When I was in college I made friends with a group of exchange students from Senegal. We all drank way too much and generally had a very good time together, pulling all nighters while studying and talking about life in general.
Senegal used to be colonized by France so they all spoke fluent French as well as English and a tribal language that I wouldn't know how to spell. But what I was thinking about this morning is the way names were given to children.
Most of these folks were older than me at the time. They were working on MBAs while I was just getting my undergraduate degree. They told me that everybody used to have to give their children French names. It was a law. And then afterward most people kept on giving their kids French names till the government made a law saying that they all had to give their kids African names.
This resulted in most people having two names, one legal name and one that everybody used. Can you imagine? I'm glad we can name our kids however we see fit.
4 comments:
What a interesting fact. Wow Governments can be so weird...
Funny, I just can't picture you as a drunk co-ed!
So, what would Jasmine's name be if she had to be named a French name?
Callie Ann: It's kind of like the mom who throws more of a fit about a hairstyle than a grade card.. why would they care so much?
Mo: I was the drunk co-ed that hung out with the foreign students.. The older foreign students. I was odd.
I can't think of a French name off hand. When I try to I picture that feather duster from Beauty and the Beast, which I think just means I an uncultured.
Hi, Marilyn. How are you? I've missed you! My bad! In India (it doesn't have to do with the law) a person is given a name that the family used and another name that is a formal name that is used away from home. You might enjoy reading Jumpha Lahiri's (not sure about the spelling of the first name but Lahiri is right) The Namesake. It's also a movie... The idea of two names is part of the story. Glad to "see" and talk to you. :)
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