Juliet
What’s Montague? It is not hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d
I often hear students and colleagues introduce themselves “Myself Harish”, “Myself, Narayanan”. Well, try not to. Ever. It is grammatically accurate to say “My name is Harish.” like we were taught in the nursery class, or to say “I am Harish”, but in an actual conversation if someone asks your name, just say the name without any preamble .
Strangers shaking hands, often say their name (without waiting to be asked) and get that out of the way. In India, this may not be a good idea if you are saddled with names like “Lovely”, “Honey”, “Giggle”, or “Diamond”. Imagine shaking hands with a guy who is murmuring “Johnson” or “Harish” and you are smiling sweetly and murmuring “Honey” or “Lovely”. Misunderstandings guaranteed. If any of my readers think I am making these names up, I am not. Why we have a university called “Lovely University”.
Towards the end of a class, I reward my students for good behaviour by taking attendance. Faces brighten, as the roll call starts and it is not just because it signals the end of another boring grammar class. The actual reason is the inevitable longish pauses, a few names down the list. The reason for the pause…I am staring at a name. Thirugnanasambandam. Or maybe it is Kurinjivendan. I sometimes wonder if parents name their children specifically to make my life difficult. As I struggle to make the right sounds, the entire class is busy either laughing or making (un)helpful suggestions. Once in a while, the owner of the name comes to my rescue by magnanimously saying “Just call me Thiru ma’am”, “Call me KJ, ma’am”. I think “Aaah, what a sweetheart”, though the other students give him dirty looks and think “What a spoilsport”.
This is especially awkward because I believe it is important to say someone’s name correctly. Though I can proudly say I am getting better at it. ‘Karpumuthu’ is a piece of cake, and a lovely name meaning ‘black pearl”.
If you are good at remembering names, lucky you. I can’t, and have to spend the first week of starting class with a new batch, mugging up student names and matching names to those faces. Sometimes, the process takes a month! What’s in a name, Shakespeare may say, but most will say plenty. One’s name is an integral part of one’s identity; hence the quasi religious nature of naming ceremonies in almost every part of the world. I am waiting for the day when I can blame my forgetfulness on old age.
And to all those people who spell my name with an ‘h’, for the umpteenth time, there is no ‘h’. To all those named in the post, for having spelt your names wrongly, “a thousand apologies” as Ranjeet Singh would say.
Language Lesson
Tip 28: If you are wondering who Ranjeet Singh is, check out a television comedy called “Mind Your Language”. Good for laughs and language tips.
Tip 29:“What is your good name?” is an oft heard but wrong expression, a direct translation of the Hindi expression “shub nam”. In the English language, names are neither good nor bad. However, there is a first name and a last/surname.
Another usage difference is that in England, I would be addressed as Dr Manuel or Prof Manuel. Confession time: I prefer the Indian way of saying Dr Anita or Prof Anita. Reasons for the preference: First, in the latter my gender is clear. Second, Manuel is my husband’s name and hey, I would like to be addressed by mine. Third, it strikes a nice balance between the formal and the informal. But that’s my personal view! The correct usage is the coupling of Dr/Prof with the surname.
for students with love 