Discussion:
foreign name in katakana -> kanji
(too old to reply)
sterkoder
2006-02-25 18:09:27 UTC
Permalink
Hi all,

I thought I would see if there were any kanji for my "kana name", but
I'm unsure how to go about it. I know not all names are suitable for
"translating" to kanji; I think my first name probably is but I'm
unsure about my last name.

First name: ヒルデ (nordic, actual meaning "battle maiden"(!))
Looking up the different "syllables" at WWWJDIC I found the following:
hiru: 昼 【ひる】 (n-adv,n-t) noon; daytime; (P)
de: 出 【で】 (n,n-suf) outflow; coming (going) out; graduate (of);
rising (of the sun or moon); one's turn to appear on stage; (P)

...this would suit me well I think, indicating some sort of activity
after noon/in the daytime. "After noon/in the daytime" being my
preferred time to get out of bed :P

Am I free to just pick and choose any kanji in this way?

Last name: a helluva lot of katakana, as with most european last
names... actual meaning "peaceful place" (after a farm owned by my
great great grandfather)... could I simply look up the kanji for
"peaceful" (or equivalent) and "place (or equivalent)" and, err, "pick
the nicest looking ones"?

How many kanji are there "normally" in a (non japanese) person's full
name? 2+2 is what I've seen in my textbooks so far, but elementary
japanese textbooks are hardly a definitive guide to anything but
elementary japanese (if that, even).

If anyone would care to show their name kanjis and give a brief
explanation of how they were chosen (or given), I'd really appreciate
it.

ヒルデ :)
Bart Mathias
2006-02-26 01:29:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by sterkoder
Hi all,
[...]
If anyone would care to show their name kanjis and give a brief
explanation of how they were chosen (or given), I'd really appreciate
it.
ヒルデ :)
I think you'll find that almost everyone in this group who has name
kanji got it from their parents.

I may be the only exception.

酒場戸
Sean
2006-02-26 01:59:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bart Mathias
Post by sterkoder
Hi all,
[...]
If anyone would care to show their name kanjis and give a brief
explanation of how they were chosen (or given), I'd really appreciate
it.
$B%R%k%G!!(B:)
I think you'll find that almost everyone in this group who has name
kanji got it from their parents.
I may be the only exception.
$B<r>l8M(B
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
Sho
2006-02-26 02:41:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sean
Post by Bart Mathias
$B<r>l8M(B
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
If I had that freedom: $BLkKb:i!&>I(B

Why aren't Ben K. Bullock and Paul Blay contributing here?

Sho
j***@csse.monash.edu.au
2006-02-26 03:35:34 UTC
Permalink
Mathias"
Post by Sean
Post by Bart Mathias
$B<r>l8M(B
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
If I had that freedom: $BLkKb:i!&>I(B
Why aren't Ben K. Bullock and Paul Blay contributing here?
Yes, why?
--
Jim Breen http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/
Clayton School of Information Technology,
Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
$B%8%`!&%V%j!<%s(B@$B%b%J%7%eBg3X(B
Paul Blay
2006-02-26 05:24:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
Mathias"
Post by Sean
Post by Bart Mathias
$B<r>l8M(B
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
If I had that freedom: $BLkKb:i!&>I(B
Why aren't Ben K. Bullock and Paul Blay contributing here?
Yes, why?
What, does everybody think I'm $BL5Ni(B or something?
Sean
2006-02-26 10:02:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by Paul Blay
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
Mathias"
Post by Sean
Post by Bart Mathias
$B<r>l8M(B
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
If I had that freedom: $BLkKb:i!&>I(B
Why aren't Ben K. Bullock and Paul Blay contributing here?
Yes, why?
What, does everybody think I'm $BL5Ni(B or something?
Why does Paul on a date become the origin of the language of Brazil?
Sho
2006-02-26 12:24:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sean
Why does Paul on a date become the origin of the language of Brazil?
Are you sure it's supposed to be the language, not the country the
language originated from?

