Sample Reflection

FOUN1019 – Lab
Journal Entry #3 (Second Draft) – What is in a Name?

When I was a child, I hated my name. I thought it was cumbersome, ridiculous and

unnecessarily long. My name is Sue-Ellen Fui-Jihn Pingue. I was born in the 1980’s when Dallas

was a popular soap opera. I was given the name “Sue-Ellen” which was the name one of the

main characters in the show. Everywhere I went, adults would ask, “Sue-Ellen, where is JR?”

They thought it was funny, but as a child, I found it annoying. Dallas was a show for adults and

so I was not allowed to watch it. I did not know then, nor do I know now who was “Sue-Ellen”

or “JR”. Thankfully, I am seldom asked that question now in my adult years.

My middle name “Fui-Jihn” is an enigma to me. I do not know the proper pronunciation and I

am not ashamed to say so. I have asked my mother on numerous occasions and the only

response I get is uncontrollable laughter. I was told my uncle gave me the name, however, he

denies this. I am told it is of Chinese origin and so I have asked a few Chinese nationals about

the pronunciation but they have told me that it is not a Chinese name.

“Pingue”, of course, is my father’s name. Many believe it is Chinese but it is not. I have done

some research and have found that the name is actually European, possibly Italian. The

pronunciation, I believe, has been lost in translation but I use the pronunciation that has been

taught to me by my father. Incredibly, I have been approached by a few people who are
adamant that I am not pronouncing my name properly and proceed to tell me how I should. I

ignore them.

I have grown to love my name. It amuses me to see the look of bewilderment and fear on the

faces of those who attempt to blend the sounds together to say my name. It can, however,

become rather frustrating and tedious to ensure the correct pronunciation and spelling of my

name. Surprisingly, “Sue-Ellen” is the name that gives most persons a challenge. They interpret

it as two words, “Sue” as my first name and “Ellen” as my middle or surname even though there

is a hyphen. I have to insist on the capital “E” for “Ellen” and explain what I mean when I say

“hyphen”. To make life easier, I write my name whenever I am required to give it.

Having to give my name can be a tiring event, but I love my name. It is unique. When you see or

hear my name you know exactly who it is.