Comments on: Living in Japan with a foreign name http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/ back from the dead Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:13:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: SlyEcho http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/#comment-2917 SlyEcho Sat, 29 Jul 2006 04:33:30 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/#comment-2917 This happens everywhere around the world. But usually with names that were originally written with different scripts or languages. Even I have this problem, my bank has my name wrong; but there have never been any problems before, because they have already considered this possibility and don't use names for database identifiers. It's a good thing my country assigns a unique number to each person when they are born. Otherwise I'd always have paperwork problems like you described. This happens everywhere around the world. But usually with names that were originally written with different scripts or languages.

Even I have this problem, my bank has my name wrong; but there have never been any problems before, because they have already considered this possibility and don’t use names for database identifiers.

It’s a good thing my country assigns a unique number to each person when they are born. Otherwise I’d always have paperwork problems like you described.

]]> By: J. http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/#comment-2916 J. Sat, 29 Jul 2006 01:43:50 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/#comment-2916 I faced an additional problem: I am not from an English speaking country. So when English speaking people see my name they try to pronounce it and always garble it. If a Japanese person sees my name they first try to pronounce it in an English way (thus garbled) and then try to convert that into Japanese (second "garbling"). The result was horrible. By the time I had learned enough katakana I made sure that I modified the writing everywhere to a version which is much closer to the original pronunciation. By the way, I did check with dictionaries whether the katakana approximation of my name did not have a different meaning (as your example of Deb). I faced an additional problem: I am not from an English speaking country. So when English speaking people see my name they try to pronounce it and always garble it. If a Japanese person sees my name they first try to pronounce it in an English way (thus garbled) and then try to convert that into Japanese (second “garbling”). The result was horrible. By the time I had learned enough katakana I made sure that I modified the writing everywhere to a version which is much closer to the original pronunciation. By the way, I did check with dictionaries whether the katakana approximation of my name did not have a different meaning (as your example of Deb).

]]> By: chipple.net http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/#comment-2918 chipple.net Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:04:22 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/#comment-2918 <strong>JLPT revisited</strong> After having skipped last year's, I'm in for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test level 2 next December 3rd. I will... JLPT revisited

After having skipped last year’s, I’m in for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test level 2 next December 3rd. I will…

]]> By: Joel http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/#comment-2915 Joel Fri, 28 Jul 2006 15:57:03 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/nihongo/living-in-japan-with-a-foreign-name/#comment-2915 So true. I have been in Japan for years too, and just today went through the same stupid problem, which I have been through dozens of times, and made corrections, then they change it again. They made the rules, then up and decide to change them again. Can they make up one rule and stick with it. Would make their life and mine much easier. So true. I have been in Japan for years too, and just today went through the same stupid problem, which I have been through dozens of times, and made corrections, then they change it again.

They made the rules, then up and decide to change them again. Can they make up one rule and stick with it. Would make their life and mine much easier.

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