Hi Umesh, Could this practise of changing first names in order to assimilate be a matter of one not having enough self confidence. I really don't know. I have somehow managed not to have changed my first or last name, and I don't intend to make the change. Has this been difficult? Maybe? But I feel very comfortable with my name (albiet being unpronounceable, even for many Indians). At the office, I find that many Americans do make an effort to pronounce my name properly.
Yes! this is a personal choice, but I really don't find enough good reasons. Ultimately, your name and religion, language, and culture, I think defines who you are. My take is simple: I probably am hanging on to the some of the last vestiges of my roots (probably in futility). Frankly, I really don't know if this is right or wrong. --Ram-da --- umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Ram-da, > > Though I agree that many Indians and Chinese and > Arabs in USA have started changing their first names > and surnames - in favor of more easily pronounceable > western names (English words -or Christian names as > you pointed out), but our Dean at School of > Education at Harvard has a completely > unpronounceable German name - but she hasn't changed > it -despite being a US citizen of long standing (I > believe there are more people of German origin in > USA than of Englis origin) I believe Schwazernegger > is diffcilut to pronounce as well - as are the East > European and African surnames. > > Umesh > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Ram-da wrote: > > Hi KJD, Baruah, > > This is an interesting topic and actually brings us > to > defining beauty? Is it true that 'its in the eye of > the beholder'? I agree with Baruah that its not only > Assamese, but other cultures also prefer 'white'. > > When beauty is defined, then being 'white' or fair > is > one of the ingredients. Even in Africa, the beauty > pagents usually selected the 'fairest' among the > rest. > > But, I think there is a range for this beauty. If > one > is too 'white' or too 'dark' then probably that goes > against this. That is the reason, white women want a > tan and darker women want a lighter skin. > > Human beings may in fact be hard-wired in this > concept > of beauty. That brings up other things - > > The near total domination of the world by the West > for > most of history. Is one the factors they could > dominate was that they were 'white' or ' boga > sahib'. > Even today, the boga sahibs somehow command more > attention from Air India to people. I sometimes > wonder > about this. Have the British left such an > uneraseable > mark on the Indian (national) psyche of a feeling of > some sort of inferiority complex. One often see > Indians (NRIs and NRAs) in the US too bending over > backwards to 'blend in'. In their eagerness to blend > in and assimilate (not that assimilation or blending > is wrong), there have been cases where names and > religions can be sacrificed at the alter. A > Natarajan > becomes Nate, and Ram becomes Ron, all because the > boga sahibs 'cannot' pronounce these tongue-twisting > Indian names. Of course its not just Indians, its > the > Chinese too. They all have Christian first names. I > am > sure this is true of many others too. > In the end of course, we all know - beauty is only > skin deep. Are we kidding ourselves! > > > > --------------------------------- > ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even > more fun! > _______________________________________________ > Assam mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > Mailing list FAQ: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > To unsubscribe or change options: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today! http://my.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam Mailing list FAQ: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
