Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id LAA05809; Wed, 17 May 2000 11:04:36 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 11:04:36 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <F7CE2D436652D3119025009027860EAD02F5C7@host.chicago.avenew.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: ccordova@irc-desplaines.org To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:4492] RE: "English"-only names X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook 8.5, Build 4.71.2173.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 9310 Lines: 189 People say that I take things too seriously; that I think I'm always right. I used to try to explain to them that they were wrong. Throughout the years, I have learned that I am very passionate for subjects that affect my feelings, and I get much too involved. So, it seems they were right. I have tried really hard not to be this way, but I haven't succeeded. This is also the reason why I am not able to talk about my name. It is a painful subject for me, but I will write everything I know about the way people name their babies in my country. By the time my parents started to have kids, let's say the 60's and before, people used to name their babies mainly after their parents or close relatives. Another way was choosing the name of the saint or virgin of the day of the infant's birth. The reason for the latter is the old Catholic tradition in our country (Spain). In both cases the result was a very ugly long name; especially those chosen after a virgin, because of their meanings. For example, Remedios means remedies. All of these names with a meaning are subject to jokes from schoolmates like remedies against headaches, homework, etc. Thank God things have changed. We started to lose some of that strong Catholic tradition and people started to name their babies with their own preferences. Then something happened, there was a period of time that the parents decided to name their kids after popular Spanish singers. It was funny to teach in a classroom full of Ana Belenes or Victor Manueles. Another fashion was to find the weirdest name on earth, sometimes picking names from other languages like Vasque, and we had Izascuns, Xavieres, Imanoles... Nowadays, all the different ways are combined, but I think parents choose the names for the kids more carefully, trying to avoid that their children have a hard time in school, on the street, or during their lives simply because of their names. Another subject is the last name. In Spain, people have two last names, the first last name of your father and the first last name of your mother. In my case, Garcia is from my dad, and Quismondo is from my mom. There isn't much that can do about that. Now there is a law that allows you to choose which last name you want to use first. There are a lot of funny names in Spain that are really painful for the people that have to carry them. Talking about last names, I would like to point out the fact that in Spain, women don't loose their last names when they get married. In a formal way married women can be called Sra de (Mrs.) plus the last name of their husbands, but this is just in very few situations. So when my mom came here (USA), and people were calling her Mrs. Garcia, she didn't answer, because she thought they were talking to my dad. The tradition in the United States of women taking the last names of their husbands affected me deeply. I remember that when I got engaged, my friends were making fun of the name that I was going to have. They told me that it was the name of a porno star. I laughed. It did sound funny, but I didn't think so much about it. Then a week after I got married, my husband and I decided to open a bank account. One day he asked me to sign the papers to do so, and I did. When I came home from work that day, my husband was upset. I asked him his reason and then he asked me if I had something against his last name. I didn't know what he was talking about. Then he explained to me that I signed my maiden name. From that moment I learned that I started to become somebody else. I will never be ______________Garcia-Quismondo again, at least in this country. It was hard. Still I have problems when I go to the bank or when I have to use my name for any other legal thing. Maybe one day, I will get used to it. The above was written by an ESL student from Spain enrolled at the Lakeview Learning Center in Chicago. Let us not forget that many immigrants' names were simply disregarded by INS officers at Ellis Island because they were too difficult to spell or pronounce, so they were given anglicized names. And many immigrants changed their names in the hopes of avoiding racism and discrimination. As for Japan, to become a Japanese citizen, one must forever renounce their birth name and assume a Japanese name. In Japan, generations of Koreans born in Japan, are not allowed to be citizens, must carry an alien registration card and Korean passport, yet are required to speak only Japanese and have a Japanese name. As an EFL instructor in Japan, I was given a Japanese name by my students and I did not care for the practice. In my nearly 18 years as an ESL instructor, I have never assigned anglo names (that is what an "American" name is assumed to be) to my students, nor have I ever had a class of students who wished to adopt different names. I have always made it a lesson to discuss the genesis of students' names and their meanings and have always made the effort to correctly pronounce and use my students' birth names unless, a student has requested otherwise. Just this past weekend, I had the occasion to tell my name to an African-American gentleman. He told me how much he loved my name saying that it sounded dignified in its ethnicity. His name was Johnson, he said, an English person's name. I asked him if he had tried to find out his ethnic name. He said that his brother had, but ran into a blank wall. My heart went out to this individual, who so candidly praised the ethnicity of my name (something white people never do). I was born of a rich cultural heritage and have a beautiful name. I can't imagine what it would be like not to have it. -----Original Message----- From: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Aliza Becker Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 5:59 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-ESL:4478] RE: "English"-only names On several occasions when I have been in Latin America, people who have had some exposure to English have said to me, "I know your real name. You are Alice!" I explain to them that my name is not English but Hebrew. In the U.S. people come from many different backgrounds and some families give their children names that reflect their culture/ethnicity. Aliza Becker john googins wrote: > Gerry and others, > > One of the first things our Korean, Korean language instructors did at our > in-country (1977) Peace Corps/Korea training was give each new volunteer a > "Korean" name. Mine was Gu Gee Jun. My recollection is that I was more > amused than irritated at the prospect of assuming a new identity. Later, as > I went about my work and life in Korea, when introducing myself in Korean > language I would say "my Korean name is...". Those Koreans who cared to > know me better, and many did, would ask my "real" name and to them I was Mr. > John. My use of my Korean name often served as an ice-breaker when people > didn't quite know what next to talk about with the "American". Several times > after introducing myself to rural villagers I was asked, quite seriously, > which part of Korea my "Gu" family ancestors came from! I still get a > chuckle thinking about those times all these years later. > > As I reflect on my experience, the new "Korean" identity seems to have in > some small way helped put me into more of a "Korean" frame of mind as I > studied, worked and played in a culture and language so different from that > of my birthplace. Just as my being given a Korean name in no way challenged > or changed my self-identity it should be no wonder that the Korean language > and culture defiantly withstood the edicts of a brutal colonizing force. > > Best Wishes > > John Googins (aka Gu Gee Jun) > > ----Original Message----- > From: Gerry Lassche [mailto:baccachew98@yahoo.com] > Sent: Monday, May 15, 2000 5:32 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Subject: [NIFL-ESL:4452] "English"-only names > > Over 50 years ago, the Japanese occupied Korea. While > doing so, they forced the Koreans to change their > names to Japanese names, and forced them to speak and > write only Japanese. > > Today, some places in Korea routinely provide their > students with "English" (always British/American > names) names in their English classes, to give a more > "foreign" atmosphere in the class. I do not like this > practice, because of the historical precedent set by > the Japanese. Also, I think that Korean names are > beautiful, and that the identity/name of the student > should not hinder their appreciation of another > culture (ie they don't have to change their name in > order to learn about another culture). > > Two questions: > (1) How do you feel about this issue? > (2) Is the giving of "English" names a practice > limited to Korea, or do schools in other countries do > this also? > > ===== > Gerry Lassche > O: 0562 221 5085 F: 0562 221 5030 > ************************************ > Globalization Education Team > POSCO Education & Training Center > PO Box 36, 74-3 Gigok-dong, Nam-ku > Pohang City, Kyungbok KOREA 790-390 > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. > http://im.yahoo.com/ -- Aliza Becker Phone: (773) 267-0746 Fax (773) 478-5091 E-mail alzbec@interaccess.com
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