched across the stage to receive their campaign cover. Each time a Marine from Camp Lejeune would cross the stage, the narrator pronounced it Luh-jurn. One of my friends sitting next to me nudged me and expressed the same feelings I had last fall when I saw the sign at the 7 Day Store. Why is it all of a sudden Luh-jurn and not Leh-june?
The Lejeune family, who are natives of Baton Rouge, La., prefer the French-Creole pronunciation and Brent said they “cringe” when they hear it pronounced otherwise.
“At all times, General Lejeune and his while family, for the last couple of hundred years have said Luh-jern,” he said. “To honor the man we should pronounce his name appropriately.”
Well, if the family of General Lejeune would rather me say Luh-jern, I guess I could do that. It’ll be a difficult change to make since all I’ve known for almost seven years is Leh-june. We’ll see if other Marines are able to break the habit themselves.
