Prevalence of English names in Taiwan

choi

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发信人: choi (choi), 信区: ChinaNews
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发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Sun Sep 19 15:00:04 2010, 美东)

Jens Kastner, English names in Taiwan odd legacy of Japan's empire. Global
Times (Peking), Sept. 19, 2010.
http://opinion.globaltimes.cn/foreign-view/2010-09/574869.html

My comment:
(a) The "opinion" states "this [practice of adopting English first name]
includes people who have never studied English in their lives."

I have been away from Taiwan for a quarter century. This is what I just
found:

"English is a compulsory subject within the mainstream school system from
Grade 3 Elementary School and up."
Education in Taiwan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Taiwan

The first year of college curriculum also requires study of English.

So I assume what the author refers to are old people who did not go to
schools.

(b) Japan's efforts to absorb Taiwanese into Japanese culture came late in
its rule (1895-1945). See

Taiwan under Japanese rule
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_under_Japanese_rule
(section 1.5 Kōminka: "Subjects of the Emperor" (1937-1945): "As part of
the movement, the Colonial Government began to strongly encourage locals to
speak the Japanese language, wear Japanese clothing, live in Japanese-style
houses, and convert to Shintoism. In 1940, laws were also passed advocating
the adoption of Japanese names. With the expansion of the Pacific War, the
government also began encouraging Taiwanese to volunteer for the Imperial
Japanese Army and Navy in 1942, and finally ordered a full scale draft in
1945")

* Kōminka 皇民化

(c) Well. I am not familiar with present-day Taiwan. So I have no say.
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