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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Zed
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Shakedown Street
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 Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:02 am Post subject: |
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| Heck, I've got kids that have two Korean names. |
What's that about? I'm not familiar with that. |
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ryleeys
Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: Columbia, MD
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| Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:04 am Post subject: |
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| My director's third daughter has two Korean names... don't ask me why. But my director uses her English name both inside and outside the school more than either of the Korean names. |
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Ody
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: over here
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| Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 3:00 am Post subject: |
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| desultude wrote: |
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Mr. Pink
If you don't know a person's REAL name, how can you REALLy know them?
My students ask my Korean name...why should I have one? I tell them my English name "Koreanized"...we are born with a name, and I am one of those people who thinks it is insulting not to use that name. |
I agree 1000%. Look at any culture. Who gives you your name? Family. Most names (including Korean) have meaning, and the meaning is intentionally assigned to the child.
I have a hard time learning Korean names. But that is exactly my problem, not my student's. |
in principle, i agree with much of what you both say. this is why i don't make having an English name a requirement.
here's where i differ:
1. if the meaning of my name could be translated into Korean, i'd adopt a Korean name with bells. as it happens, my name (a word in English) has already been appropriated into Korean.
2. when i was a girl, i renamed myself often. this was most successful on family vacations. i personally don't care for my given name which gave me grief as a child because it was the same as a ditsy cartoon character's. although she's blond (a dumb one, *urgh*) and i was blond (born that way), the similarity ended there.
3. i look at the acquisition of an English name as a fun way to make a statement and to give others further insight into your personality. this is why i do not name students myself.
personally, i prefer a mix of Korean and English names in my classes. all Janes and Sunnys aren't any easier than a bunch of Sukjins and Hyunsues. and, like i said, i think the particular name, that a student chooses, gives one further insight into that student's personality, or at least their projected identity.
i encourage my students, who are interested, to use search engines where they can locate western names based on the meaning of the Chinese characters in their Korean names. this is part of the process i went through when identifying an "English" name for my own daughter whose Korean name we already had decided on.
so, as you can see, i consider the aquisition of another (nick) name an opportunity. one that, if an authentic situation presented itself where such a need for one existed, i myself would like to have . |
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matthewwoodford
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Location: Location, location, location.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:33 am Post subject: |
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Most places I've been, English names have been optional but popular. The kids usually change their nicks from time to time too - confusing for teachers but maybe fun for them. So I always give students the choice.
Recently a new student joined one of my elementary student classes, so I asked him if he wanted an English name, he said no, so I use his Korean name. A few days later the staff told me he wanted an English name so I asked him again - twice to make sure - and he said no again. Again, a few days later the staff told me again to give him an English name: it turns out *he* doesn't want an English name but his mother wants him to have one. I don't really care so I just use his Korean name as I'm used to it now and it's what he wants. Mothers....if only we had power over them...their long economic reach took us all the way from the other side of the world and brought us all into this weird country with these weird institutions...scary people.  |
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TJ
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:56 pm Post subject: NAMES |
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My first name is 'Terence' but for the first 30 years of my life I was called Terry.
Problems often arose when I was filling out official forms and wrote my correct name. People would say to me 'but I thought your name was Terry'.
When I moved to a new town and made new friends I used 'Terence' and didn't tell people that I had been called 'Terry'. This worked for a while but some people still shortened my name to Terry. Even here in Korea I still get called 'Terry' by westerners. I can't escape my past and it annoys me.
With this background I sympathise with Koreans who are forced to use an English name. HOWEVER, I do think using an English name [on a voluntary basis] is good for those who are learning English. I feel it puts them in the right frame of mind for their classes. |
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kangnamdragon
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| It only bothers me when kids want names that are not even English, like "Kangta", "GOD", "FINKLE", etc. |
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