Rugburn, English Names, And My Broken Heart
I learned something heartbreaking today: John Krasinski can't dance! Para nada! In this week's episode of The Office, he looked like an awkward 12 year old boy. So sad. And true story: I've never met a man who was a bad dancer who was also a good kisser. Bad dancer = bad LOTS of things.
Busy Bee Suzy asked me about English names for Chinese students. All English majors choose an English name to use throughout their college career, and even many non-English majors do too. Their Chinese teachers make them choose, this isn't a foreign teacher thing. They often choose random words instead of traditional names, so I have students named Sin, Xanadu, Sunfree, Seabird, Jelly, Apple, Little Mosquito, Devil, Stone, Hip, etc. Some of them will choose a more traditional name if they plan on working with foreigners. For example, the secretary of our Foreign Affairs Office goes by Cassie and her Chinese family name when she deals with foreigners; her email address reflects both her English and Chinese names.
You must call a Chinese person by their family name, then their first name; it's a serious faux pas to use their first name only. But they know Westerners use first names, so they like to follow that trend, a sort of "when in Rome" thing. Also, they know Chinese names can be hard for Westerners to pronounce, so it's a bit of hospitality on their part to use an English first name when dealing with a foreigner.
But my first name is difficult for them to pronounce, so a lot of students just call me by my family name. One student tried to call me Rebecca, but it came out as "Rugbert," so the other volunteers started calling me "Rugburn." The name is more interesting than it sounds! I have no rugburns, I swear.
Busy Bee Suzy asked me about English names for Chinese students. All English majors choose an English name to use throughout their college career, and even many non-English majors do too. Their Chinese teachers make them choose, this isn't a foreign teacher thing. They often choose random words instead of traditional names, so I have students named Sin, Xanadu, Sunfree, Seabird, Jelly, Apple, Little Mosquito, Devil, Stone, Hip, etc. Some of them will choose a more traditional name if they plan on working with foreigners. For example, the secretary of our Foreign Affairs Office goes by Cassie and her Chinese family name when she deals with foreigners; her email address reflects both her English and Chinese names.
You must call a Chinese person by their family name, then their first name; it's a serious faux pas to use their first name only. But they know Westerners use first names, so they like to follow that trend, a sort of "when in Rome" thing. Also, they know Chinese names can be hard for Westerners to pronounce, so it's a bit of hospitality on their part to use an English first name when dealing with a foreigner.
But my first name is difficult for them to pronounce, so a lot of students just call me by my family name. One student tried to call me Rebecca, but it came out as "Rugbert," so the other volunteers started calling me "Rugburn." The name is more interesting than it sounds! I have no rugburns, I swear.
Comments
I LOATHED that. My name is my name and it has a germanic version, thank you very much.
This is also the reason I can't see myself changing my name if I got married. Um, just no.
I don't have a problem with women keeping their maiden names.
I detest hyphens. Hate them with a passion. I've never understood the purpose to them, do you expect your kids to have three hyphens once they get married?
Even worse, however, is that many of my students and fellow teachers just refer to me and Lisa as "Lisa". It may be easier for them, but incredibly insulting to me since my identity has seemingly disappeared. Ugh... China.
I have yet to watch this weeks episode of The Office. I will be anticipating the bad dancing and I agree with you about the bad dancing theory. You gotta have some moves. ;)
Thanks for clarifying the name deal. You are a wealth of information!!! You should be a teacher. :0
I seriously have a funny memory from my 21rst b'day, copious amounts of booze, hot guy... rugburn on ONE knee only in the AM.
To this day, I haven't figured it out.
I remember having a facination about ice skaters, and I would wonder why they were called/introduced to skate by their last name first. I thought it was some sort of mistake until I looked it up and realized its about honoring your family as well.
I am glad I am not Chinese, because I would not have wanted to be called by my fathers last name (he wasnt very honorable to our family) nor by my new married name (cause my husbands family is worse than my dad!)
Great insight though...have fun with your students!
>AM.
I had "cube burn" on the forehead once...
Passed out giggling in someone's cube at the office...head hit the carpeted cube wall on the way down.
I ended up headfirst in their garbage basket.
Worse part...I didn't blackout. Got light headed and lost all muscle control but as I'm falling like a log unable to even lift my arms to protect myself I'm thinking, "Oh, this is going to be embarrassing..."
I dance like a 12 year old boy. Except more intoxicated then the average twelve year old.
Laurie, I KNOW. What is this, Sesame Street???
Kristine, that is AWFUL they call you Lisa. I'm so sorry. How demoralizing. I love Miss Song though, that's cute.
Jenn, I am CRACKING up over here! Seriously, I LOL. Someday I hope we can rewatch our lives because wow, so many answers waiting for us.
Matt, please tell me you were drunk at work??? Forehead rugburn? YOU WIN.
Doll Techno it is. :)