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 confusing with first name and last name, chinese come and help!

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SUSOptiplex330
post Dec 18 2008, 05:40 PM

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QUOTE(haya @ Dec 17 2008, 11:06 AM)
There are 3 ways of dealing with Chinese names in the western context. Using your example, some people hyphenate the two words, so you end up being Yin-Shen Goh, with Yin-Shen being your name. Most Taiwanese follow this convention when writing their names with alphabets (just look at all the Taiwanese presidents).

The other way is to follow the PRC convention, and make them one "word". So your name will be Yinshen Goh. The only downside is that your name will be mispronounced a bit more than one would like.

Finally, the Malaysian/Singaporean convention is to just switch your name around, so your name is written as Yin Shen Goh. The downside to this is when you are called (in class, bank etc), you end up being Mr Yin Goh, as generally the "shen" is treated as a middle name and not generally used.

Wait till you see the "fun" I have with a English name. I really wish Malaysian passports would have a surname field. But I am aware that the Malay's and Indian's don't have a surname.
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Very informative. So you have:

Taiwan: Yin-Shen Goh
PRC: Yinshen Goh
Malaysia: Yin Shen Goh

Here is another short form:
Yin S. Goh
(First Name) (Middle name as initial only) (Last or Surname)

So you should not be surprised if your Western friend starts to call you Yin

SUSOptiplex330
post Dec 18 2008, 06:20 PM

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Angelina S.L. Yeoh

SUSOptiplex330
post Dec 19 2008, 08:41 AM

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QUOTE(Optiplex330 @ Dec 18 2008, 06:20 PM)
Angelina S.L. Yeoh
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It common for people not to know the middle name of their friend in Western country, hence initial will suffice. Normally, only close friend bother to find out what the initial S.L. means.

Let's do a little experiment here. Without checking on Internet, how many of you know what does the "W" in George W. Bush stands for?


 

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