When China first entered junior high school, the English teacher asked every student to have an English name. I sat in front of the most common bulky computer at that time and looked at the strange string of letters arranged from A to Z on the Internet. I felt dizzy when I saw C, so I randomly chose a short "Cathy". Later, it turned out that Cathy was just a nickname for Catherine, which means it was not a formal English name. After reading Wuthering Heights, I am more eager to find a chance to change my English name.
Studying abroad is a good opportunity to change your name. Many foreign students don't follow the English names they use in primary and junior high schools. After all, names like Tom and Ann, if they have little to do with their real names, are just easier to read and won't be misspelled when they were young. When they grow up, they will easily feel naive and ignorant. When you come to a brand-new environment, change your English name quickly.
It's just that I went to Singapore to study in high school. I thought that in that country close to the west, everyone must have an English name, but I didn't expect this. Many China students in Singapore only have Chinese names, and most of them are written in Pinyin. Many names are distinctive, such as Ding, Qian and Jia for girls and Xiang, Wei and Jie for boys. Occasionally, I can even see the uncommon words in the names of young people in China today, such as "Heng", "Wei" and "Bao", which is quite amazing.
Later, when I learned about Singapore society, I realized that most of the older generation of Chinese Singaporeans immigrated from China, and they had a romantic feeling for their motherland. It is conceivable that some old Singaporean gentlemen rooted in China culture will think twice before naming their younger generation. The name of my best local friend in Singapore was actually found by my elders in an ancient and mysterious temple in the hinterland of China. I am amazed at the social, historical and cultural history and its connection with China culture.
Of course, many Singaporeans have English names. After all, Britain has ruled for a long time, and some quite westernized families or devout Christians will give their children English names. Some children from China families will also give themselves an English name when they grow up and are fascinated by western culture or receive western education for a long time. However, even these people will definitely keep their Chinese names. Although they may only spell Pinyin, they cannot write Chinese characters.
So in those years in Singapore, I never used an English name once. I'm glad that my real name is so easy to accept, and I'm glad that it won't be very different from the locals in terms of name.
However, when universities come to Britain, an English-speaking country and western society, it seems natural to have an English name, at least to avoid the embarrassment of mispronouncing it. After careful consideration, I decided to use the English name Juliet.
There are three reasons for such an English name. First, it is similar to the pinyin of my Chinese name in pronunciation, and similar to the pinyin of my Chinese name with my surname and name reversed in shape. Secondly, although Shakespeare's Juliet is also a tragic figure, she symbolizes romantic and selfless love, not Catherine's crazy and selfish love in Wuthering Heights. Third, the name is easy to remember. According to psychological theory, people are more likely to remember names that can make people associate with them. Juliet is a household name because of a famous play, but it is rarely repeated in real life, so it is both familiar and unique.
It turns out that this name is really easy to remember. Coming to England to introduce yourself to others is basically a time that others will not forget. People who only know each other once can still call out this name when they meet again a month later.
After the formal start of school, the teacher will call a name in the first class of each subject, and then ask everyone if they have a "favorite name" (I hope others will call me by my name). People will give me nicknames, English names and so on, and let the teacher write them next to the students' real names. I always listen very, very carefully when the teacher calls the roll for the first time. When it's time to call me, I often see an expression of uncertainty about pronunciation on the teacher's face, raise my eyebrows, and then look around with eyes wide open. Nowadays, there are more and more Asian students in British classrooms. Many of them are second-generation immigrants or mixed-race people from western society, and they may have quite British names. The teacher saw a name that seemed to be Asian, and it was difficult to sit on her face. They will say tentatively and vaguely, "Jay?" I'll raise my hand to indicate that it's me and say, "You can call me Juliet." You can call me Juliet. )
Just say this sentence, there will still be a faint loss in my heart. Maybe I changed my name suddenly, and I need time to get used to it. Perhaps it is always unwilling to rely on a name that doesn't belong to you to start barrier-free communication.
But one day, I met with an academic adviser (equivalent to a student's personal counselor). When I habitually introduced myself: "I'm Zhu Jie, you can call me Juliet", the teacher interrupted me and said, "May I listen to your Chinese name again?" Can I hear your Chinese name again? )
I repeated it to him with some surprise and excitement. The doctor from Germany told me over and over again, with the rigor and seriousness peculiar to Germans on his face until his pronunciation was correct. Then he simply said to me, "You don't have to succumb to the surrounding culture too easily." You don't have to surrender to the surrounding culture so easily. )
This sentence is deeply engraved in my mind. Since then, I have paid attention to speaking my Chinese name louder. For those English people who have deep contact, I will guide them to understand the meaning of my Chinese name. I believe that many people will remember my Chinese name after a period of time.
For international students like me who really entered the western society in university, they are still Asian souls and Chinese souls. It is a good thing to have an English name. It is an attempt to integrate into western society and facilitate communication with Europeans and Americans. The question is, to what extent should English names replace real names? Who doesn't want his real name to be known by blond classmates and teachers?
I am reminded of an example from Singapore, a society that inherited China and Britain. That year, a Singaporean Chinese, deeply influenced by western culture, returned to the motherland from Britain and decided to devote himself to the great cause of national independence. In order to truly return to the local culture and represent the local people, he gave up the English name Harry, which he followed for 30 years. Years later, Lee Kuan Yew's name resounded through world politics.
On the surface, English names are easier to remember quickly in western society, while real names are closer to the heart of the motherland. But in the long run, standing anywhere depends on strength and connotation, which come from the true self. At present, for me and a large number of international students who use English names, living in western countries is not long, so my real name is my true self. This is the name on the exam paper, the name on the passport, and the name given by the parents. But what will happen in the future?
Say your name and answer "Who am I?" Choosing among different names, I replied, "Who would I rather be?" This may seem like a small problem, but it's actually worth pondering for overseas students who are subconsciously looking for self-identity.