> > In a group you'll often have a Mr Yuan.
> > Simply refer to him as Mr RMB (ar em bee) and you'll find the name is
> > liable to still be being used months later and adopted by the target
> > as well.
> > FWIW.

> Now that's funny right thurr.

Ah. I seem to have achieved a genuine (albeit rather obvious) cross
cultural joke (with no slurs :-) ).
Assuming, that is, that 'Christopher Patrick Pearson' is not mainland
Chinese :-)*.

Another "joke" of mine.
Many mainland Chinese who interact with furriners have adopted English
names. I've been honored to have been asked to bestow names on a few
people. Some people quite pointedly do NOT have English names. In my
experience, being named Mr Zhao (comes out as My Joe near enough to
most western tongues) seems to instill greater pride in being
mono-nameal (?) than most for some reason (probably coincidence).

When discussions of English names of and with mainland Chinese arise I
sometimes tell people that I have a Chinese name. Interest and
curiosity is usually expressed.
I say

            'Yes, my Chinese name is " Ni Hao"'

Short pause to allow blank looks. Then -

          ' That way, when people say "Ni Hao" I can reply "Yes?"
            [[add suitable inflection indicating deep query]].'

This usually is very well received :-).


            Russell


* Does that qualify as an ethnic joke?
  If so, as I don't see any potential for slur there except for the
terminally thin skinned, then it may be an example of the sort I was
talking about previously (albeit a very weak one)

* Again. Acquired English names end to have one or two parts. Never 3
that I've noticed. May be very ornate. May be unusual variants on
names which are not used or much used "in the West".
eg I know a young woman whose English name is "Joulion". A name not
wholly unknown to gargoyle but exceeding rare.
--=20
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
.