Anyone interested except Paul is welcome to go look for a clue 20 lines
below.




















$B%]!<%k$H%V%9(B
Ben K. Bullock
2006-02-26 13:18:21 UTC
Permalink
Mathias"
Post by Sean
Post by Bart Mathias
$B<r>l8M(B
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
If I had that freedom: $BLkKb:i!&>I(B
Why aren't Ben K. Bullock and Paul Blay contributing here?
What did you want me to contribute?

When I have to write my name in Japan, I usually write my name in romaji in
the "kanji" section on forms, and then write "$B%V%m%C%/(B" in the furigana
section.
Sho
2006-02-26 13:46:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Mathias"
Post by Sean
Post by Bart Mathias
$B<r>l8M(B
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
If I had that freedom: $BLkKb:i!&>I(B
Why aren't Ben K. Bullock and Paul Blay contributing here?
What did you want me to contribute?
When I have to write my name in Japan, I usually write my name in romaji in
the "kanji" section on forms, and then write "$B%V%m%C%/(B" in the furigana
section.
Along the line of the rest of the contributions above, for a great big
figure like you on the board, I was thinking of something that has to do
with "Big B..", oops I'm taking that back. I can settle for $BJ[7D(B. How
about that?

Sho
Ben K. Bullock
2006-02-26 14:27:56 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Post by Sho
Why aren't Ben K. Bullock and Paul Blay contributing here?
What did you want me to contribute?
When I have to write my name in Japan, I usually write my name in
romaji in
Post by Ben K. Bullock
the "kanji" section on forms, and then write "$B%V%m%C%/(B" in the
furigana
Post by Ben K. Bullock
section.
Along the line of the rest of the contributions above, for a great big
figure like you on the board, I was thinking of something that has to do
with "Big B..", oops I'm taking that back. I can settle for $BJ[7D(B. How
about that?
That's super - duper.
Chris Kern
2006-02-27 01:17:16 UTC
Permalink
Mathias"
Post by Sean
Post by Bart Mathias
$B<r>l8M(B
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
If I had that freedom: $BLkKb:i!&>I(B
Why aren't Ben K. Bullock and Paul Blay contributing here?
I use $B7*?]2c0F(B.

-Chris
chance
2006-03-03 03:19:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sean
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
It's not so good a choice for all to see.

How about my suggestion
of $BK'MvEY;m2;!)(B

$B#C#K(B
Sean
2006-03-03 07:19:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by chance
Post by Sean
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
It's not so good a choice for all to see.
How about my suggestion
of $BK'MvEY;m2;!)(B
$B#C#K(B
Thanks for the suggestion, but I prefer mine.
Sho
2006-03-03 20:59:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by chance
Post by Sean
I chose my own: $BJ]MpE[!&>!1?(B
It's not so good a choice for all to see.
How about my suggestion
of $BK'MvEY;m2;!)(B
But then it wouldn't look as silly as he wants it to. Hmm... oh well, I
guess it does either way, or for that matter, _any_ way,.., I mean, he
does. :P

$B>I(B (who has never actually got to see how $B>C2:(B looks.)
chance
2006-03-04 15:32:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sho
But then it wouldn't look as silly as he wants it to. Hmm... oh well, I
guess it does either way, or for that matter, _any_ way,.., I mean, he
does. :P
All I wanted was the best intent ever conceivable
of the occasion called for, nothing but that.

CK
Zhen Lin
2006-02-26 07:53:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bart Mathias
I may be the only exception.
$B<r>l8M(B
Hmm, from one of your tutors?

My parents (or was it grandparents? or was it those fortunetellers?)
gave me mine as well.
$BN-!!?6pC(B
Bart Mathias
2006-02-27 02:03:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Zhen Lin
Post by Bart Mathias
I may be the only exception.
$B<r>l8M(B
Hmm, from one of your tutors?
Nah, I made it up meself in a silly mood. I don't think I've ever used
it except in this NG.

