Blog#7: Writing My Name in Other Languages

 Hello. This is Kimura Takuto. Thank you for putting good grades on my presentation!! I'm sure it will give me confidence to presentate.

By the way, did you meet those from foreign countries during summer vacation? I did.  When I was in Korea, I chatted with not only Korean people, but also a professor from Iraq majoring in entomology and a Taiwanese person.

I'm fond of linguistics and every time I talk with those from other countries or Japanese studying languages I cannot speak or don't know, I have them write my name in these languages like this picture. This is Kurdish, spoken mostly in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan. I asked the professor from Iraq to type my name in Kurdish, repeating my name. And interestingly, when I told my name, he said " why are Japanese names so long?". As little had I thought about such a thing, I was surprised to hear that. No wonder he said so because his name is only 7 letters in English, mine is 12.
And I found my name is difficult to pronounce. I repeating my name, he misunderstood my name for " Kimura Takumu" . I don't know why he took like this, nevetheless he got correctly at last. Mistakes in pronounciation reminds me of the trip to Seatle when I was in highschool. While I was there, staying in host family's house, I was called " Taquito", one of the famous Mexican food dishes.

↑My name written in Kurdish

And I also asked one of my friends studying Russian to write my name in it. Thanks to Russian letters' complexity , I don't know how to pronounce it.

I think this is easy way to make friends, asking those from other countries or studying languages unknown to you to write your name in these languages. And what's more, they will remember your name soon.

Try it!!