- Joined
- Aug 26, 2010
Would you like to suggest a nickname for a particular skater?
Let me start with some Japanese skaters:
Kozuka,Takahiko (小塚崇彦, literally “high prince on a small mound”). As “prince” (hiko, Old Japanese píko) is the most essential part of the whole, let’s call him “Hiko” (the Prince) as his English nickname. Note: I love the semantic contrast in his name: small vs. high. It inspires thoughts: “One would rather stand high on a small hill than sit at the bottom of an alp”.
Takahashi, Daisuke (髙橋大輔, literally “high bridge, great help”). I don’t like Dai (from Middle Chinese dầj “big”) as his nickname, which is the only Chinese element in an otherwise original Japanese name, and which is not the essential meaning of the whole. I prefer calling him Suka (the Helper).
Ando, Miki (安藤美姫, literally “peaceful, beautiful lady”). Miki (the Beauty) is a fitting nickname. Note: Ando (あんどう) probably came from Proto-Japanese *ǝ̀ntà “quiet, peaceful” and was later transcribed in Chinese characters as 安藤 “peaceful wisteria”. The given name Miki (美姫 みき) came from Middle Chinese mí “beautiful” + kɨ “fine lady”.
So we have Hiko the Prince, Suka the Helper, and Miki the Beauty.
Let me start with some Japanese skaters:
Kozuka,Takahiko (小塚崇彦, literally “high prince on a small mound”). As “prince” (hiko, Old Japanese píko) is the most essential part of the whole, let’s call him “Hiko” (the Prince) as his English nickname. Note: I love the semantic contrast in his name: small vs. high. It inspires thoughts: “One would rather stand high on a small hill than sit at the bottom of an alp”.
Takahashi, Daisuke (髙橋大輔, literally “high bridge, great help”). I don’t like Dai (from Middle Chinese dầj “big”) as his nickname, which is the only Chinese element in an otherwise original Japanese name, and which is not the essential meaning of the whole. I prefer calling him Suka (the Helper).
Ando, Miki (安藤美姫, literally “peaceful, beautiful lady”). Miki (the Beauty) is a fitting nickname. Note: Ando (あんどう) probably came from Proto-Japanese *ǝ̀ntà “quiet, peaceful” and was later transcribed in Chinese characters as 安藤 “peaceful wisteria”. The given name Miki (美姫 みき) came from Middle Chinese mí “beautiful” + kɨ “fine lady”.
So we have Hiko the Prince, Suka the Helper, and Miki the Beauty.