Author(s): Sercombe PG, Young TJ, Ming D, Lin L
Abstract: It is not uncommon for Chinese students to adopt English (-type) names when studying English or through the language. This paper investigates reasons, functions and perceived values of adopted non-heritage names by Chinese students. Our study involved diary accounts, interviews and a questionnaire survey. Our findings suggest that, where adopted, non-heritage names serve a diverse range of value and identity functions. Further, motives for adopting ‘English’ personal names are also varied, albeit interrelated, with broad trends emerging. Among these, adopting or being ascribed a new name is linked to the established practice and rationales that underlie Chinese nicknaming. However, overall, new personal names reflect aspects of students’ lives that are salient in specific contexts. It is these contexts, and their associated levels of salience that shape and are themselves shaped by these ‘new’ names.
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Dr Peter Sercombe
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