Comments on: Choosing a Chinese name – part 5 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5 A cross-cultural adventure with the personal side of China. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:35:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5/comment-page-1#comment-1335 Joel Thu, 05 Jul 2007 03:20:20 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5#comment-1335 On the blog it is! =) Last names and a few other select things get automatically edited out. On the blog it is! =) Last names and a few other select things get automatically edited out.

]]> By: The Canadian Mom http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5/comment-page-1#comment-1334 The Canadian Mom Thu, 05 Jul 2007 03:04:01 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5#comment-1334 Is our last name a swear word? Is our last name a swear word?

]]> By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5/comment-page-1#comment-1333 Joel Thu, 05 Jul 2007 02:30:25 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5#comment-1333 Thanks! Haha, are you using swear words on our blog??? ;) Thanks! Haha, are you using swear words on our blog??? ;)

]]> By: The Canadian Mom http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5/comment-page-1#comment-1332 The Canadian Mom Thu, 05 Jul 2007 01:58:37 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5#comment-1332 A very Happy 5th Anniversary to you both! We love you, miss you, and hope you enjoy your day very much!!!! love mom & dad Ruch A very Happy 5th Anniversary to you both! We love you, miss you, and hope you enjoy your day very much!!!!
love mom & dad

]]> By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5/comment-page-1#comment-1331 Joel Thu, 05 Jul 2007 01:50:52 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5#comment-1331 Nah, Jessica is an in-law, so the name she chooses is the one her dad and siblings are stuck with. You get to choose the name for grandpa and your siblings. Of course, you can always have the same as dad if you want, a lot of foreigners do that and it's no big deal. Nah, Jessica is an in-law, so the name she chooses is the one her dad and siblings are stuck with. You get to choose the name for grandpa and your siblings. Of course, you can always have the same as dad if you want, a lot of foreigners do that and it’s no big deal.

]]> By: The Canadian Mom http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5/comment-page-1#comment-1330 The Canadian Mom Thu, 05 Jul 2007 01:25:32 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5#comment-1330 Does this mean that whatever name Jessica chose, is now my name and Tami's name? or do we all 3 choose something different? Does this mean that whatever name Jessica chose, is now my name and Tami’s name? or do we all 3 choose something different?

]]> By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5/comment-page-1#comment-1329 Joel Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:56:06 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5#comment-1329 It's more like how the name <em>feels</em>... it's not as simple as picking a dictionary definition that you like. All these characters have history and connotations, and change meaning and connotation when combined in different ways. It's all really subjective and foreigners can't learn this stuff unless they grow up in the culture. The linguist who writes our text books just says, "Don't ask a foreigner to give you a Chinese name." And yes, I did choose what to write next time. It's a really common children's song:<blockquote>Two tigers, two tigers, running fast, running fast One has no eyes One has no ears Really strange! Really strange!</blockquote>But I have to practice a lot first. And sometimes they say one has no tail instead of no ears. I like that better. We'll put the mp3 up in a post or two. It’s more like how the name feels… it’s not as simple as picking a dictionary definition that you like. All these characters have history and connotations, and change meaning and connotation when combined in different ways. It’s all really subjective and foreigners can’t learn this stuff unless they grow up in the culture. The linguist who writes our text books just says, “Don’t ask a foreigner to give you a Chinese name.”

And yes, I did choose what to write next time. It’s a really common children’s song:

Two tigers, two tigers,
running fast, running fast
One has no eyes
One has no ears
Really strange! Really strange!

But I have to practice a lot first. And sometimes they say one has no tail instead of no ears. I like that better. We’ll put the mp3 up in a post or two.

]]> By: tl http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5/comment-page-1#comment-1328 tl Wed, 04 Jul 2007 05:45:50 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/03/choosing-a-chinese-name-part-5#comment-1328 I'm sure you've heard this from like a thousand people--but wow--your stories are not only very enjoyable reading, but extremely insightful for those of us who are just beginning to learn about the Chinese culture. If you have a name that means "chosen" or "helper" or "a better life", would those words have some kind of negative connotation? I think you're right to take your time in choosing a proper name. Did you decide yet what to write on the sidewalk next time? I’m sure you’ve heard this from like a thousand people–but wow–your stories are not only very enjoyable reading, but extremely insightful for those of us who are just beginning to learn about the Chinese culture. If you have a name that means “chosen” or “helper” or “a better life”, would those words have some kind of negative connotation? I think you’re right to take your time in choosing a proper name.
Did you decide yet what to write on the sidewalk next time?

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