| Why Chinese Want to Have Western Names ? | |
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| Jul 25, 2008 07:36 | #21   |
 | My wife does not have foreign name, although one was given to her at school. Should we have a child, his/her name will be Chinese too. Well, perhaps we choose name that fits into Finnish mouth easily. Leonardo, I must say without knowing You that You really give out a very educated impression. Carlos |
| Aug 23, 2008 11:57 | #22 |
| GUESTANDREW | I am going to be visting China (hong-kong) in the near future i was wondering what my chinese name would be, please could somebody tell me, my name is Andrew Atkins. You dont have to translate the surname as i know its hard to (i think), but if anybody could translate my name from english to chinese that would be great! Thank you, Andrew |
| Aug 23, 2008 20:50 | #23 |
| Thanks Carlos for your words! Hi Andrew, Based on the pronunciation, Andrew reads 安(ān)德(dé)鲁(lǔ). |
| Sep 18, 2008 17:03 | #24 |
| This is something i really do not understand.... i will never change my name to sounds english...why? if somebody have interest in call me i am sure he will learn how to pronounce my name (whenever not perfect) and i will never pretend to call somebody with a name in my language... If your name is TING or FENG i will call you so...and if your name is John or Alexander i will call you like that....or even if your name is Antonio or Roberto....no sense.. I will not like somebody call me George....and i will not promote this custom at least among my friends! and i have friends from all over the world and some of them have wonderful names that sometimes are really hard to pronounce...but i do the effort to learn their names in their languages as must be..and is also a show of appreciation. A big salutation to all! |
| Apr 12, 2010 01:57 | #25 |
| GUESTTAN HOK... | Quote:Originally Posted by GUEST42124 More Chinese are having Western names. Why is this so ?Well, That's the same question that I always ask. I assume why Chinese who live in Chinese speaking country having western (especially english) name. So, I understand about chinese who live in western or non chinese speaking country to have local name, but I still wonder about they who live in Chinese speaking country. Some people tell me that they try to make western people easier to call them, because chinese name is difficult to say. Well, actually all foreign name is also difficult to say. For example Japanese or Korean name. But Japanese and Korean (in their countries) didn't change it just to make foreign people easier to call them. Some people tell me that Chinese is a tonal language, so if you say it with wrong tone it could be changed the meaning or just meaningless. Well, I have to say Chinese in Indonesia always use Chinese name (I meant before 1960's, because after that Indonesian Authority told Chinese to have Indonesian name). And of course Malay, Javanese, Sundanese, Dutch (which use in Indonesia at the time) wasn't tonal language so the speaker will say a chinese name without tone. So for hundreds years it's ok for the Chinese when someone call them, even not so close with the real pronounciation. ok... that's all I wanna say... any comment ? |
| Apr 12, 2010 19:52 | #26 |
| GUEST+_+ | I think maybe those Chinese want to show the closer relationship with foreign friends. This is a good way to simplify the appellation difference between Chinese and English. If the foreign friend doesn’t know how to address you properly, you may be unhappy. It is the same occasion if you misuse the right name of your foreign friends. So, it is good. |
| Nov 26, 2011 01:08 | #27 |
| GUESTGUEST_CY | I am a Malaysian of chinese descent. In the past few years I stay in Europe. Now that I am back to Asia, I become active in Couch Surfing community as a host. In other words, I meet westerners on consistent basis. I NEVER feel the need to give myself a western name. Here's why: #1. The given name will not help to forge close relationship. It's your personality and characters that matter. #2. Most decent westerners (or anyone from other ethnic groups) will take the efforts to remember your name, although it may take longer time. Just my two cents. |
| Jan 3, 2012 12:51 | #28 |
| GUEST15810 | Most of the time, Andrew is translated into 安德魯，I have also seen the translation 安德烈. Atkins can be translated into 艾健思. Mandarin doesn't have any sound close to "kin" but in Cantonese Chinese, 健 sounds like " kin" and means "healthy" so I think it's a suitable word for your Chinese name. The name 艾 sounds like Ai and is a Chinese surname. 思 means ＂thought". So you could say your Chinese name shows that you are someone with healthy thoughts. |
| Apr 23, 2018 11:08 | #29 |
| GUEST97171 | I would like to first note that Japanese people do not tend to use pretend names when speaking to Western natives from Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand. Nor do Saudi Arabians, Iranians, Finnish people, Icelanders, people from Thailand and Laos, Brazil, the Netherlands, Cameroon, Latvia, or Uzbekistan. I could go on with the list of countries of folks who do not use pretend names, but those should illustrate my point. I teach ESL to people from all over the world including the above countries-- only Chinese speakers (Taiwan especially, China, some from Malaysia, occasionally from Korea-- that's the exception) go throughout life and the world pretending they have another name. My theory is that 1) They were asked to do this by Western business people, schools and, most prominently, teachers of English 2) They like to do it because it gives them a secret or alternate identity-- and they like that idea 3) It makes them feel more accepted 4) Many are stuck up about Westerners mispronouncing their names 5) It then becomes habit to use a pretend name. I don't like it when teachers ask them to choose 'an English name'. First of all, most so-called names are not English-- they're Western-- they come from Greece, they come from Latin, etc. they evolved over centuries and centuries and they are more aptly 'Western names.' It tells me a teacher is lazy if they cannot try to pronounce a Chinese name. It transfers culture-- in ways that is offensive to some (and that is growing) on both sides-- Chinese and Western-- and it's unnecessary altogether. Yes, Chinese names sometimes don't translate into phonetic letters accurately. Yes, the names are often very difficult to say. That said, I have yet to meet a Chinese native who has ever said even some simple names accurately-- the accent is ALWAYS there. WHO CARES? I always ask my Chinese students to use their real names. Most continue with, "My English name is______." No... I mean your REAL name. Your actual name you were blessed with at birth. Then they'll say, "My Chinese name is______" as though the simple thought of distinguishing between 'real' and 'pretend' is something they really, really must reach for. Not quite sure why that is rather than the brainwashing of movies and music from the US and international teachers who mean well, want to be fun ("Let's choose an "English name!!!"). When my students from China say, "My English name is...." I do like to let them know the origins of those names because history and culture is important to EVERYONE. Not just people from India or Navajo lands or from the savanna in Africa. Culture is important to everyone. To me and to Chinese. Imagine if millions and millions and millions of people in the US and Canada and Europe were all adopting "Chinese names" from Japan and Vietnam and China. Absorbing Asian culture, etc. constantly. Over time, it definitely takes a toll. I'm definitely not a fan of using pretend names. |
| Nov 29, 2020 11:40 | #30 |
| GUEST29180 | There are a lot of reasons why Chinese may find it easier to choose a Western name. It is easier for non-Chinese speakers to pronounce and remember Western names. Having a Western name can thus speed up the process of getting acquainted with people from the West. It can make it easier to do business with Western customers, for example, because customers will not confuse their pronounciation and fail to remember names. At school Western names can be easier to pronounce and remember for other students and teachers. But it doesn't need to be a loss of identify - a western name can be used as a tool to interact with Westerners. A Western name can also help you shield your Chinese identity from westerners who do not understand Chinese traditions, culture, and the meaning behind Chinese names. There are websites that cater to this, where you choose your year of birth, gender, and a western country to find names that fit where you will be living, going to school, or doing business. The site delivers the most popular names based on those choices. |
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