This reminds me though that my shigin teacher used to have me listed in
onshuukai programs as $BKsJ]=!=a(B (for some reason Hawaii Japanese hear
Mathias as $B%^%?%d%9(B; people from Japan, hearing $B%^%5%d%9(B, would say (I
paraphrase, probably) $BF|K\$NL>A0$r$b$C$F$k$N$b$$$$$G$9$1$I!"K\Ev$NL>A0$O(B
$B2?$H8@$$$^$9$+(B.

Bart
Don Kirkman
2006-02-26 19:27:00 UTC
Permalink
It seems to me I heard somewhere that Bart Mathias wrote in article
Post by Bart Mathias
Post by sterkoder
If anyone would care to show their name kanjis and give a brief
explanation of how they were chosen (or given), I'd really appreciate
it.
$B%R%k%G!!(B:)
I think you'll find that almost everyone in this group who has name
kanji got it from their parents.
I may be the only exception.
$B<r>l8M(B
It's been so long since I used my Japanese name that I suspect some of
the kanji have become illegal. The nearest I can come to remembering
and reconstructing it in the same work session is something like
$B2T0/K~(B. Teacher commented on the moral connotations of the name, but
didn't improve my grade any. :-)

So far I haven't been tempted to have it tattooed anywhere, visible or
not.
--
Don Kirkman
Sean
2006-02-26 22:43:49 UTC
Permalink
Post by Don Kirkman
It's been so long since I used my Japanese name that I suspect some of
the kanji have become illegal. The nearest I can come to remembering
and reconstructing it in the same work session is something like
$B2T0/K~(B. Teacher commented on the moral connotations of the name, but
didn't improve my grade any. :-)
So far I haven't been tempted to have it tattooed anywhere, visible or
not.
Tattoo? I hadn't thought of that. Hmmm, now where should I have $BJ]MpE[(B
tattooed?
Don Kirkman
2006-02-27 19:38:30 UTC
Permalink
It seems to me I heard somewhere that Sean wrote in article
Post by Sean
Post by Don Kirkman
It's been so long since I used my Japanese name that I suspect some of
the kanji have become illegal. The nearest I can come to remembering
and reconstructing it in the same work session is something like
$B2T0/K~(B. Teacher commented on the moral connotations of the name, but
didn't improve my grade any. :-)
So far I haven't been tempted to have it tattooed anywhere, visible or
not.
Tattoo? I hadn't thought of that. Hmmm, now where should I have $BJ]MpE[(B
tattooed?
Maybe we both should consider it. I understand it's hard to beat a
tattoo.
--
Don Kirkman
Pieter Mioch
2006-02-26 06:39:15 UTC
Permalink
If you have a drop of Japanese blood in you somewhere trace you ancestry and
adopt some characters from their names/ place of birth otherwise just stick
to kana, gaijin with kanji names but no Japanese ancestry or even Japanese
nationality are silly.
To come up with a totally new name which is in kanji right from the start is
a different story, though. If you'd do that than you only need to come up
with a reason for taking a new name (e.g. feeling Japanese inside :-)

ピーター (sometimes P・ミヨフ)



"sterkoder" <***@yahoo.no> wrote in message news:***@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
Hi all,

I thought I would see if there were any kanji for my "kana name", but
I'm unsure how to go about it. I know not all names are suitable for
"translating" to kanji; I think my first name probably is but I'm
unsure about my last name.

First name: ヒルデ (nordic, actual meaning "battle maiden"(!))
Looking up the different "syllables" at WWWJDIC I found the following:
hiru: 昼 【ひる】 (n-adv,n-t) noon; daytime; (P)
de: 出 【で】 (n,n-suf) outflow; coming (going) out; graduate (of);
rising (of the sun or moon); one's turn to appear on stage; (P)

...this would suit me well I think, indicating some sort of activity
after noon/in the daytime. "After noon/in the daytime" being my
preferred time to get out of bed :P

Am I free to just pick and choose any kanji in this way?

