What’s in a Name? National Library Singapore National Librar
Jan 13, 2021 0:00:22 GMT -5
Post by helen on Jan 13, 2021 0:00:22 GMT -5
Senior Librarian Gracie Lee explores a book of Chinese surnames written for the Straits Chinese of Malaya and Singapore during the 1920s.
Years ago, during a trip to China, an immigration officer at the airport asked me, “Why do Singaporeans have such long names?” Like many Chinese Singaporeans of my generation, the official name on my older-issued passport has my Chinese name in both dialect and hanyu pinyin. While commonplace in Singapore, in recent times, dialect names have been declining in popularity in favour of pinyin names. Nonetheless, family names continue to be preserved in dialect to maintain lineage and cultural identity.
Many Chinese Singaporeans can trace their roots to the Chinese diaspora who migrated from the southern provinces of China in the past. They brought their names along with them when they arrived. These dialect names became institutionalised when they were adopted for official purposes by British colonial administrators.
Given the diversity of surnames and the dialectal variations that existed in Singapore and British Malaya during the early 20th century, it was a challenge to ensure the proper use of these surnames. For instance, the most common Chinese surname in Singapore, 陈/陳 (Chén in Mandarin or Standard Chinese) is transliterated as “Tan” in Hokkien and Teochew, “Chan” in Cantonese and “Chin” in Hakka. medium.com/the-national-library-blog/we-like-it-rare-whats-in-a-name-78803a4e7ab9
Years ago, during a trip to China, an immigration officer at the airport asked me, “Why do Singaporeans have such long names?” Like many Chinese Singaporeans of my generation, the official name on my older-issued passport has my Chinese name in both dialect and hanyu pinyin. While commonplace in Singapore, in recent times, dialect names have been declining in popularity in favour of pinyin names. Nonetheless, family names continue to be preserved in dialect to maintain lineage and cultural identity.
Many Chinese Singaporeans can trace their roots to the Chinese diaspora who migrated from the southern provinces of China in the past. They brought their names along with them when they arrived. These dialect names became institutionalised when they were adopted for official purposes by British colonial administrators.
Given the diversity of surnames and the dialectal variations that existed in Singapore and British Malaya during the early 20th century, it was a challenge to ensure the proper use of these surnames. For instance, the most common Chinese surname in Singapore, 陈/陳 (Chén in Mandarin or Standard Chinese) is transliterated as “Tan” in Hokkien and Teochew, “Chan” in Cantonese and “Chin” in Hakka. medium.com/the-national-library-blog/we-like-it-rare-whats-in-a-name-78803a4e7ab9