Re: Foreign Names (Was: Re: Spousal names)

Youn Ha Ley wabbe:


> Well, Korean names are "Chinese" names, so I'm somehow
> not surprised.  At least with my sister there's only two of us!
>  And Koreans call each other by the two-syllable given
> names (or some longer diminutive thereof), so it's not a
> problem, but when you bring in Americans who think we
> have "first" and "middle" names (and who's to blame
> them)....
I don't like to thing in my given names as "first" and "middle" names.
They are "first" and "second" *given* names.  And my surenames are
also "first" and "second" *surname*, not actually a *last* name.  But
many databases insist in asking for _first name_, _middle
name/initial_ and _last name_.

Due to second surname is mother's surname, many people like using it,
but the first surname is usually the one you give when asked only for
one.  Smart databases assume the last word as the last name, then they
pick up the _wrong_ last name.  I have decide to leave _Pinzón_ out of
my identity in e-mail for that reason: if you want to tell my full
name I am "Carlos Eugenio Thompson Pinzón" but if you want a shorter
formal version, that should be "Carlos Thompson", not "Carlos Pinzón",
and if you want to call me by a title I would be "Mr Thompson" not "Mr
Pinzón".  (Change Mr by your favorite appliable title... my preffered
is "ing." from engineer, or not title at all).  In informal situations
I'm "Carlos" or "Chlewey".

-- Carlos Th