Thursday, February 23, 2006
third world banking
Put a cheque in the bank on Monday(20thFeb), not a personal cheque, but a company cheque from one of the country's biggest companies.It will clear on Tuesday the 28th-8days.How can people here allow the banks quite obviously to keep their money for such a long time.£40m was stolen from the banks this morning, nice work if you can get it.British gas announced a 20%price hike, that's about 60% in the last year.This country is full of muppets who let themselves be walked all over.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
The office
I am a civil servant now! If someone had said that I would be working for the civil service in the UK this time last year, I would have called them mad. I have had classroom training for 2 weeks now, and have 1 more week left in the classroom. There are a lot of rules and regulations and formulas to learn, but it is essentially a walk in the park. The government do look after their employees. We have 22 days holiday plus 11 days public holidays and sick days and 'other' days if required, and that is in the 1st year.I have booked my holidays for May(to go to Hong Kong).We had a security talk on the 1st day-I can't really go into specifics! I joined the union on the 2nd day, they do look after you.We are not allowed tests after training-only quizes.If you can't do the job after the training you are retrained. After 17 days in the classroom we will have 2-3 weeks consolidation-before we are actually let loose. They have a sports and leisure club. We can get free counselling and legal advice about anything-confidentially.My colleagues are really nice, we all went out on the piss last week. I could get used to this.It is still f-ing cold here.
I managed to get a laptop-kindly funded by the Open University(see homework below).
I have been talking to Jason(see pic below) over the internet and a couple of people in Hong Kong for free!! Jason put me onto this website www.skype.com, just downlaod the software, install and get free calls to other pc's via their e-mail address. There is no spyware , popups, or adverts.You can pay-to call non pc phones, but it is the biz.do it, (it can search through your email address book to see if anyone on it has signed up)and give me a call-for free.
I heard one of my mates in Hong Kong was dressed as a woman at the weekend in the och-what is going on?
I managed to get a laptop-kindly funded by the Open University(see homework below).
I have been talking to Jason(see pic below) over the internet and a couple of people in Hong Kong for free!! Jason put me onto this website www.skype.com, just downlaod the software, install and get free calls to other pc's via their e-mail address. There is no spyware , popups, or adverts.You can pay-to call non pc phones, but it is the biz.do it, (it can search through your email address book to see if anyone on it has signed up)and give me a call-for free.
I heard one of my mates in Hong Kong was dressed as a woman at the weekend in the och-what is going on?
my homework!
Why play with language? There’s a bison down by the lake
By Guy Cook (The art of English: Everyday creativity) 2006
Reviewed by Christopher Mercer
19/02/2006
Of course the title alone is enough to raise one’s interest in the article, and Guy Cook, explains this right away. The ‘There’s a bison down by the lake view’ put forward by Robert Dunbar (1996) put simply – if one prehistoric hunter could say this to another then their chances of catching the bison increased greatly. The idea is, that humans develop language to convey information. The main focus of the article is that
Guy Cook believes that language has many other uses apart from simply giving and receiving necessary information.
Guy Cook begins his theory by looking at how children use language. The main thrust being, that children don’t use language to purely convey meaning, but often use it for pure pleasure. He uses nursery rhymes , which are nonsensical and have no basis upon real life. He uses the following as an example;
“ Diddle diddle dumpling my son John
Went to bed with his trousers on”. . This example was, interestingly also used by Ronald Carter (Language and creativity:The Art of common Talk p2, 2006) he takes the view that this rhyme is taught as a means to establishing close interpersonal ties, where the rhyme is described as a performance with it’s emphasis on repetition and rhyme, the literal meaning being irrelevant . This aspect of creativity in language-‘performance’ is skipped by Guy Cook at this stage. I find myself disagreeing with both authors. I think that nursery rhymes are in fact short tales/fables/folklore passed down through the years and remembered by children because of their rhymes. The example that Guy Cook gives above is a prime example. Although the story may not at first be apparent , it did originally have a more concrete meaning. A quick check of the OED for ‘Diddle’ gave me the following definition - diddle, v.1 colloq 1. intr. To walk unsteadily, as a child; to toddle; 1632 QUARLES Div. Fancies I. iv. (1660) 3 And when his forward strength began to bloom, To see him diddle up and down the Room! (OED online19/02/2006) I suspect that the rhyme tells us about John, stumbling drunkedly home. Other rhymes such as –‘ring a ring a roses’ demonstrate that nursery rhymes do indeed tell a story..
