How to Pronounce Your Chinese Students’ Names?

What do you do when your Chinese student's name puzzles you? Murmur it, hoping they will not notice? Apologize and then proceed as usual? Or hold on to their English name to avoid trying? Or what about sparing an hour learning the sound system of the Chinese language? In this workshop, we will study frequently mispronounced Chinese sounds by using names as examples. Bring your notebook! We will also answer some common questions, including: What is traditional and simplified Chinese? How different are Cantonese and Mandarin? How many languages are spoken in China? How do you type in Chinese? Why don’t Chinese students use their real names? Should I learn Chinese? Or send your question to wlin@alumni.ubc.ca. Note: we will only cover the pinyin system used in mainland China. For other spelling systems, please come back for our second workshop.

Weiyu Lin (林威宇) studies Buddhist literature in the Asian Studies Department. Weiyu has had many names in his life: Scott, Tommy, Will and Guillermo (Memo). He loves all his names but since he arrived in Vancouver, he returned to his name by birth. Now all his friends at Green College call him “Weiyu”, too.