[KS] Re: How to Write Korean Names in English?

[Hea J Son]

Dear members,

Some thoughts to the name issue.
Like some one said, "there is no complete translation" whatever you try to
translate from  one culture into another there bound to be something lost.
Translation is a kind of work done at a loss.  However, when it comes to a
name, especially a Korean name, it becomes far more complicated and
complex due to the culture it conveys, embraces and implies.  It may have
occurred to many members but I was rather taken aback not to see any
comments in relation to the culture of Korean names.  Although a number of
different ways of naming: Christian, natural,  Hangul and so on, have been
developed and practised the most traditional and still, in many ways,
common way of naming, requires date of birth, time, and, beside the
surname, 'Dol-Lim-Ja' (a letter shared by the same generation in the
family; I assume what it does is familiar to all the members, ie if you
come across a stranger who shares the same surname and a 'Dol-Lim-Ja' you
would accept that you and the stranger are long lost relatives from
sometime in the past.)
So through your name you are connected with your ancestors as well as your
'Four Pillars'.  The point being here is that a Korean name is far bigger,
wider, and more profound then just a name.  

I do not have any special belief in the sense of religion but this is
something I was bought up with and I value, as it is my culture, which
gives me my autonomy and identity. Why do we try to adjust and struggle to
fit into the culture that only imposes that, as Henny Savenije points out
on 11 Jan message, "our rules are the only right ones"? Instead, why do
not we stop and think about why and what we are doing to ourselves and our
culture once and for all?

Is it impossible to Koreanise Korean names rather then romanising it? 

Lots of thanks for your attention.




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