‘ring a ring a roses,
a pocket full of poses
a-tishoo, a-tishoo
we all fall down’
…this one being about the Bubonic Plague. I have taught my own children a wide variety of nursery rhymes, the reason being that they help children develop their language skills, but yes as Ronald Carter puts it, also to develop a closer relationship with them.
Guy Cook tells us that children prefer computer games, TV and bedtime stories more than mundane tasks such as maths and homework. Children may indeed prefer playtime to ‘worktime’-as do I, but I found his comments lacked any real depth, they were even speculative, sweeping all children with the same brush. What research had he made about children’s language use and play? The results of research may well bear out his suppositions, I for one would be eager to learn more about how(and why?) children develop language.
Next, Guy Cook acquaints us with the features of language play, these are characterized in three steps- 1st – Repetition, of words, rhymes, stories, jokes.
2nd- Use of fictional worlds or situations
3rd – Social Function-bonding and exclusion.
These steps do provide, in my humble opinion, a good basis upon which to study children’s language use.
The article then moves on to possibly its main point- adults and language play. Guy Cook first looks at adults private language play, dismissing the play of children as just being a stage in their development due to the fact that adults continue this play. He uses valentine’s messages and lovers baby talk as examples. I’m not sure they are as private as he infers. He also maintains that adults share children’s love of fiction-TV (Drama, Soap operas) Pop songs, and the internet which he asserts is used mainly for games chat rooms and fantasies. Here, I must cry- where is the evidence? Where are the statistics?
Okay, in regards to television the evidence can easily be found and will most likely support Guy Cook, but what about the new craze for ‘Reality TV’? His sweeping statement about internet use astounded me, and why is ‘chat’ fictional? I looked for some evidence either way and found the following top 50 websites published by ComScore Media Metrix(http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?id=710) (fig1) a respected web research company used by the BBC(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2867855.stm) 20.03.03 The top 20 internet sites comprise of amongst others- Ebay, WalMart, New York Times, The Weather Channel , Apple computers, and AT&T – none offering gaming, chat or fictional content. I actually came to the opposite conclusion regarding people’s use of the internet- people use it to find information and to communicate with others. Also I checked the equivalent of Nielsen: Alexa, another ratings agency see- Top English Language Sites( Updated Daily) 1. Yahoo! www.yahoo.com - 2. Microsoft Network (MSN) www.msn.com 3. Google www.google.com 4. EBay www.ebay.com 5. Passport.net www.passport.net - 6. Myspace www.myspace.com - 7. Amazon.com www.amazon.com - 8. Microsoft Corporation www.microsoft.com - 9. Google UK www.google.co.uk 10. BBC Online www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_500) 2/20/2006
Of course , a lot of users will play games and live out their fantasies , but without evidence to the contrary I believe these groups are amongst the minority.
Figure 1.
Top 25 Properties December 2005 Total U.S. – Home, Work and University Locations Unique Visitors (000) Source: comScore Media Metrix
Rank Property Unique Visitors
(000)
Total Internet Users 170,285
1 Yahoo! Sites 127,132
2 MSN-Microsoft Sites 116,665
3 Time Warner Network 116,381
4 Google Sites 93,124
5 eBay 74,814
6 Amazon Sites 57,604
7 Ask Jeeves 42,440
8 Wal-Mart 38,069
9 Viacom Online 36,728
10 New York Times Digital 34,335
11 Myspace.com 32,209
12 Verizon Communications Corp. 32,063
13 CNET Networks 31,407
14 Target Corporation 31,178
15 Weather Channel, The 30,512
16 Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) 29,939
17 Apple Computer, Inc. 27,906
18 United Online, Inc 27,906
19 AT&T, Inc. 26,109
20 Vendare Media 24,706
21 Lycos, Inc. 24,672
22 Monster Worldwide 24,443
23 Best Buy Sites 23,976
24 Shopzilla.com Sites 23,172
25 Overstock.com 22,917
Guy Cook does state that although we may play with language privately, we use this language play to assume a group identity-shared hobbies, ideas, to create and keep relationships. He then moves on to discuss our language play in public, especially advertisements, but also songs, jokes and graffiti. He continues to draw parallels to child’s play, but it is at this point I ask myself- do adults copy children? Or do children copy adults? I came to the conclusion that it doesn’t really matter if we call language play ‘child’s play’ or not, it is more important to understand why we play with our language. Guy Cook highlights an example of language play- ‘verbal duelling’, between different members of society, most notably barristers and politicians. It is really only here that Guy Cook reveals to us his real theory. As we head towards the conclusion we are left with the feeling that we have been taken upon a ride purely to awaken our interest in the task at hand.
