Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Are ethnic minorities who use anglicised names sell outs?

Scroll to see replies

How on earth can it be a sellout? I'm sure they are perfectly aware of their original names prior to Anglicization.

I think Anglicization is a great idea as it may often help in maximising their probability of employment.

Don't you think reading your last sentence that's the definition of a sellout? Someone who changes a part of their ethnic identity in order to get a better job and make more money?

Reply 61

babygirl110

Original post by zxh800

I think i'll be making reservations with the name Johnny Desperado from now on. Sounds cool :cool:

they can't reject me with a name like that.

It's not a case of desperation, I was just proving a point.

I use a shortened version of my name in everything I do, including job applications. Try living with a 13 letter name, with only two vowels and see how you manage.

When I did my GCSE's I had to return my certificate because my name was spelt incorrectly. I had to return my driving license twice because of an incorrect spelling. My surname is 8 letters shorter than my first name, that's how ridiculous it is.

I don't think ethnic minorities shortening their names is a case of desperation, it's just a simply adaptation and survival. English is a universal language and there has to be a compromise somewhere.
Also, we can't change ignorance, if people don't want to take time to learn names or spell them correctly then compromise is necessary.

When I graduated, the university took time to ring my parents to ask how my name should be pronounced at the ceremony. It was really nice of the university, we were all shocked. People are usually just too ignorant to make the effort.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 62

dnumberwang

Original post by Brutal Honesty

Don't you think reading your last sentence that's the definition of a sellout? Someone who changes a part of their ethnic identity in order to get a better job and make more money?

It doesn't actually change their ethnic identity though

Reply 63

username458263

Many names have been anglicised at some point. I certainly know more Patricks and Seamuses than Padraigs and Seumases. As others have said, you should be free to shorten or change your name, and tradition isn't worth what happened to the likes of babygirl110.

Reply 64

Dirac Delta Function

Original post by Mujeriego

Ah OK. Nancy is an Arabic name? I'm basing this on my experience of watching Melody TV and Lebanese friends by the way. I thought it was some legacy from the French. Back in the day where this still flew at half-mast:

Spoiler

Nancy isn't Arabic, I've not heard any other Arab with that name.

Reply 65

bunty64

Original post by Brutal Honesty

Yes I know, but does that mean they're selling out? They're using an English name and in the process completely eradicating an important part of their ethnic identity in favour of "social convenience". So what if they struggle to say your whole name, they'll get used to it after saying it three times (just like learning any other new word) and if their name has 7 syllables than they can use a shorthand version e.g. how Alexander is shortened Alex, the name you gave could be shortened to Ona and still keep your identity intact. This happens as well tbf, but often they use a completely different name.

Remember when slaves were brought to America they had their names stripped of them and were given their new names by their owners and thus usually adopted their owner's surname. This is why during the civil rights movement many black Americans changed their surname and adopted African names. Malcolm Little refused to be called "Little" because it was a name given to his ancestors by a slave owner. You can see the massive effect a name has on someone's identity.

Would rather say Christian names rather than english names. I've seen plenty of BROWN faces with christian names (because most of them are christians).
Males in ghanna are named according to which day they are born on (ie Kofi, kwame etc) and they also have a chrisitan or muslim name depending on which faith they belong to.
Then you get non-whites who have simply shortened their names for convenience. I don't think they are sellling out.

Reply 66

bunty64

Original post by Brutal Honesty

Don't you think reading your last sentence that's the definition of a sellout? Someone who changes a part of their ethnic identity in order to get a better job and make more money?

worked for that guy on dragons den (james caan)! real name: something khan.

