Justin P.
- 2010-08-07
Well, I studied Mandarin for 3 years while I was finishing my degree (although I will try to keep that a secret from my students, lest they ask me to explain in 普通话). I shouldn't have any problems pronouncing their names but that doesn't mean I might not slip up. If they already have chosen a "western" name and want to use it, that's fine. If they want my help, I would likely pick a name common in the U.S. without regard to religion or whatever else people seem to get caught up on. I will make my first preference to call them by their real name. I've noticed that most of the Chinese doctoral students and professors here do not use western names; they use their real name and just accept everyone mispronouncing it. Haha, in my Aerodynamics class, our professor was named Dr. Zhang. During study meetings outside of class, people would be so confused about how to say his name and would simply call him "Jayng" (as opposed to djahng). Only in the last weeks did I tell everyone how it's pronounced... which I found humorous.
Justin P.
PS - I love some of the names people have chosen for themselves.
englishgibson
- 2010-08-07
Justin, it's so difficult to call the local students by their real names on mainland China. It's much easier in Hong Kong where many have their "westernized" first names. If you are familiar with the Chinese lanugage(s), you may have an easy ride in classrooms, but if you don't you'll have troubles pronouncing the local names. Moreover, it may waste your classroom time with students and even get you in trouble. A few years back, I called some Cantonese fella Xiao Lei, but it came out as "f*ck you" somehow in the local language.
Having said that, I would pass this issue on to the local management of schools and suggest them to set the students up with some reasonable names, not necesserily English. One simple name is that should be chosen, not "first, middle and last name" as that may be a way too long, too difficult to pronounce as well as uneasy to remember if you have many students. We all should work to make our and students' lives easier which will most likely be more efficient. By the way, there're dictionaries for names, but if local managers are helpful and school better organized (which I doubt) you'll solve the name issue quick enough.
Cheers and beers to names that really do not have to be English but should be too "stupid" :)
English Names ? Hahaha !
- 2010-08-05
It's high time the Chinese understood that these Names are Catholic
Justin P.
- 2010-08-04
Err, seems to be a few Justins on this board. I'm Justin P., not the one asking about health certificates (else I'd have simply included the question in this topic).
I've always felt somewhat uncomfortable calling someone by their "English name". Even strangers, I would ask for their real name and just use that. I also don't really agree with the concept of adopting a foreign name. My question to you is, do you go by their English names in your classes or their real names? What is the standard? Would I be doing my students a disservice by making them use their real names?
Also, I was thinking of passing around a "seating chart" where they can fill in their names with both characters and pinyin so that I can more easily remember their names and take attendance quickly without speaking. However, I may call their names one by one to help with learning their names. The only thing I don't like about this is that once the chart is made the students would feel they are restricted in where they sit. I would rather they not feel so controlled. Comments?