Does ‘play’ have a more profound use? Can it be just to help us find the bison? Guy Cook sets in motion the more complex issue of language and play and directs us to look at creativity –creative thinking, poems and song. He suggests that our use of creativity may enable us to expand ourselves and therefore humanity by enabling the mind to contemplate beyond its experiences. He argues that through creativity we are able to rebel against conformity and become liberated. The last few centuries have certainly proved this to be the case. Literature has often been used to establish ideas alien to people before e.g-Animal Farm-George Orwell, Vindication of the Rights of Women- Mary Wollstonecraft. Guy Cook uses Bob Dylan and Martin Luther King as examples, but the point is much the same, our use of language can influence the whole of society. Language ,creativity and advancement are linked.
To conclude Guy Cook accepts that language play actually is related to ‘ there’s a bison down by the lake’ in that use of creative language endears us to other people and like animals, it teaches us skills we may need to survive at the most basic level and at a species level. As well as this we need language to express ourselves, to create relationships, group cohesion and to create individuality.
My own conclusion is that this article ingeniously takes us through the ‘lifetime’ of language and whets our appetites for more on the subject of language and creativity and indeed humanity. Creativity and ‘performance’ are briefly looked at, and I believe that’s where we can find a deeper insight into these theories. If you have an interest in how we use, and why we use our language as we do, then this article is definitely a good place to start.
Bibliography/references
Book Title Author Editor Year Chapter Publisher edition Article/reading page
Language and creativity:The Art of common Talk Ronald Carter 2006 1 Routledge 2nd introduction 2
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1-3 Palgrave Macmillan 1st
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan 1st
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Ronald Carter Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan 1st Extracts from common language :corpus,creativity and cognition 29
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Guy Cook Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan 1st Why play with language? 37
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Lynne Cameron Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan 1st Metaphor in everyday language 46
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Joan Swann Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan The art of the everyday 3-29
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity-study guide 1 Alan Owen 2006 1 Open University
http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_500
20.2.2006 Alexa.com Top 500 websites
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2867855.stm
20.03.03 bbc Iraq conflict hits websites hard
http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?id=710
19.02.06 comscore Top 50 websites
OED online
http://dictionary.oed.com/ 19.2.06 Oxford
By Guy Cook (The art of English: Everyday creativity) 2006
Reviewed by Christopher Mercer
19/02/2006
Of course the title alone is enough to raise one’s interest in the article, and Guy Cook, explains this right away. The ‘There’s a bison down by the lake view’ put forward by Robert Dunbar (1996) put simply – if one prehistoric hunter could say this to another then their chances of catching the bison increased greatly. The idea is, that humans develop language to convey information. The main focus of the article is that
Guy Cook believes that language has many other uses apart from simply giving and receiving necessary information.
