Ms Healthy Gentle Happy
(My birthday present from Ying’s parents)
I didn’t realise when I first came to China that the vernacularisation of a foreign name was standard, just as many Chinese (and other Asians) take the sounds from their real name and translate them to similar sounds in English names. For instance, my friend Dao Yue becomes David in the UK, my Thai friend Pete’s real name is Kompit, the second part of which sounds exactly like Pete.
I was desperate to have a Chinese name and initially a friend at Ying’s work gave me Luo Si, a name sounding very close to ‘Rosie’, but exchanging the R sound for an L. When I asked what the name meant, it turned out that it had no meaning, per se, but was merely a collection of sounds mimicking my name. I admit I was rather disappointed. All Chinese names have a meaning – I’ve mentioned before that Ying’s first name roughly means English Good Omen. What I have always wanted is a name that was mine – if I am to live here for three years, surely I deserve an authentic name if people will struggle to pronounce my English one. I asked around once again and one person came up with Ke Ma Li, connecting the ‘Cu’ of my surname with a version of ‘Mary’, the second half of ‘Rosemary’. Again, although an improvement with the addition of a surname, I was still not satisfied.
I was finally rewarded with a birthday gift of a real name that you can see here. Massive, genuine thanks to Ying’s parents for their efforts, when I opened the email containing my gift, I did tear a little. It’s a wonderful gift and I’m delighted. I’m especially grateful that as well as sounding almost exactly like ‘Rosie’, the name has actual meaning. The Kang element is a real Chinese surname. This replaces my English surname mouthful, ‘Cunningham’. Kang means ‘healthy’, a very good surname indeed. Rou is ‘soft’ or ‘gentle’ and Xi is ‘happy’. As Ying’s dad wrote to me, I am now Ms Healthy Gentle Happy. Now all I need to do is learn to write it!
Happy Birthday, Rouxi:)
That’s BRILLIANT!!!