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japanese name question




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BoygetsfireD



Joined: 03 Dec 2004
Posts: 475
Location: earth
PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:28 pm Reply with quote
Alright, I know this has been explained before, but I still don't quite understand it.

Here's how I think it is:
In Japan, your given name comes first, then your family name, like here in the states, and people not familiar to you call you by your family name?

So John Smith in the U.S. would also be John Smith in Japan, but people who didn't know him would call him Smith?
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one3rd



Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 1819
Location: アメリカ
PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:45 pm Reply with quote
Well, you're right that John Smith in the US would be John Smith in Japan, but not for the reason that you gave. In Japan the family name comes first, then the given name, not like it is in the states. John Smith, however, in Japan, is a foreign name and stays just John Smith. But your (ficticious) friend Takeshi Yamada who came over from Japan to the U.S. would be called Yamada Takeshi in Japan. And those who aren't close to him would call him Yamada.
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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
Posts: 11498
Location: Frisco, TX
PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 9:14 pm Reply with quote
And of course there are the honorifics with -san being the most commonplace and formal, but not too formal. For the sake of formalities in the U.S. you'd usually call someone Mr., Ms., or Mrs.

Although, I'm not an expert in Japanese culture or langauge by any means, I assume they'd call John Smith -- "Smith-san," just like if you didn't know him and called him "Mr. Smith."
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pythos



Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Posts: 127
Location: Denver, CO
PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 3:42 am Reply with quote
Usually when writing or giving a foreign name in Japanese, you give your family name 1st and given name 2nd (like the Japanese). (At least this is the convention that was taught in my classes and that I used while in Japan.)

For printed business cards, in English follow the business conventions of your country. In Japanese, tranlate English to Japanese. (There isn't a set rule. I've seen several styles of both English to Japanese and Japanese to English cards.)

As for honorifics. It depends on the situation. Whether the person is higher or lower to you in the relationship, etc. -san, -sama, -kun, -sensei, etc. (I would suggest avoiding -kun and -chan unless you're abolutely certain their use is appropriate.)
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BoygetsfireD



Joined: 03 Dec 2004
Posts: 475
Location: earth
PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 6:08 pm Reply with quote
Thanks folks! Smile
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