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Why are Koreans obsessed with English names? I think that I’ve found an answer

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Why are Koreans obsessed with English names? I think that I've found an answer

I’ve found an interesting reason behind Koreans’ obsession with making English names, and I would like to share what I’ve learned today.
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I used to believe that this phenomenon stemmed from a strong desire for high proficiency in English, contradictory actions toward non-Koreans (making English names out of consideration for those who find it difficult to pronounce Korean names and the misconception that non-Koreans are incapable of pronouncing Korean names), and unconditional adaptation to language dominance. However, each of these reasons alone doesn’t fully explain the obsession.
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A few days ago, I came across an interesting study (Ph.d thesis) : 한국인 이름의 권력·세대·운명에 관한 연구 (A Study on Power, Generation, and Destiny of People’s Names in Korea). It gave me an answer to the question lingered in my heart for a long time. It explains that Koreans’ strong obsession with English names might be attributed to their tendency to keep a certain distance with social responsibility and the overwhelming pressure associated with their names.

https://preview.redd.it/hkhzn5mmcjfe1.png?width=474&format=png&auto=webp&s=30f806687d85c642aba0630b4d436a554062eebe

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(Please note that my understanding might be slightly different from the author’s points as I found it difficult to fully understand this research because it is written in an academic language. I will try my best to convey the messages as clearly as possible.)

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  1. 피휘 (避諱) In China and within the Chinese cultural sphere, there was a cultural taboo against speaking or writing the given names of exalted persons. Not respecting the appropriate naming taboos was considered a sign of lacking education and respect, and brought shame both to the offender and the offended person. It is called ‘피휘,’ Therefore, they came up with alternative names to address each other.

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* Quotation from the thesis 개인의 이름은 조상신의 비호를 받는 신성한 대상으로 노출되거나 함부로 불려서는 안 되는 합의된 인식이 존재했다. 때문에 작명의례도 신중했고, 일단 이름이 지어지면 조상신께 고하고 그 후에는 족보에 이름을 기재한 후 이름의 당사자는 자(字/ 어른이 되면 부모나 스승이 지어주는 ‘사회적 이름. 윗사람이나 친구들이 부를 때 사용되었다.)나 호(號 / 현대의 별명, 닉네임. 자신이 만들기도 하고, 다른 사람들이 만들어줄 수도 있었다.)로 이름을 대신했다. 이름과몸을 동일시했기에 이름에 부정탈 것을 두려워했기 때문이다. 이러한 명체불이(名體不離)의 생각은 본명을 철저히 감추고 비장(秘藏)하는 문화가 발전했다. There was a shared belief that an individual’s name was a sacred entity protected by ancestral spirits and should not be exposed or carelessly called. For this reason, naming ceremonies were conducted with great care. Once a name was chosen, it was reported to the ancestral spirits and recorded in the family register. Afterward, the individual would use a 자 (字 / a name given by parents or teachers upon reaching adulthood, and it was used by elders or friends when addressing the individual.) or a 호 (號 / a nickname. It could be created by the individual themselves or given by others.) instead of their given name. This practice stemmed from the belief that one’s name was inseparable from one’s body, and people feared that their name could bring misfortune or harm. This concept of 명체불이 (名體不離, the inseparability of name and body) led to the development of a culture where given names were carefully concealed and kept secret.

https://preview.redd.it/o0wbd81pcjfe1.png?width=665&format=png&auto=webp&s=b88b2070f7afe5f64a691dd07a2c457f31b6b077

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2) Unique name culture
Korea has also maintained unique naming cultural practices like 돌림자, 성소명다 (姓少名多), and 본관 (本貫). This culture still persists, suggesting a connection between one’s social position and their name.
* 돌림자 : A shared Chinese character used in the names of siblings or members of the same generation within the family. (E.g. 희준, 희연, 희정)
* 성소명다(姓少名多) : A few family names, but considerable number of given names
* 본관 (本貫) : Korean clans distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name. The 본관 identifies descent groups by geographic place of origin Korean people that share the same paternal ancestor. (E.g. 김해 김씨, 안동 김씨, 경주 김씨)

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3) Modern problems require modern solutions
The thesis argues that the 호 culture helped individuals seek a balance between their private identity and social identity, serving as a buffer to alleviate the pressures of social conventions. The Chinese characters for a 호 were selected by the individual and often symbolized their will, desires, aspirations and a sense of humor.

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Due to these traditional issues above-mentioned, Koreans still feel obliged to take responsibility once their names are disclosed, even in relationships with people outside their family. However, in modern society, the range of people we should meet and interact with is beyond our control, and their reliability often remains uncertain. Also, they don’t want to stay emotionally and socially connected to everyone; instead, they prefer to carefully choose whom they want to build connections with. As a result, they adopt a strategy their ancestors used in the past: creating a 호 (nickname) for themselves. As their ancestors chose the most dominant language of their time for their nicknames, their descendants choose the dominant language in modern society: English.

https://preview.redd.it/828pnqcqcjfe1.png?width=845&format=png&auto=webp&s=a11dc486823590151e2e2fd3ab217e620d0d8b7a

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4) My observation & Thought
I often observed that Koreans often prefer to use ‘English names,’ while non-Koreans tend to use their own names regardless of their native language or how difficult their names might be to pronounce (Europeans, Latin Americans, Indians and South Africans) Given this fact, I found it very difficult to understand Koreans’ distinctive choice for their names. I was even more surprised when I participated in other meetups where Koreans introduced themselves using nicknames (mostly English names) and never revealed their real names, even during offline meetups. (Koreans only meetups) I soon realized that it was not just due to a language issue.

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I have also started to think that it is why I find it difficult to adapt to Korean society, where everyone feels the pressure of their names, while I don’t feel anything about it. They probably view me as a strange person. Now I understand their pressure.

submitted by /u/KoreanGrammarDoctor
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