The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-25
The finest smoke in the world
What Their Names Mean,


lation of their names into English
would only enhance our language. II
Ii Hung Chang had become an Ameri-
can citizen before his death he would
have been known as Mr.. Ii Vastly
Manifest. The Chinese, according to
Gus ideas, do everything backward, and
in this instance they put the family
i name first. Now, Ii Hung Chang had
| brother of the name Of Ii Han Chang
which although 1t also signified Mr..
Vastly Manifest Ii had a little differ
ent shade of meaning. Hung gives the
idea OF vastness by picturing a barren
desert. Han affords the same thought
by calling to mind great flock of wild
geese flying at a dizzy height. Both
these ideas are suggested to the eye
of the native who looks at the Chinese
characters for Han and Hung The
fathers name was Tseng Kwah-F Fan,
which meant The Country's Protection,
and the name of an uncle was Tseng
Kwah-Tsuan. which signifies The
Country's Fragrance. The character
for fan pictured to the eye a wall
which would keep a foeman at bay;
while the other gives one the vision of
a garden of blooming flowers"
That is too far-fetched." interrupted
the Gaelic member. Don't bother
with any more Cinnamon and let's see
what you can make out of German
Gus in this country"
You have given me an easy task
now" said the professir, ''and one
which shows still clearer that 1 am
right German names are especially
~
henlohe. ex-Chancellor of Germany,
would be Mr.. Highflame in America.
Baron Rosen, the Russian peace envoy.
who has nevertheless a German cog
nomen, would be Mr.. Roses. The vari-
Gus Barons Rothschild. whose family
has amassed such vast wealth, would
all be Messrs. Redshelds here AS you
may know, the first rich Rothschild
adopted red shield as his trade mark.
Why he did 1 don't know. because his
first name would have been a still bet
ter commercial talisman. 1t was An
shelm. which means divine helmet
Sternberg, the name of the Ambassa-
dor to this country, is Peculiarly po-
etic name 1t means in English star
mountain.
The opposition was silent, and the
philologist continued:
II also believe that the old Dutch
settlers in New York should have
changed their names to English equiv
alents. 1t would certainly embellish
our speech. Mr. Roosevelt, our Presi-
dent, would then be called Mr.. Field
of Roses. The Van CortIandts would
then be known as the From the Short
lands or simply 'Shortlands.' and the
as From the Ship Carpen-
ters, or just Ship Carpenters. Bit,
by the way, is from the Dutch word
byte, a nickname for the ship car
pentcrs of Amsterdam. because of the
'bylt" or little Ratchet, with which
they worked French Names, too.
should be rendered into English, even
if they belong to Americans who have
long used them I would have Mr..
Belmont known as Mr.. Fair Mountain.
and General chaffee called General
Growhot. and Peter Marie. even though
he is dead and was a bachelor, renam-
ed Peter Married. The Welsh names
that are common among us ought to
follow the same rule. Mr.. Cadwalader
ought to be Mr.. Battleleader and Mr..
Golf should be Mr.. Smith"
stop! Stop!" cried the Irish member,
as if he wanted to end the argument
with one single blow. What will you
10 with the Gaelic names? II you try
o change them into English you viii
start a civil war. Take mine. for in
stance"
Mr.. Bryan" said the philologist, II
I'm afraid you don't know the mean
ng of your own name, or you
wouldn't talk so. Bryan means in
Gaelic 'nobly descended An English
equivalent to your name then would be
dr. Noble or Mr. Lord"
The son Of Erin only had breath
nOugh to say:
I'm converted; III adopt the Eng
ish name to morrow"