Last name: a helluva lot of katakana, as with most european last
names... actual meaning "peaceful place" (after a farm owned by my
great great grandfather)... could I simply look up the kanji for
"peaceful" (or equivalent) and "place (or equivalent)" and, err, "pick
the nicest looking ones"?

How many kanji are there "normally" in a (non japanese) person's full
name? 2+2 is what I've seen in my textbooks so far, but elementary
japanese textbooks are hardly a definitive guide to anything but
elementary japanese (if that, even).

If anyone would care to show their name kanjis and give a brief
explanation of how they were chosen (or given), I'd really appreciate
it.

ヒルデ :)
Sean
2006-02-26 09:57:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by Pieter Mioch
If you have a drop of Japanese blood in you somewhere trace you ancestry and
adopt some characters from their names/ place of birth otherwise just stick
to kana, gaijin with kanji names but no Japanese ancestry or even Japanese
nationality are silly.
Is there something wrong with being silly? It is for precisely for the
purpose of being silly that I dubbed myself $BJ]MpE[(B.
Pieter Mioch
2006-02-26 11:48:54 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sean
Post by Pieter Mioch
If you have a drop of Japanese blood in you somewhere trace you ancestry and
adopt some characters from their names/ place of birth otherwise just stick
to kana, gaijin with kanji names but no Japanese ancestry or even Japanese
nationality are silly.
Is there something wrong with being silly?
No, nothing I can think of, good point. However, you don't
actually put $B!VJ]MpE[!W(B on your meishi, do you?

It is for precisely for the
Post by Sean
purpose of being silly that I dubbed myself $BJ]MpE[(B.
Sean
2006-02-26 22:41:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Pieter Mioch
Post by Sean
Post by Pieter Mioch
If you have a drop of Japanese blood in you somewhere trace you ancestry
and
Post by Sean
Post by Pieter Mioch
adopt some characters from their names/ place of birth otherwise just
stick
Post by Sean
Post by Pieter Mioch
to kana, gaijin with kanji names but no Japanese ancestry or even
Japanese
Post by Sean
Post by Pieter Mioch
nationality are silly.
Is there something wrong with being silly?
No, nothing I can think of, good point. However, you don't
actually put $B!VJ]MpE[!W(B on your meishi, do you?
No. Except the meishi I take to silly conventions.
Kevin Wayne Williams
2006-02-26 15:48:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by sterkoder
Hi all,
I thought I would see if there were any kanji for my "kana name", but
I'm unsure how to go about it. I know not all names are suitable for
"translating" to kanji; I think my first name probably is but I'm
unsure about my last name.
No one gave you the simple answer, so I will: don't use kanji. Just
don't. No matter how good your choice is, most Japanese people and all
serious foreign students of Japanese will laugh at you. The only
exception seems to be the young teenage girls: if they are your target
demographic, go for it.

ケビン (formerly 蹴瓶)
em
2006-02-26 16:47:54 UTC
Permalink
$B!VD+?2K7$NCk=P$5$s!W$C$F$$$o$l$^$9$M!&!&!&(B

$B$[$+$K$b;W$$$D$$$?$1$I!"$3$NJU$G;_$a$H$-$^$9!#(B
$B:W$j$KAx$$$=$&!#!#!#(B (^_^;)
Marc Adler
2006-02-27 02:15:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Kevin Wayne Williams
serious foreign students of Japanese will laugh at you. The only
exception seems to be the young teenage girls: if they are your target
demographic, go for it.
Teenage girls have always been my target demographic. <*licks lips*>

The other exception to the knaji name for guy-gin is if you do one of
the -doe's, especially the show-doe, in which case you might have a
kanjimei muriyarily thrust upon you.