Reply 67

asparkyn

Original post by basketofsnakes

lmao wtf

We've been telling him that for the entire year, those exact same words :biggrin:

Reply 68

Ayostunner

Well maybe its because people cant pronoune their names properly..
Trust me the amount of times ive kept on correcting people on how to say my name is fustrating and its even worse when its people i see everyday !
Its only 3 fricking letters! not the hardest thing to say and i'd rather use an english name for the sake of the convenience rather than keep getting pissed off by people messing up my name :frown:

Btw i used to go by a english name but its my actual real name on my birth certificate, it just happens to be my middle name and its a christian name :biggrin:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 69

qasidb

Original post by King-Panther

I met a Hindu Indian the other day named Peter Hallam and a Sikh named Gary! Typical Indian behaviour, if they were Christian it would be acceptable.

yeah, i know what you mean. there used to be a boy at my school - indian, hindu and pretty dark as well. what was his name?
harry.

Reply 70

bunty64

Original post by qasidb

yeah, i know what you mean. there used to be a boy at my school - indian, hindu and pretty dark as well. what was his name?
harry.

guessing his name is hari but people call him harry! Or could be christian.

Reply 71

Fuzzpig

My housemate from Hong Kong chose Edith. It's because her name would be too hard to pronounce, apparently. Her 'boyfriend' chose Alfred. :facepalm:

Both their names are easy to pronounce, if you're told how to pronounce it. But when they're written down (as they would be on school/university registers) it's difficult.

Reply 72

Manitude

I've no problem with it at all. Often minorities realise that their birth name might be difficult to pronounce, so they change to something common which people will remember and be able to say.
In china this is true too - I became friends with two chinese students, mike and adele. I did ask them their chinese names but I couldn't pronounce them at all, even after a few months of mandarin lessons. I couldn't even say my own chinese name properly!

Reply 73

bunty64

Original post by qasidb

yeah, i know what you mean. there used to be a boy at my school - indian, hindu and pretty dark as well. what was his name?
harry.

what has him being 'pretty dark' got to do with anything. Are you another one of those "racist" paksitanis/indians? :smile:

Reply 74

BoxesAndBangles

I know a half scottish, half egyptian guy called Mohammed who tells everyone he's italian and that is name is Paolo LOL! Worst thing is that he's not a teenager.. he's in his mid 30s. I think this sort of thing is selling out since everybody can pronounce mohammed, and he's denying both sides of his heritage to be 'cool'. If someone's name is really hard to pronounce, changing the letters slightly is alright. But at the end of the day its everyone's choice.

My name is Jasmine but people ended up calling me Yasmeen when I lived abroad, - they simply wouldn't pronounce it Jazmin - but rather Jass-meen. If they pronounced it with a z it sounds like the word for shoes. So most people automatically just called me Yasmeen, and it was written on all my papers and immigration documents in Arabic, Yasmeen without my permission anyway so.. i couldnt really help it lol. I prefer Yasmeen pronounced properly to Jassmen. I wouldn't say I was selling out or trying to be more Arab.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 75

bunty64

Original post by BoxesAndBangles

I know a half scottish, half egyptian guy called Mohammed who tells everyone he's italian and that is name is Paolo LOL! Worst thing is that he's not a teenager.. he's in his mid 30s.

most prob works for him. His "exotic" egyptian looks mixed with the scots side most probably makes him look italian/latin etc....

most prob does it to pick up the ladies!

Reply 76

BoxesAndBangles

Original post by bunty64

most prob works for him. His "exotic" egyptian looks mixed with the scots side most probably makes him look italian/latin etc....

most prob does it to pick up the ladies!

He does haha. And when he absolutely HAS to admit his Arab side he pretends he's Lebanese.. cos in Arab countries sometimes Lebanese is considered to be the most 'exotic' and 'attractive' country. Lol the man is hilarious.

Reply 77

Stratos

My friend mohamed changed his name to Daniel.

'I was like o.O'

Spoiler

Reply 78

bunty64

Original post by BoxesAndBangles

:

He does haha. And when he absolutely HAS to admit his Arab side he pretends he's Lebanese.. cos in Arab countries sometimes Lebanese is considered to be the most 'exotic' and 'attractive' country. Lol the man is hilarious.