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Even if somebody puts a gun to your head and orders you to change your name, you'd still have a choice and it would be your decision what to do. That's not much

Even if somebody puts a gun to your head and orders you to change your name, you'd still have a choice and it would be your decision what to do. That's not much of an argument though.

gambiting 2y ago
No one put a gun to his head though. Discomfort of English speakers isn't enough reason to not use your real name if that's your preference. Again, speaking from experience.
- PaulHoule 2y ago
  Many Chinese (speaking) students in the US pick an English language name like “William” or “Wendy” because they know people they meet will struggle with a name which could be several short words with unfamiliar vowels and consonants and tone that matters.
  - gambiting 2y ago
    Of course - and I support their choice. People struggle with my name every day and I could change it to make it easier for English speakers - but I don't think that's quite the same as being "forced" to change it.
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    Sure, but do you refuse to use the names those people give? This takes away their agency. It is their call, not yours.
  - pavel_lishin 2y ago
    It can also be annoying to run the 15-minute gauntlet of "but how do you really pronounce it", and you end up having to play dialect coach. Going by an easy-to-pronounce name is much less aggravating.
- protomolecule 2y ago
  People would want to avoid awkward situation and talk to you (or about you) less.
  - gambiting 2y ago
    That's not quite the same as having a gun to your head. Again, I have a slavic name that's extremely difficult to English speakers and I live in the UK - no one is forcing me to change it. I understand some people chose to change their name so it's "easier" for English speakers - and I respect that choice. But let's not pretend that Mr Turyshev was "forced" to change his name - he wasn't.
    - protomolecule 2y ago
      Nobody said that it's the same, but the logic of the argument is the same.

Even if somebody puts a gun to your head and orders you to change your name, you'd still have a choice and it would be your decision what to do. That's not much of an argument though.

gambiting 2y ago

No one put a gun to his head though. Discomfort of English speakers isn't enough reason to not use your real name if that's your preference. Again, speaking from experience.

PaulHoule 2y ago
Many Chinese (speaking) students in the US pick an English language name like “William” or “Wendy” because they know people they meet will struggle with a name which could be several short words with unfamiliar vowels and consonants and tone that matters.
- gambiting 2y ago
  Of course - and I support their choice. People struggle with my name every day and I could change it to make it easier for English speakers - but I don't think that's quite the same as being "forced" to change it.
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  Sure, but do you refuse to use the names those people give? This takes away their agency. It is their call, not yours.
- pavel_lishin 2y ago
  It can also be annoying to run the 15-minute gauntlet of "but how do you really pronounce it", and you end up having to play dialect coach. Going by an easy-to-pronounce name is much less aggravating.
protomolecule 2y ago
People would want to avoid awkward situation and talk to you (or about you) less.
- gambiting 2y ago
  That's not quite the same as having a gun to your head. Again, I have a slavic name that's extremely difficult to English speakers and I live in the UK - no one is forcing me to change it. I understand some people chose to change their name so it's "easier" for English speakers - and I respect that choice. But let's not pretend that Mr Turyshev was "forced" to change his name - he wasn't.
  - protomolecule 2y ago
    Nobody said that it's the same, but the logic of the argument is the same.