真亜久
j***@csse.monash.edu.au
2006-02-27 02:28:54 UTC
Permalink
Marc Adler <***@adlerpacific.com> dixit:

It's time to quote Steve Turnbull's knaji name experience.
See http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp/banned.html
--
Jim Breen http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/
Clayton School of Information Technology,
Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
$B%8%`!&%V%j!<%s(B@$B%b%J%7%eBg3X(B
Ben K. Bullock
2006-02-27 02:54:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
It's time to quote Steve Turnbull's knaji name experience.
See http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp/banned.html
There are lots of regulations about seals in Japan. I have five of the
things, two for my company name (one is for stamping onto invoices and the
other is for accessing the bank account), two for my name in romaji, and one
for my name in "phonetic characters" as Mr $BC88E(B calls them. The romaji name
one, saying "Bullock", is a registered seal necessary for such things as
buying a car, because the name has to be the same one as on the Alien
Registration Certificate.

Another experience on a similar note, when I got my credit card from the
Japanese bank, they rejected my signature the first time round because it
didn't have my middle name in it. So I had to "sign" my credit card
application using a form of my name which wasn't my "signature" even for the
purposes of using the credit card.

I don't know why anyone wants to confuse the situation still further by
giving themselves a completely bogus kanji name and then whining when it
isn't accepted.
Craig Welch
2006-02-27 03:09:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Another experience on a similar note, when I got my credit card from the
Japanese bank, they rejected my signature the first time round because
it didn't have my middle name in it. So I had to "sign" my credit card
application using a form of my name which wasn't my "signature" even for
the purposes of using the credit card.
I had only to ensure that my name was signed as per my passport.
--
Craig
Sean
2006-02-27 11:24:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ben K. Bullock
I don't know why anyone wants to confuse the situation still further by
giving themselves a completely bogus kanji name and then whining when it
isn't accepted.
1. One wants to confuse the situation by giving themselves a completely
bogus kanji name.

2. Whining when it isn't accepted.

These are two separate things. One can embrace (1) with gusto, while
scorning (2).
j***@csse.monash.edu.au
2006-02-28 04:12:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
It's time to quote Steve Turnbull's knaji name experience.
See http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp/banned.html
There are lots of regulations about seals in Japan. I have five of the
things, two for my company name (one is for stamping onto invoices and the
other is for accessing the bank account), two for my name in romaji, and one
for my name in "phonetic characters" as Mr $BC88E(B calls them. The romaji name
one, saying "Bullock", is a registered seal necessary for such things as
buying a car, because the name has to be the same one as on the Alien
Registration Certificate.
I have just the one, saying $B%V%j!<%s(B, with which I operate a bank
account. (I'm probably not supposed to have one as I don't have an
address in Japan, but Mizuho seems happy to hang onto a few kilobucks and
pay no interest. They even gave me a new passbook last time a visited
a branch.)
Post by Ben K. Bullock
I don't know why anyone wants to confuse the situation still further by
giving themselves a completely bogus kanji name and then whining when it
isn't accepted.
Well, in Steve Turnbull's case it was a colleague who encouraged him to
get one. I wouldn't call Steve's "a completely bogus kanji name" - I know
naturalized Japanese citizens who've been ordered to get kanjified names.
Jack Halpern has bee signing himself $B=UJW?}PT(B for years.
--
Jim Breen http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/
Clayton School of Information Technology,
Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
$B%8%`!&%V%j!<%s(B@$B%b%J%7%eBg3X(B
Marc Adler
2006-02-28 06:26:12 UTC
Permalink
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
Jack Halpern has bee signing himself $B=UJW?}PT(B for years.
He's still alive?!?

