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wasted_ace19 · Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Posts: 41

Dear all,

In my boredom I have been spending the evening perusing old forum threads, and notice that many say "Nam" rather than "Vietnam". This annoys me a lot, and I'm actually starting to think I may have a genuine right to be so.

As English teachers, we are supposed to consider the 'connotations' of words; and clearly, "Nam" is synonymous with war movies - "back in Nam" etc. etc.

It had always previously annoyed me because I noticed it being used by people trying in some way to glamorise, or "sex-up", their travel plans and accounts. Of course, I realise its use is very common; but I'm sure that changing one's Facebook status to "GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!" upon arrival also is, and I do not endorse that. Its just pathetic.

Now, as the prospect of actually moving to Vietnam myself nears, I'm beginning to wonder if the term isn't downright offensive. The war ended long ago- and there's simply no need to shorten the easily-pronounced "Vietnam" for any reason other than to "add something" to the image you want to give the listener.

If, say, "Madagascar" were shortened to "Mad", that would be understandable...but "Vietnam" to "Nam" or "the Nam" is simply a stylistic tool, utilizing 1960s and/or war imagery. (I do not accept anybody saying that its just a way of "shortening" the name.) The war ended long ago and this is a country not exactly "forgetting" but certainly trying to "move on", surely?

And crucially, its a word traditionally used by Westerners (Americans) who "lived" in the country but viewed it entirely objectively ("THE nam"), with no consideration of it as a society of human beings. That of course is what happens in wartime -thats not my issue- but surely for this very reason the term should be left behind.

People in VN right now; is the term popular amongst teachers, even Vietnamese people?

Anyone have any general thoughts on this?

The Fat Rabbit · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 61 Location: Vietnam

i see your point. it induces thought of war imagery when said like that. i think there's some truth to that.

however, i've never actually heard anyone say that inside of vietnam.

jb0072009 · Joined: 26 Feb 2009 Posts: 127 Location: Saigon

I have never heard that word used here either. When speaking about Vietnamese people I have heard and used Viet's but that is about it

Buffalo Boy · Joined: 02 Oct 2009 Posts: 80

"Nam" is war movie speak and I've never heard anyone use it here.

How about people using Saigon instead of Ho Chi Minh City?

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

your distaste for this word will become pretty low on the list of things to concern yourself with. These are friendly people, just enjoy it as much as you can, they are not parsing your words for disparaging epithets. They just want to learn to speak our language. Or that is my take on it. When you make friends, you can laffy laffy about all that kind of stuff all you want. Its just words, they change with time.

MOD EDIT: Two members that previously posted on this thread are no longer with us as are several of their postings that have also been removed. There is too much of this kind of inappropriate behavior on the Vietnam forum and so you may assume that the Vietnam forum will now receive the additional attention of the Mod Team necessary to insure civil and professional postings that we expect on Dave's. Members observing unprofessional and otherwise inappropriate postings are requested to advise the Mod Team by Report Post or PM as soon as possible.