What's in a name?
Chinese students' choice of English names is a
topic of endless fascination for foreign teachers.
There is even a certain degree of competition over
whose student has the wackiest name. I've suggested we have an official contest
to see whose student has the most bizarre name (since I feel sure I'll win).
On the first day of my speaking class
for graduate students, I had them introduce themselves and I distinctly heard
one student say his English name was "Toilet." I said, "Excuse me?" and when he
repeated it, again I heard "Toilet." I was afraid if I pursued it I would burst
out laughing. Later I learned his name is Twilight (and oh boy does he have
pronunciation problems). Without saying why, I persuaded him to become
Steven.
But the class monitor, the alpha
male, the equivalent of the class president of the entire graduate student body
named himself "Cute Cow." I got him to abandon that name and he just uses his
Chinese name, which is fine.
Posted: Tue - October 14, 2003 at 10:10 PM