Should we not simply be following the rules of the language spoken at the time? When speaking English, use the English convention. When speaking Japanese, use the Japanese convention etc.
A basic guide to using Asian names
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Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#32As a Japanese native I'm torn on this. On one hand, respecting the local ordering & notation seems to be good manners. On the other hand, this creates an ambiguity where some people are writing Asian names in local notation and some others writing in western notation. (This is even true for Japanese people themselves, as mentioned in the other comments.)
At least things were consistent when everyone wrote them in western notation; now we can't be sure which part is the family name and which part is the given name, especially if it's from a country that you're not familiar with the order/notation rules. There's the "write the family name in all caps" rule to assist with it, but not everyone follows that rule either.
Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#33A fun thing about Thailand is that if your name is David Jones you will often be addressed as Mr. David. (Aka Khun David.)
Takes a minute to realize this is not a mistake.
[edit:] Also if you use a nickname, say Bunny Colvin, you will be Mr. Bunny.
Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#34And this is why we need to really rethink the typical patterns on form inputs, which today usually presume a western style name pattern.
Just ask people for their full name, and what they would prefer to be called. (Unless you literally cannot provide your services' value without more detail).
Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#35let me just state the order of names is not standardized in Europe either, darn Hungarians. (Nobody actually cares, but I do get constant confusion as a foreigner in Budapest because people sometime expect surname-first and sometimes given-first, trying to accomodate for me)
Something I've seen genealogists do, as well as some French-speaking Lebanese, and maybe others that I haven't noticed or encountered, is to put the surname in all caps to disambiguate e.g. 'Harrison Paul JEFFERSON'
It's common in France and ex French colonies to use "LAST NAME, First Name" on official documents, including resumes.
Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#36let me just state the order of names is not standardized in Europe either, darn Hungarians. (Nobody actually cares, but I do get constant confusion as a foreigner in Budapest because people sometime expect surname-first and sometimes given-first, trying to accomodate for me)
In France both orders are used, depending on context.
Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#37I have a Indonesian Chinese friend who has strange name. She said her parents made up her name preventing the massacre against Chinese.
Yes, somewhere around 1966, ethnic Chinese living in Indonesia where pressured/forced to adopt an Indonesian-sounding name: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Indonesian_surname#196...
Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#38As a Japanese native I'm torn on this. On one hand, respecting the local ordering & notation seems to be good manners. On the other hand, this creates an ambiguity where some people are writing Asian names in local notation and some others writing in western notation. (This is even true for Japanese people themselves, as mentioned in the other comments.) At least things were consistent when everyone wrote them in wes…
Fun fact: the Japanese government insists that foreigners use the name they have in their passport in official documents. That includes the middle name. My middle name has thus crept in all over the place. I've barely ever used it in my home country, but now have to use it everywhere (I live in Japan). Anyways, more relevant to OP, as a result, sometimes I'm called by my middle name, as if it were my last name (because the order is last first middle and they must assume that the literal last is the last name...)
Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#39As a Japanese native I'm torn on this. On one hand, respecting the local ordering & notation seems to be good manners. On the other hand, this creates an ambiguity where some people are writing Asian names in local notation and some others writing in western notation. (This is even true for Japanese people themselves, as mentioned in the other comments.) At least things were consistent when everyone wrote them in wes…
As a westerner, when Japanese names are written out, I like having the family name capitalized. That way, you can write YAMADA Koji or Koji YAMADA, and I'll know what to call you.
Re: A basic guide to using Asian names
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow! That was a heavy burden for those parents. Imagine knowing that a misstep in the naming of your child would cause the death of many people.
Are you familiar with the Indonesian genocide? It was pretty awful but it seems like the world at large is unaware of what happened.
I think he's joking about the parent saying the name of that individual prevented the massacre.