Guy Cook begins his theory by looking at how children use language. The main thrust being, that children don’t use language to purely convey meaning, but often use it for pure pleasure. He uses nursery rhymes , which are nonsensical and have no basis upon real life. He uses the following as an example;
“ Diddle diddle dumpling my son John
Went to bed with his trousers on”. . This example was, interestingly also used by Ronald Carter (Language and creativity:The Art of common Talk p2, 2006) he takes the view that this rhyme is taught as a means to establishing close interpersonal ties, where the rhyme is described as a performance with it’s emphasis on repetition and rhyme, the literal meaning being irrelevant . This aspect of creativity in language-‘performance’ is skipped by Guy Cook at this stage. I find myself disagreeing with both authors. I think that nursery rhymes are in fact short tales/fables/folklore passed down through the years and remembered by children because of their rhymes. The example that Guy Cook gives above is a prime example. Although the story may not at first be apparent , it did originally have a more concrete meaning. A quick check of the OED for ‘Diddle’ gave me the following definition - diddle, v.1 colloq 1. intr. To walk unsteadily, as a child; to toddle; 1632 QUARLES Div. Fancies I. iv. (1660) 3 And when his forward strength began to bloom, To see him diddle up and down the Room! (OED online19/02/2006) I suspect that the rhyme tells us about John, stumbling drunkedly home. Other rhymes such as –‘ring a ring a roses’ demonstrate that nursery rhymes do indeed tell a story..
‘ring a ring a roses,
a pocket full of poses
a-tishoo, a-tishoo
we all fall down’
…this one being about the Bubonic Plague. I have taught my own children a wide variety of nursery rhymes, the reason being that they help children develop their language skills, but yes as Ronald Carter puts it, also to develop a closer relationship with them.
Guy Cook tells us that children prefer computer games, TV and bedtime stories more than mundane tasks such as maths and homework. Children may indeed prefer playtime to ‘worktime’-as do I, but I found his comments lacked any real depth, they were even speculative, sweeping all children with the same brush. What research had he made about children’s language use and play? The results of research may well bear out his suppositions, I for one would be eager to learn more about how(and why?) children develop language.
Next, Guy Cook acquaints us with the features of language play, these are characterized in three steps- 1st – Repetition, of words, rhymes, stories, jokes.
2nd- Use of fictional worlds or situations
3rd – Social Function-bonding and exclusion.
These steps do provide, in my humble opinion, a good basis upon which to study children’s language use.
The article then moves on to possibly its main point- adults and language play. Guy Cook first looks at adults private language play, dismissing the play of children as just being a stage in their development due to the fact that adults continue this play. He uses valentine’s messages and lovers baby talk as examples. I’m not sure they are as private as he infers. He also maintains that adults share children’s love of fiction-TV (Drama, Soap operas) Pop songs, and the internet which he asserts is used mainly for games chat rooms and fantasies. Here, I must cry- where is the evidence? Where are the statistics?
Okay, in regards to television the evidence can easily be found and will most likely support Guy Cook, but what about the new craze for ‘Reality TV’? His sweeping statement about internet use astounded me, and why is ‘chat’ fictional? I looked for some evidence either way and found the following top 50 websites published by ComScore Media Metrix(http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?id=710) (fig1) a respected web research company used by the BBC(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2867855.stm) 20.03.03 The top 20 internet sites comprise of amongst others- Ebay, WalMart, New York Times, The Weather Channel , Apple computers, and AT&T – none offering gaming, chat or fictional content. I actually came to the opposite conclusion regarding people’s use of the internet- people use it to find information and to communicate with others. Also I checked the equivalent of Nielsen: Alexa, another ratings agency see- Top English Language Sites( Updated Daily) 1. Yahoo! www.yahoo.com - 2. Microsoft Network (MSN) www.msn.com 3. Google www.google.com 4. EBay www.ebay.com 5. Passport.net www.passport.net - 6. Myspace www.myspace.com - 7. Amazon.com www.amazon.com - 8. Microsoft Corporation www.microsoft.com - 9. Google UK www.google.co.uk 10. BBC Online www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_500) 2/20/2006
Of course , a lot of users will play games and live out their fantasies , but without evidence to the contrary I believe these groups are amongst the minority.
Figure 1.
