Zara.
Wednesday, October 07, 2015
BONUS POST
Since I'm trying to actually be more personal with you guys, I'd like to talk briefly about something.
I was talking to Meg this afternoon, and it came up that I wasn't born with the name Emma. So I thought it was time to blog about it - I needed more content. Also, I wasn't taught English as my first language. I've never made it something well known and the only times I remember it are when I'm travelling internationally and have to declare another name. We're a German family, I am first generation Australian. My parents changed my name when I was six months old because Zara wasn't German enough for my family. So, Emma is was. It doesn't sound German, but after talking to my family I've found out that Emma is derived from the Germanic word ermen which means 'whole' or 'universal'. Still at home my parents and Australian family members call me Zara but my German family and any one I've met since the age of about 4 call me Emma. In German, my name is pronounced E-Mah as opposed to Em-Mah. As for English not being my first language. Since I never really socialised with English speaking families until I went to school I only spoke German until I was around 4 years old. My parents then taught me English before I went to pre-school so that I was able to communicate with my peers. This isn't something I usually pay attention to (the fact that I have an alias name), I always introduce myself as Emma, my schools have always had my changed name birth certificate and except in two situations it honestly doesn't cross my mind, those are: 1. When I travel internationally and need to answer "have you ever been known as another name". and 2. (and this one I've been hiding from you guys because I just never had to explain) but my writing alias is under my birth name.
As for my level of German speaking/writing now... I can fluently understand, speak, write and read German but rarely do so because I hate the way it sounds with my Australian accent. Weirdly, although being born in Australia I had a German accent until I was around 7 or 8 because I was taught to speak with one and to speak in German and I taught myself to speak with an Australian accent otherwise, I would probably still have my German accent now. I don't know why, but I've always been one of those people to hate when someone asks me to 'say ... in German'. WHY?!? Why is it so interesting, hahah. I get if it's something like French - that's an incredibly romantic language - but German... Really?! There are definitely still some instances where I will speak English with a German accent - like if I get really mad - but I try to speak Australian as much as possible :)
I was talking to Meg this afternoon, and it came up that I wasn't born with the name Emma. So I thought it was time to blog about it - I needed more content. Also, I wasn't taught English as my first language. I've never made it something well known and the only times I remember it are when I'm travelling internationally and have to declare another name. We're a German family, I am first generation Australian. My parents changed my name when I was six months old because Zara wasn't German enough for my family. So, Emma is was. It doesn't sound German, but after talking to my family I've found out that Emma is derived from the Germanic word ermen which means 'whole' or 'universal'. Still at home my parents and Australian family members call me Zara but my German family and any one I've met since the age of about 4 call me Emma. In German, my name is pronounced E-Mah as opposed to Em-Mah. As for English not being my first language. Since I never really socialised with English speaking families until I went to school I only spoke German until I was around 4 years old. My parents then taught me English before I went to pre-school so that I was able to communicate with my peers. This isn't something I usually pay attention to (the fact that I have an alias name), I always introduce myself as Emma, my schools have always had my changed name birth certificate and except in two situations it honestly doesn't cross my mind, those are: 1. When I travel internationally and need to answer "have you ever been known as another name". and 2. (and this one I've been hiding from you guys because I just never had to explain) but my writing alias is under my birth name.
As for my level of German speaking/writing now... I can fluently understand, speak, write and read German but rarely do so because I hate the way it sounds with my Australian accent. Weirdly, although being born in Australia I had a German accent until I was around 7 or 8 because I was taught to speak with one and to speak in German and I taught myself to speak with an Australian accent otherwise, I would probably still have my German accent now. I don't know why, but I've always been one of those people to hate when someone asks me to 'say ... in German'. WHY?!? Why is it so interesting, hahah. I get if it's something like French - that's an incredibly romantic language - but German... Really?! There are definitely still some instances where I will speak English with a German accent - like if I get really mad - but I try to speak Australian as much as possible :)
One day, I'll spend a few years living in Germany and put my bi-lingual ability to use.
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