Yeah this is the bit I have a problem with. Did a bit of googling and turns out some Asians are also changing names to help job prospects. Umm if the name really affects the job prospects, isn't that discrimination?
I remember learning in a multicultural education course....that discrimination can take place if the job applicant's name is black sounding....like Monique, Shantel, etc. In these two cases...it's not the pronunciation that is the problem...because they're easy to say. It's the image/race associated with it. They can opt to change their name...but not so much their race, the way the look, etc. So how much should a person change to make their lives or rather the lives of others easier?
First people need to pronounce their own name correctly and not change for anyone who might not be able to understand.
The name is something one should not be so ashamed of that it requires changing. That is why it is proscribed to name your children good.
When people can make efforts to pronounce the names and words of non-living objects, then why can’t they make efforts to pronounce someone’s name.
There are so many Italian, German, French words which English speaking individuals try hard to pronounce correctly then why not desi or asian names or words?
I know from experience that south east asians, especially of ethnic Chinese backgrounds, tend to have more than one name, usually an asian name and an english name. Sometimes several different names, like a Chinese name, a South East asian name and english name. Or two of each, lol. It really isn't a big deal to us. Same with east asians I think. I became muslim 1.5 yrs ago and now have a muslim name as well as an asian name and an english name! On my passport however, it says my english first name but I've been thinking I want to change it to my asian name.....the older I get the more I desire to show that I am proud of my roots.
So how much should a person change to make their lives or rather the lives of others easier?
Good question. Food for thought.
If I had kids I'd give them white sounding names. Like it or not it affects everything... the example for applying for a job is a strong case.
I have to disagree. If that were true, Barack Hussein Obama wouldn't be the President. I'd like to think that most of the developed world is past that phase. I remember Ehsan uncle in his interview thread talked about how much racism he had to deal with at workplace back in the day in UK but now people have come a long way. Not saying there's no more racism or discrimination but it's not so extreme that people have to hide their identities now. I'd be worried if this is true in your part of the world.
I get that a lot. People think that I changed my name after I came to the US and have to tell them that its the name on my birth certificate and I had to change names when I went to Pakistan.
Well, in the case of south indians and sri lankans, the name should really be shortened if not changed. I had a co-worker whose last name had 28 characters. Freakin' crazy.
is liye kyun ke Ajit ne usse poocha, Raabert, Queer kahan hai?
Raabert ne bola, yahan he.
Ajit bola: ussey duster se maar doh...mer bhi jaye ga aur mit bhi jaye ga.
Well, in the case of south indians and sri lankans, the name should really be shortened if not changed. I had a co-worker whose last name had 28 characters. Freakin' crazy.
Well, in the case of south indians and sri lankans, the name should really be shortened if not changed. I had a co-worker whose last name had 28 characters. Freakin' crazy.
I was watching a Russell Peters video in which he asked two Chinese people in the audience what their names were. The guy replied "David" and the girl replied "Vicky". Later he asked them if they had any Chinese names and they did tell their real names which to be honest weren't hard to pronounce at all
East Asians (Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese etc) are actually given an American name also at their birth, so its not that they change it later on.