Top 25 Properties December 2005 Total U.S. – Home, Work and University Locations Unique Visitors (000) Source: comScore Media Metrix
Rank Property Unique Visitors
(000)
Total Internet Users 170,285
1 Yahoo! Sites 127,132
2 MSN-Microsoft Sites 116,665
3 Time Warner Network 116,381
4 Google Sites 93,124
5 eBay 74,814
6 Amazon Sites 57,604
7 Ask Jeeves 42,440
8 Wal-Mart 38,069
9 Viacom Online 36,728
10 New York Times Digital 34,335
11 Myspace.com 32,209
12 Verizon Communications Corp. 32,063
13 CNET Networks 31,407
14 Target Corporation 31,178
15 Weather Channel, The 30,512
16 Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) 29,939
17 Apple Computer, Inc. 27,906
18 United Online, Inc 27,906
19 AT&T, Inc. 26,109
20 Vendare Media 24,706
21 Lycos, Inc. 24,672
22 Monster Worldwide 24,443
23 Best Buy Sites 23,976
24 Shopzilla.com Sites 23,172
25 Overstock.com 22,917
Guy Cook does state that although we may play with language privately, we use this language play to assume a group identity-shared hobbies, ideas, to create and keep relationships. He then moves on to discuss our language play in public, especially advertisements, but also songs, jokes and graffiti. He continues to draw parallels to child’s play, but it is at this point I ask myself- do adults copy children? Or do children copy adults? I came to the conclusion that it doesn’t really matter if we call language play ‘child’s play’ or not, it is more important to understand why we play with our language. Guy Cook highlights an example of language play- ‘verbal duelling’, between different members of society, most notably barristers and politicians. It is really only here that Guy Cook reveals to us his real theory. As we head towards the conclusion we are left with the feeling that we have been taken upon a ride purely to awaken our interest in the task at hand.
Does ‘play’ have a more profound use? Can it be just to help us find the bison? Guy Cook sets in motion the more complex issue of language and play and directs us to look at creativity –creative thinking, poems and song. He suggests that our use of creativity may enable us to expand ourselves and therefore humanity by enabling the mind to contemplate beyond its experiences. He argues that through creativity we are able to rebel against conformity and become liberated. The last few centuries have certainly proved this to be the case. Literature has often been used to establish ideas alien to people before e.g-Animal Farm-George Orwell, Vindication of the Rights of Women- Mary Wollstonecraft. Guy Cook uses Bob Dylan and Martin Luther King as examples, but the point is much the same, our use of language can influence the whole of society. Language ,creativity and advancement are linked.
To conclude Guy Cook accepts that language play actually is related to ‘ there’s a bison down by the lake’ in that use of creative language endears us to other people and like animals, it teaches us skills we may need to survive at the most basic level and at a species level. As well as this we need language to express ourselves, to create relationships, group cohesion and to create individuality.
My own conclusion is that this article ingeniously takes us through the ‘lifetime’ of language and whets our appetites for more on the subject of language and creativity and indeed humanity. Creativity and ‘performance’ are briefly looked at, and I believe that’s where we can find a deeper insight into these theories. If you have an interest in how we use, and why we use our language as we do, then this article is definitely a good place to start.
Bibliography/references
Book Title Author Editor Year Chapter Publisher edition Article/reading page
Language and creativity:The Art of common Talk Ronald Carter 2006 1 Routledge 2nd introduction 2
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1-3 Palgrave Macmillan 1st
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan 1st
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Ronald Carter Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan 1st Extracts from common language :corpus,creativity and cognition 29
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Guy Cook Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan 1st Why play with language? 37
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Lynne Cameron Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan 1st Metaphor in everyday language 46
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity Joan Swann Janet Maybin, Joan Swann 2006 1 Palgrave Macmillan The art of the everyday 3-29
The Art Of English:Everyday creativity-study guide 1 Alan Owen 2006 1 Open University
http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_500
20.2.2006 Alexa.com Top 500 websites
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2867855.stm
20.03.03 bbc Iraq conflict hits websites hard
http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?id=710
19.02.06 comscore Top 50 websites
OED online
http://dictionary.oed.com/ 19.2.06 Oxford
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Monday, February 06, 2006
filipino names(from the BBC)
The Philippine name game
By Sarah Toms
BBC News, Manila
Naming a child is often a difficult decision. For many Filipinos, individuality is an important factor, with many choosing unconventional first names. So when the BBC's Sarah Toms gave birth in the Philippines, could she come up with an original name?
