Don’t you give a shit?
What do you think is the thing you have to do before your child is born only when you live in a foreign country?
I have a female Japanese friend who visited me in Davao City. She has a beautiful name that means a beautiful girl in Japanese language. Actually, she is beautiful. In addition to her inner beauty, she is good-looking, too.
There was once, around five years ago, that she came to Davao and we visited together at an orphanage in Samal Island, which is located in the opposite side of Davao bay. I don’t remember the exact reason why she wanted to visit there but in some reason she knew the name of the orphanage and asked me to bring her there. I think it might have been related to the fact that she was at that time working as a social worker in Japan. Anyway, it was on December we went there.
When we visited there, fortunately, there was a small Christmas party at the orphanage. We asked the orphanage director to allow us to observe the party. He said it was natural to visit the children in Christmas days and we naturally joined the party. In the party, of course, we had to introduce ourselves to the children and we did. I mentioned my name and age in English. And now, my beautiful friend introduced herself to them. She mentioned her beautiful name, and suddenly, children burst into laughter. I didn’t understand what was happening. Everybody was shaking with laughter. I couldn’t help asking the reason. “What is wrong with her name?” peevishly I asked. And one of the social workers answered, “She said— ‘I AM A SHIT’ in our language.”
As you are aware, her name is Tae-ko. Tae-ko is a common female name and means a beautiful girl in Japanese. But in Visayan language, it means, “I am a shit.”
This is the thing you have to do. I recommend you to check if the name you are planning to bestow your child has a different meaning in other languages before you name her.
Now, don’t you give a shit?
< ![CDATA[Ichi,I am sorry about you and your friends visit at the orphanage.I am Visayan and I think her name is beautiful. I have two Japanese friends in Washington St. and they have the cutest name. Again I am sorry about the way they behave at the orphanage. That is not the way to welcome visitors.]]>
< ![CDATA[Hi Marilou!
I think I made you misunderstand. Please do not applogize.
I was not mad at that time. It was actually funny...
Even my friend laughed after we found out the reason.]]>
< ![CDATA[Hi Ichi! Great that you and your friend had a great sense of humor. They were kids after all.
It would have been different though if adults were laughing. Filipinos laugh for silliest of reasons, sometimes without caring if they are already offending people.]]>
< ![CDATA[Hi Ichi It maybe funny but I really hope your friend wasnt offended at all.]]>
< ![CDATA[funny stuff, ichi. my wife & i had a good laugh reading your story. i know my name always shows up on the japanese menus.]]>
< ![CDATA[funny story ichi! :smile: reminds me of the time i visited a town in laguna and brought an australian friend with me. he had a koala toy he brought along to give to whomever and he thought to give it to the daughter of the kind gentleman who offered us shelter for our stay. when the time came for our departure, he excitedly took the toy out from his knapsack and in the presence of the whole family, stretched out his arm to give the toy to the little girl and said "here's a gift for you, this cute koala is named BOBO and i hope you like it!"
the little girl said thank you but had this worried look in her face. when the girl's dad said "hey, are you not happy that he gave you a toy?" her reply was "oo nga pero BOBO naman siya eh!" meaning "yeah i know but he gave me a stupid doll!"
as you know, BOBO means stupid = dumb in tagalog. :lol:
my friend hastily changed the doll's name to 'Fluffy' instead.]]>
< ![CDATA[Every country has its strange ways and its beliefs. You and your lovely lady friend's experience in the orphanage was hilarious! Let me tell u something, when my youngest brother was born, my second youngest brother who was barely two years old then and has difficulty with some words called the new addition "bata" in his own babyish way. It upset him if we call the little one "Robert,coz of the fact that he's a BATA which means "baby or little one".In his 25 years he is still called "BATA" to us and his friends. I don'tt blame him if he curse us all.He introduce himself TATA to the female species,tho. Imagine when he turn 80 and we still call him "BATA"! Fancy that name....regards]]>
< ![CDATA[Ichi,
Actually, the phrase 'tae ko' means 'I shit' but, strictly translated, denotes ownership of the subject
frank]]>
< ![CDATA[Actually, the translation provided in Ichi's story is probably correct. Being in the Davao area, the children at the orphanage likely spoke Cebuano, in which "Tae ko" literally means "I am shit." Either way, it's a hilarious story :lol:]]>
< ![CDATA[Ichi has his own way of phrasing the story which turned out a briliant joke! He relate it cleverly and indeed cleverly done!I think its genious! Tell 'TAEKO', i send my regards. I wouldn't change her name for the world! NO!! NEVAH!!]]>