names3

Read the following poems and then go to discussion:


 * V-R-A-N-T-S-I-S Ana Vrantsis**

‘Vrantsis,’ I said. Frances, she wrote. ‘No, V r a n t s i s,’ I repeated more slowly, Francis, she wrote, writing the ‘i’ over the ‘e’. ‘No it’s “V” for Victoria,’ I insisted. Vrancis, she wrote, changing the ‘F’ to a ‘V’. ‘It has a “t” not a “c”,’ I continued ‘Vrantis?’ she ventured. ‘No, it has an “s-i-s” after the “t”,’ I implored. She reached for the white out but the white out was dry. With irritation plain on her furrowed brow she reached for a clean sheet and began again. V-R-A-N-T-I-S she wrote with triumphant relief. ‘Oh, and there’s only one “n” in “Ana”.’




 * Me ** **Temuçin Mustafa**

What’s your name? Temucin. How do you spell that? T-E-M T-E-N? No, T-E-M… M for Mary. T-E-M-U-C-I-N… N for Nelly. What’s it short for? Temucin. No English equivalent? No, should there be? It just takes a little getting used to. So? Get used to it. It’s MY name. It’s me.