In March, my daughter will be celebrating her second birthday in Manila.
Made in the Philippines and born in the Philippines, it seems only yesterday that I was trying to leave hospital with my newborn.
The nurses had quickly christened her "Miss Philippines" because of her long legs.
But then I discovered that until I came up with a real name and began her birth registration at the hospital, I would not be allowed to leave.
Exhaustion made any decision difficult and I started worrying I would be celebrating her first birthday in the hospital if I did not find a name soon.
'Ace' politician
Filipinos place serious importance on finding unique names for their children, most of them injected with a large dose of Philippine humour.
Here, there is nothing ironic about a senator called Joker Arroyo - it is his real name.
Joker Arroyo, who is no relation to the Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, has a brother called Jack but there is no word on any other siblings called Queen or King.
Another politician however, is known as Ace.
Congressman Robert Ace Barbers is always known by his middle name as his two other brothers and late father all share Robert as their first name.
One composite name that has become popular is Luzviminda, taken from the three main regions of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
One writer said it is like being called "Engscowani" for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In this devoutly Roman Catholic country it is not surprising that many have taken on religious names, but with a Philippine twist.
With a rapidly growing population, it seems there are not enough last names to go round
Take the mayor of Makati, the financial district in Manila.
His name is Jejomar, composed of the first few letters of Jesus, Joseph and Mary.
Catholicism started here with the arrival of the Spanish in 1521 and the colonisation of the Philippines.
Beyond food and architecture, religion is one of the lasting influences of Spanish rule. And that is at the root of the desire to have a unique first name.
Many Filipinos who converted to Catholicism took on surnames with religious references, such as Santos or De la Cruz, for good luck. But this resulted in many people having the same last names.
To solve the problem, the Spanish decided to restrict the surnames of Filipinos to a number of acceptable ones. But with a rapidly growing population, it seems there are not enough last names to go round.
Originality
Security experts say that with so many surnames being the same it can take ages to do background checks.
A first name with a bit of individuality can help avoid confusion and cases of mistaken identity
Filipinos encounter their own problems with the country's notoriously poor records system.
Getting a bank loan or passport can be a nightmare if someone with the same name is wanted for a crime.
With the country ranked as one of the most corrupt in Asia, thousands of Filipinos are forced to walk around with certificates from the National Bureau of Investigation to prove they are not wanted criminals.
So a first name with a bit of individuality can help avoid confusion and cases of mistaken identity.
Because of that I know a Peachy, a Preciosa and even a Bogi. I also know a Boy and a Girlie, names that often come from being the lone son or daughter in a large family.
One journalist friend told me of an interview he had with a Hitler Manila
I even have a female friend called Ken and no one thinks it is odd.
Still, I was taken aback when a famous and middle-aged newspaper columnist asked me to call him Babe.
Cultural misunderstanding
Some of the names are real and some are nicknames, but it is hard to tell them apart.
That brings me to the doorbell names: it is not uncommon to call your little one Bing, Bong, Bong Bong and even Ping and Ting.
Another category is the rock 'n' roll name.
How would you feel being christened Led Zeppelin, Mick Jagger or Nirvana?
One journalist friend told me of an interview he had with a Hitler Manila.
Mr Manila, who does not share the Nazi ideology, told him that he was always remembered for his name but it sometimes caused problems.
One time, when he was shooting pool with some visiting Germans, the atmosphere became tense after he wrote his name on the blackboard to reserve the next game.
Another friend told me of a couple who named their five daughters Candy, Caramel, Cookie, Peanut and Popcorn
Order was not restored until he pulled out his driving licence to prove his name really was Hitler.
Still, that experience did not stop him from carrying on the family tradition. His sons are named Himmler and Hess after two of Hitler's closest associates.
Deliberation
Another friend told me of a couple who named their five daughters Candy, Caramel, Cookie, Peanut and Popcorn.
Scott Harrison, an American businessman here, says he has heard of a woman who gave birth to twin girls on either side of midnight, naming them Sunday and Monday.
