Thursday, April 22, 2010

Hot Names for Aka-chan

     First thing in the morning an army of men marched through to clean the filters in the air-con system. With ladders and plastic sheets, they dispatched with the whole business in 10 minutes flat. Their foreman peered at his clipboard, jotting notes. "Daijobou?" (OK?) A 15-degree angled bow (most appropriate) preceded a formal exit. Should summer ever arrive after this spell of cold rain, cool air will be on tap. Second group of the morning, three-fifths of the English speakers elegantly entered at the stroke of 11 AM, all in shades of dove gray. Out of their shoes they tiptoed, carrying notebooks into the sitting room and resuming the same seats around the table.

    "A new baby was born, and now he has a name, " confirmed the proud Obaasan of five grandsons. Unlike Western couples who study books of names over the course of nine months and develop a short list after much bickering, the Japanese couple waits for the birth. Western choices include the ready-made option of Dad's name plus "Junior," or honoring someone else in the family. Not to mention the selection of a middle name or names. No such pressure in Japan: After seven days the parents select a name for the newborn or aka-chan (red little thing, literally) based on the study of kanji (Chinese characters).  "His name is Yuta, which  means generous and openhearted," smiled the Obaasan. (To Western ears it's odd that boys' names often end in A and girls' names in O.) Smiles all around the table. Japanese grandmas are called baba, much like Russian. Grandpas, however, are jiji, which only brings to mind the Leslie Caron film. 


     Much to our surprise after comparing all t he cultural differences we found common ground: The universal sign for "quiet" (placing a finger on the lips and saying sssh especially to children). "We tell children to be quiet or hush," I said. "So I can tell my grandsons to hush when they become noisy?" Obaasan asked. "When can I  use shut up?" The sound of that vulgar phrase in the land of politesse took me off-guard. Unless suddenly transported to Loew's 84th Street movie theater where the jerk behind you rudely talks during the film, no need for the phrase. The universal finger on lips will do.   
     

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