tuscl

Why can’t Americans comprehend Chinese names?

DoctorPhil.
Space geneious and inventer of the grunges
As a sophisticated space genius and cosmopolitan citizen of the world yours truly understands Chinese names. But somehow there are many parochial citizens of the United States that simply cannot. For example, Mr. Dixie is all bent out of shape about a certain Miss Beverly Yi:

https://tuscl.net/discussion.php?id=7853…

But he does not seem to understand that there is no American-born skater named Beverly Yi competing for the Chinese. The young lady’s name at birth was Beverly Zhu, not Beverly Yi.

You see, in Chinese the family name comes first, then the given name. She now skates as Miss Zhu Yi (朱易). Mr. Dixie, if you are going to complain about Miss Zhu at least have the respect to get her name correct.

I am glad that I could provide help-phul Phil phacts to educate the less cosmopolitan TUSCL posters. You’re welcome!

11 comments

  • nicespice
    •
    3 years ago
    Given how tone-based the language is, good luck pronouncing names or words in general correctly without practicing 😅
  • Tetradon
    •
    3 years ago
    走开，卡卡普洛普
  • DoctorPhil.
    •
    3 years ago
    Wow Mr. Dixie, I didn’t know that you fought and died for this country. So…how did ya die? I bet you bugged the folks in your platoon when you were fighting in Nam and they fragged ya.

    Also…how exactly are you posting on a titty club web site? Is Mr. Jack “Curly” Osbourne communicating with you by Ouija board and then posting your thoughts? If so, I’d like to tell Jack that I dig his dad’s music.

    Mr. Crowley 🎶
  • Tetradon
    •
    3 years ago
    ^ Great song!
  • san_jose_guy
    •
    3 years ago
    Americans are the most provincial, the lest knowledgeable with other languages.

    SJG
  • Tetradon
    •
    3 years ago
    ^ Because the rest of the world marches to our beat ;)
  • san_jose_guy
    •
    3 years ago
    ^ But that is a zenophobic position, and it cannot possibly stay that way. It is blindness.

    SJG
  • Tetradon
    •
    3 years ago
    ^ But right now, it's the truth. Show me one culture as recognized, respected, and emulated worldwide as America.
  • san_jose_guy
    •
    3 years ago
    The advantage the US has had, besides access to an entire continent, is simply that public funds were used to create a middle-class.

    This was done with the free and low cost land, and then later with FDR's progressive taxation, and then later with the GI Bill.

    So what White Americans experienced of British colonialism did not involve racism.

    Totally oppose of what happened in Latin America where Spanish colonialism was based entirely on racism, and today their societies are completely based on racial heirarchy.

    The American Far Right today is based entirely on reaction, not on anything in the least way constructive.

    sJG
  • Icee Loco (asshole)
    •
    3 years ago
    It's not that uncommon to put the last name first. The Japanese and Koreans do it too. So do Hungarians and some southern Indians.
  • san_jose_guy
    •
    3 years ago
    It is actually standard that the last or family name comes first in Asia.

    SJG
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