Nothing unusual in that - my daughter's kindergarten teacher is called Wednesday.
So what did I name my daughter?
After much deliberation and temptation to join the Philippine name game, I settled for an old French favourite, Elise.
Elise is not a strange name by any means, but in the Philippines it is as unusual as you can get.
From Our Own Correspondent was broadcast on Saturday, 14 January, 2006 at 1130 GMT on BBC Radio 4. Please check the programme schedules for World Service transmission times.
THREE WAYS TO LISTEN AGAIN
Listen to the programme Download the mp3 (8 Mb)
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4609892.stm
Published: 2006/01/14 13:29:33 GMT
© BBC MMVI
By Sarah Toms
BBC News, Manila
Naming a child is often a difficult decision. For many Filipinos, individuality is an important factor, with many choosing unconventional first names. So when the BBC's Sarah Toms gave birth in the Philippines, could she come up with an original name?
In March, my daughter will be celebrating her second birthday in Manila.
Made in the Philippines and born in the Philippines, it seems only yesterday that I was trying to leave hospital with my newborn.
The nurses had quickly christened her "Miss Philippines" because of her long legs.
But then I discovered that until I came up with a real name and began her birth registration at the hospital, I would not be allowed to leave.
Exhaustion made any decision difficult and I started worrying I would be celebrating her first birthday in the hospital if I did not find a name soon.
'Ace' politician
Filipinos place serious importance on finding unique names for their children, most of them injected with a large dose of Philippine humour.
Here, there is nothing ironic about a senator called Joker Arroyo - it is his real name.
Joker Arroyo, who is no relation to the Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, has a brother called Jack but there is no word on any other siblings called Queen or King.
Another politician however, is known as Ace.
Congressman Robert Ace Barbers is always known by his middle name as his two other brothers and late father all share Robert as their first name.
One composite name that has become popular is Luzviminda, taken from the three main regions of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
One writer said it is like being called "Engscowani" for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In this devoutly Roman Catholic country it is not surprising that many have taken on religious names, but with a Philippine twist.
With a rapidly growing population, it seems there are not enough last names to go round
Take the mayor of Makati, the financial district in Manila.
His name is Jejomar, composed of the first few letters of Jesus, Joseph and Mary.
Catholicism started here with the arrival of the Spanish in 1521 and the colonisation of the Philippines.
Beyond food and architecture, religion is one of the lasting influences of Spanish rule. And that is at the root of the desire to have a unique first name.
Many Filipinos who converted to Catholicism took on surnames with religious references, such as Santos or De la Cruz, for good luck. But this resulted in many people having the same last names.
To solve the problem, the Spanish decided to restrict the surnames of Filipinos to a number of acceptable ones. But with a rapidly growing population, it seems there are not enough last names to go round.
Originality
Security experts say that with so many surnames being the same it can take ages to do background checks.
A first name with a bit of individuality can help avoid confusion and cases of mistaken identity
Filipinos encounter their own problems with the country's notoriously poor records system.
Getting a bank loan or passport can be a nightmare if someone with the same name is wanted for a crime.
With the country ranked as one of the most corrupt in Asia, thousands of Filipinos are forced to walk around with certificates from the National Bureau of Investigation to prove they are not wanted criminals.
So a first name with a bit of individuality can help avoid confusion and cases of mistaken identity.
Because of that I know a Peachy, a Preciosa and even a Bogi. I also know a Boy and a Girlie, names that often come from being the lone son or daughter in a large family.
One journalist friend told me of an interview he had with a Hitler Manila
I even have a female friend called Ken and no one thinks it is odd.
Still, I was taken aback when a famous and middle-aged newspaper columnist asked me to call him Babe.
Cultural misunderstanding
Some of the names are real and some are nicknames, but it is hard to tell them apart.
That brings me to the doorbell names: it is not uncommon to call your little one Bing, Bong, Bong Bong and even Ping and Ting.
Another category is the rock 'n' roll name.
How would you feel being christened Led Zeppelin, Mick Jagger or Nirvana?
One journalist friend told me of an interview he had with a Hitler Manila.