Marc
j***@csse.monash.edu.au
2006-02-28 06:58:45 UTC
Permalink
Post by Marc Adler
Jack Halpern has bee(n) signing himself $B=UJW?}PT(B for years.
He's still alive?!?
Crikey. I hope so. He seemed to be about 6 weeks ago whan I got an
email from him. He's only a year or so older than me.
--
Jim Breen http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/
Clayton School of Information Technology,
Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
$B%8%`!&%V%j!<%s(B@$B%b%J%7%eBg3X(B
Sean
2006-02-28 08:12:26 UTC
Permalink
On 2/27/06 10:58 PM, in article
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
Post by Marc Adler
Jack Halpern has bee(n) signing himself $B=UJW?}PT(B for years.
He's still alive?!?
Crikey. I hope so. He seemed to be about 6 weeks ago whan I got an
email from him. He's only a year or so older than me.
Does riding a unicycle give one half the health benefit of riding a bicycle,
or double? A question for the ages.
Louise Bremner
2006-02-28 10:03:09 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sean
On 2/27/06 10:58 PM, in article
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
Post by Marc Adler
Jack Halpern has bee(n) signing himself ???? for years.
He's still alive?!?
Crikey. I hope so. He seemed to be about 6 weeks ago whan I got an
email from him. He's only a year or so older than me.
Does riding a unicycle give one half the health benefit of riding a bicycle,
or double? A question for the ages.
Double, I'd say. It's pigging difficult.

________________________________________________________________________
Louise Bremner (log at gol dot com)
If you want a reply by e-mail, don't write to my Yahoo address!
Ben K. Bullock
2006-02-28 06:42:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
It's time to quote Steve Turnbull's knaji name experience.
See http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp/banned.html
I don't know why anyone wants to confuse the situation still further by
giving themselves a completely bogus kanji name and then whining when it
isn't accepted.
Well, in Steve Turnbull's case it was a colleague who encouraged him to
get one. I wouldn't call Steve's "a completely bogus kanji name" - I know
naturalized Japanese citizens who've been ordered to get kanjified names.
Jack Halpern has bee signing himself $B=UJW?}PT(B for years.
Why does that make Turnbull's name not bogus? It clearly says that
Turnbull's kanji name is not his alien card name or naturalized Japanese
name on the page above. Anyway, to get a stamp made up costs maybe 500 yen
per character if Mr Turnbull heads to Asse or Seibu, or less if he uses one
of the internet based seal shops. He could probably earn that much money in
less time than it took him to put up the web page. It is not worth making a
fuss about.
j***@csse.monash.edu.au
2006-02-28 06:57:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
It's time to quote Steve Turnbull's knaji name experience.
See http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp/banned.html
giving themselves a completely bogus kanji name and then whining when it
isn't accepted.
Well, in Steve Turnbull's case it was a colleague who encouraged him to
get one. I wouldn't call Steve's "a completely bogus kanji name" - I know
naturalized Japanese citizens who've been ordered to get kanjified names.
Jack Halpern has bee signing himself $B=UJW?}PT(B for years.
Why does that make Turnbull's name not bogus? It clearly says that
Turnbull's kanji name is not his alien card name or naturalized Japanese
name on the page above. Anyway, to get a stamp made up costs maybe 500 yen
per character if Mr Turnbull heads to Asse or Seibu, or less if he uses one
of the internet based seal shops. He could probably earn that much money in
less time than it took him to put up the web page. It is not worth making a
fuss about.
I don't think he "made a fuss" at all. When he started at Tsukubadai
his colleagues encouraged him to have a kanji inkan, so he used one
for 8 years, for such things as certifying students' results, etc. etc.
The fuss came from the Monbusho low-life that occupied the admin
positions in national universities. I think the WWW page is more a matter
of whimsy.
--
Jim Breen http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/
Clayton School of Information Technology,
Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
$B%8%`!&%V%j!<%s(B@$B%b%J%7%eBg3X(B
Ben K. Bullock
2006-02-28 07:31:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by j***@csse.monash.edu.au
I don't think he "made a fuss" at all. When he started at Tsukubadai
his colleagues encouraged him to have a kanji inkan, so he used one
for 8 years, for such things as certifying students' results, etc. etc.
The fuss came from the Monbusho low-life that occupied the admin
positions in national universities. I think the WWW page is more a matter
of whimsy.
The page itself is a fuss. I don't know what his intention was, but I really
doubt that not being allowed to use the seal with the bogus kanji name had
anything to do with him not being racially Japanese. That sounds like
paranoia to me. It's much more likely that he was not supposed to use a seal
which did not correspond with the name he was employed under. Japanese are
absolute sticklers for these kinds of details, and the same thing would
probably happen to a Japanese person who used a stamp with a different name
on it than the one he was employed under. I also would not call any Monbusho
person a "low life" on the basis of Mr Turnbull's pages alone. Whether he
intends to be whimsical or not, I cannot say, but this kind of trouble over
mismatched paperwork is a common phenomenon in Japan, and it happens to the
Japanese just as much as to foreigners, if not more. In fact Mr Turnbull has
had an easy ride so far in Japan if this the worst "Japanese bureaucracy"
story that he can come up with.
j***@csse.monash.edu.au
2006-02-28 08:47:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ben K. Bullock
I also would not call any Monbusho
person a "low life" on the basis of Mr Turnbull's pages alone.
Of course not. Having worked in a Japanese national university, I am
fully qualified to call the admin staff "Monbusho low life" all by myself.
(To be fair, some were nice and helpful.)
Post by Ben K. Bullock
Whether he
intends to be whimsical or not, I cannot say, but this kind of trouble over
mismatched paperwork is a common phenomenon in Japan, and it happens to the
Japanese just as much as to foreigners, if not more. In fact Mr Turnbull has
had an easy ride so far in Japan if this the worst "Japanese bureaucracy"
story that he can come up with.
Oh Steve has far worse stories, I,m sure. I think this one just
tickled his fancy enough to make a WWW page about for the edification
of iggerant guyjin.
--
Jim Breen http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/
Clayton School of Information Technology,
Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
$B%8%`!&%V%j!<%s(B@$B%b%J%7%eBg3X(B
Zhen Lin
2006-02-27 10:59:44 UTC
Permalink
$B??0!5W(B
I recall once advising another Mark to take for his $BEv$F;z(B $BKb0-(B or $B??0-(B
- a little poking at the meaning 'warlike'.
chance
2006-03-03 03:39:58 UTC
Permalink
"sterkoder" <***@yahoo.no> wrote

