The Most Singularly Delightful Discovery PV Jack Burnett

As Jack explained his rationale for choosing to focus his attention on learning to master English Kazuo nodded at the logical assessment, impressed to find someone who considered reasonable outcomes for his decisions. “A reasonable approach. One it seems I need to take now that I am here.” He mused in response. “English does seem to be the global language of choice, doesn’t it? Though it is rarely spoken back home, it still tends to be taught in our schools. A language learned, only to be forgotten by most children once they grow up.” He gave a wry smile. “I imagine, if not for my Father’s move here, that I would not have had to learn to be fluent at all.”

He watched as Jack studied his name, making a not entirely awful attempt at pronouncing his name. He nodded then repeated his name, moving some of the inflection to the proper syllables. “Shih, not she. Shih-ma-da. And you don’t need to draw out the oo sound so much. Ka-zuo. It’s faster. Like the last two syllables are almost one syllable…” He scrunched up his nose a bit as he thought about how often his name had been mispronounced. “It isn’t even that hard a name… Yet I think every Professor I’ve had so far has somehow said it wrong. They like to put the emphasis on the wrong syllables.”

He glanced down at the journal and chuckled. “I admit surprise that you know even that much about Japan. I wrote it as I would if I were back home. Shimada is my clan name and Kazuo is my given name. Given names are mostly used between family and close friends. It is…” He paused, pondering whether he should admit the discomfort he felt every time a stranger addressed him by his first name. “I don’t know if I will ever get used to the way everyone uses their given names here.” He chose a more vague explanation, masking his discomfort behind a statement of cultural habit.

He took the book back, brow furrowing in concentration as he studied Jack’s name. “Ba- ne- tto-. Ja- kku-.” He couldn’t avoid the way his accent drew out the name but it wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the other names he had tried to pronounce. He took the pen and wrote underneath in katakana.

バーネット, ジャック

“Names are about meanings. That is why they are usually given in a proper kanji form. My name, for example, is made up of two kanji. The first means peace and the second means man. So, peaceful man. If your name had a meaning behind it then I could probably choose the kanji whose meaning would fit your name, although it wouldn’t sound the same. That is why we use katakana for foreign names. Does your name have a meaning beyond just being a name?” Kazuo knew that sometimes names in English had greater meaning but it was often hard to tell what that meaning might be. Neither Jack or Burnett seemed to have an obvious meaning to him.

@Jack Burnett