Mr Manila, who does not share the Nazi ideology, told him that he was always remembered for his name but it sometimes caused problems.
One time, when he was shooting pool with some visiting Germans, the atmosphere became tense after he wrote his name on the blackboard to reserve the next game.
Another friend told me of a couple who named their five daughters Candy, Caramel, Cookie, Peanut and Popcorn
Order was not restored until he pulled out his driving licence to prove his name really was Hitler.
Still, that experience did not stop him from carrying on the family tradition. His sons are named Himmler and Hess after two of Hitler's closest associates.
Deliberation
Another friend told me of a couple who named their five daughters Candy, Caramel, Cookie, Peanut and Popcorn.
Scott Harrison, an American businessman here, says he has heard of a woman who gave birth to twin girls on either side of midnight, naming them Sunday and Monday.
Nothing unusual in that - my daughter's kindergarten teacher is called Wednesday.
So what did I name my daughter?
After much deliberation and temptation to join the Philippine name game, I settled for an old French favourite, Elise.
Elise is not a strange name by any means, but in the Philippines it is as unusual as you can get.
From Our Own Correspondent was broadcast on Saturday, 14 January, 2006 at 1130 GMT on BBC Radio 4. Please check the programme schedules for World Service transmission times.
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Published: 2006/01/14 13:29:33 GMT
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footie
I went to the pub last night in Upton (Wirral) to watch the Liverpool-Chelsea game. Unlike when I watch the game in Hong Kong, when Chelsea scored you could hear a pin drop, not one cheer from an opposing fan.This is quite surprising, as here on the Wirral there are a lot of Everton or Tranmere fans. Liverpool lost unfortunately, and the goalie was sent off unfairly, but I did enjoy watching the game and having a decent pint.
I had my first tutorial for my English- past, present and future course on Saturday morning.I have my first one for Art of English next Saturday. I have 2 essays due this month. It feels good to be studying. Start work tomorrow!
I had my first tutorial for my English- past, present and future course on Saturday morning.I have my first one for Art of English next Saturday. I have 2 essays due this month. It feels good to be studying. Start work tomorrow!
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Kung Hey Fat Choi! 'laa'
So , February is here. It is 0c outside-10.30am, we have had this cold snap for 10 days now, with no end in sight and no snow either. I actually think I'm getting used to the cold! It may be psychological though, the end is now in sight, there must be a chance of the weather improving in March, with at least a warm day or two. There is still only 8 hours of daytime, that is 16 hours of nighttime! That will definitely improve.
I begin work next Tuesday with the CSA- the child support agency. This job will do me until I decide to leave the UK. The money is better than English Teaching which according to the job advertisements that I get from TEFL.com only pay about £250 per week!! 90% of those jobs are down South, how people can live on that I don't know. That works out at Hk$14,500 per month.the cost of living is about the same here as in Hong Kong.Beer and food is cheaper, rent is the same, transport and utilities are more expensive.
I will decide if to stay for another year(or not) in October when I finish my OU course, but the chances are that I will return to Hong Kong.
We went to the Chinese New Year celebrations in Liverpool on Sunday- Lion dances, dragon dances and lots of firecrackers- HK on a smaller scale.It made me very homesick though. I noticed a lot of mainland Chinese tour groups, why they would come to Liverpool is beyond me.
Kung Hey Fat Choi!
I begin work next Tuesday with the CSA- the child support agency. This job will do me until I decide to leave the UK. The money is better than English Teaching which according to the job advertisements that I get from TEFL.com only pay about £250 per week!! 90% of those jobs are down South, how people can live on that I don't know. That works out at Hk$14,500 per month.the cost of living is about the same here as in Hong Kong.Beer and food is cheaper, rent is the same, transport and utilities are more expensive.
I will decide if to stay for another year(or not) in October when I finish my OU course, but the chances are that I will return to Hong Kong.
We went to the Chinese New Year celebrations in Liverpool on Sunday- Lion dances, dragon dances and lots of firecrackers- HK on a smaller scale.It made me very homesick though. I noticed a lot of mainland Chinese tour groups, why they would come to Liverpool is beyond me.
Kung Hey Fat Choi!
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