Yu Na Kim, or Kim Yu Na?
- Thread starter R.D.
- Start date
Hm
From what I know, Yu-Na is her first, with Kim as her last. In English, its First then last names, wheras in some asian countries, its the other way around (Asada Mao, Ando Miki, etc.)
I guess some people just directly translate it, which gives you Kim Yu-Na.
Or, you are confused with another skater with a name that is kinda like hers but is Kim first. I did that for a week or so. lol.
From what I know, Yu-Na is her first, with Kim as her last. In English, its First then last names, wheras in some asian countries, its the other way around (Asada Mao, Ando Miki, etc.)
I guess some people just directly translate it, which gives you Kim Yu-Na.
Or, you are confused with another skater with a name that is kinda like hers but is Kim first. I did that for a week or so. lol.
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2004
I'ts a little less confusing to say that Kim is her family name and Yu-na her personal name. In the US and Europe (except for Hungary) the order is:
personal name first then family name Yu-na Kim
In most Asian countries (including Korea) it's:
family name first then personal name Kim Yu-na.
Some Asian people easily change the order of their names when they go from country to country (or language to language) and some don't. I don't know which order Ms Kim prefers in English.
personal name first then family name Yu-na Kim
In most Asian countries (including Korea) it's:
family name first then personal name Kim Yu-na.
Some Asian people easily change the order of their names when they go from country to country (or language to language) and some don't. I don't know which order Ms Kim prefers in English.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
It's kind of interesting to note that Japan approaches this question differently from other northern Asian countries.
In Japan itself, the family name is written first, as is the case also in China, Korea, Vietnam, etc. But when Japanese people go abroad they are taught to put it the other way around, following the custom of the country they are going to. I believe that children are taught both ways in school.
If you notice when you read a newspaper in English, and even in official U.S. documents of state, the prime minister of Japan is Shinzo Abe (family name), but the president of china is Hu (family name) Jintou.
I suppose this is consistent with the history and national character of Japan, which has always been eager to accept outside ideas and adapt them to the Japanese culture. Whereas China and Korea were historically more resistent to Western influence.
About Yu-na Kim, I have read that she is perfectly OK with using the Western order when she is written about in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Even, that she deliberately chose that spelling of her name, instead of "Young-Ah", because it is easy for English speakers to write and pronounce. (In fact, it is cute in English.) :agree:
Last edited:
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2004
I find it interesting that Hungary is the only country in Europe (that I know of) that uses family name followed by personal name (the former European champion would be Sebestyén Júlia in her home country).
Interestingly though they never switch the names of non-Hungarians, so a Hungarian newspaper might mention Sebestyén Júlia and Carolina Kostner. AFAIK Hungarians always switch the order while outside of Hungary.
Interestingly though they never switch the names of non-Hungarians, so a Hungarian newspaper might mention Sebestyén Júlia and Carolina Kostner. AFAIK Hungarians always switch the order while outside of Hungary.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
I believe this is because Hungarian (Magyar) is just about the only language spoken in Europe that is not in the Indo-Aryan family (Basque is another). It has lots of unique features. Pretty cool, actually.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2006
ok, this is it. Which is the right way to say her name? I've seen it both ways and it confuses me.
It's Yu-na Kim. Kim is her family name, yu-na is her given name. In asian countries they somtimes say the family name first, causing confusion among us americans. If you talked to her you would call her yu-na.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2006
Personally I think of respect for ones culture when I would write something down like that. Also I do not think Yu-Na has a "english name."
I don't think if I was to meet her I would say Kim-san. I would say her name personal name. But in regards to a birthday, I think respect for all that are involved in this day - i.e. family.
I don't think if I was to meet her I would say Kim-san. I would say her name personal name. But in regards to a birthday, I think respect for all that are involved in this day - i.e. family.
And Finnish!
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2004
Which (I've read) also used to use the family-personal order for names.
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2004
Just don't call her late for dinner .... (ducking)
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2004
I should hope not, that's Japanese, which I don't think she'd appreciate.
A quick look at a Korean textbook (old, so maybe dated) indicates you could call her
Kim-yang (with reference to her age and marital status, roughly Miss Kim) or Kim-seonsaeng-nim (with reference to her status as reigning world medalist).
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2006
:agree: I would say not. I didn't recall what the protocol was for Korean. Thanks for the info. I really did not remember anything about marital status and age in the addressing of names in Korean.
Last edited:
Mathman, you forget that Hungarian isn't the only language of its family in Europe: Finnish is also from Uralic/Finno-Ugric Family.
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean etc, a person is always referred to their family name first then their given name. In fact in Chinese and Korean it's common to call a person's full name even among close friends. But since english is the current international language, asians involved on the international scene commonly have their names written according to the western convention. Kim Yu-Na or Yu-Na Kim - it's really not a big deal as long as you know which one is her family name and which is her given name.
Last edited:
Similar threads