I thought I would see if there were any kanji for my "kana name", but
I'm unsure how to go about it.

May I suggest 平原妃琉出、
read as 'hirahara hirude',
as kanji choice for your name?

CK
sterkoder
2006-03-03 14:54:14 UTC
Permalink
平原妃琉出... I like it :)

As for the reason why... it is/was optional homework for winter break,
most likely to encourage us students to go find a way to look things up
online, etc, as we had just had a discussion on computers and
kana/kanji. We're halfway through the 1st semester of a bachelor and
have only been through about 20-30 very basic kanji so far, still it's
very useful at this stage to be able to find information online and to
be able to read/write japanese on your computer "proper".

Thanks,
sterkoder
Sho
2006-03-03 20:59:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by sterkoder
平原妃琉出... I like it :)
I agree that this is aesthetically very well done, except that there is
a chance of the last two characters being misread by someone ignorant
like myself as 流出.
Post by sterkoder
As for the reason why... it is/was optional homework for winter break,
most likely to encourage us students to go find a way to look things up
online, etc, as we had just had a discussion on computers and
kana/kanji. We're halfway through the 1st semester of a bachelor and
have only been through about 20-30 very basic kanji so far, still it's
very useful at this stage to be able to find information online and to
be able to read/write japanese on your computer "proper".
In that case, particularly, I kind of like your own choice: 昼出, mostly
because it is a fairly commonly used expression by itself, and so is
very likely to be read as you intend it to be. Basically it means
getting to one's workplace/school at around noon, so it isn't as bad as
getting out of bed at that time of the day. You might also consider 和田
for your family name. Here, the idea of "peace" is even more clearly
indicated, and "farm" has been converted to "rice paddy" for the reason
that you are probably aware of. --和田昼出. Whether you like it or not
is a different matter.


sterkoder
2006-03-09 13:53:41 UTC
Permalink
Thank you for your suggestion, Sho. I think I'll have a chat with my
grandmother to hear if it was just the farm itself that went by this
"name" or if it was also the area surrounding it (allthough the two
might be hard to separate). That might help me decide.

ひるで

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