Monday, December 3, 2007

What's in a name? Part 2

Assalamu Aleikum!

I might have mentioned before that I finally moved into my apartment after too long in hotels. In order to make my stay here a little bit more comfortable I've signed up for internet access (fastest they've got) and satellite TV (lots of live football games featuring Chelsea). Each of these comforts require forms, forms, forms.

Signing up for the internet I sit at a desk in the local internet provider's office. Opposite me is a friendly and helpful Arab. He apologises at first for not being used to dealing with British/Americans (we're always lumped together).
"We usually only see Arabs or Indians here."
"No problem. I want an internet account; fastest you've got."
"Ok. Let's see. Your name is....." He looks at a form from my employer. Sadly it's the same form that translated my name into Arabic and back into English ending up as Joey.
"Yahya Joey."
I look a bit perplexed. "The first name is correct."
"Ah, Yahya. That's a Muslim name isn't it?"
"Yes, that's right. I'm Muslim."
"So, your second name is Joey. But that's not Muslim."
I go into the account of my conversion to Islam (edited highlights only) and he looks a lot brighter.
"But just one thing. Joey is not a Muslim name; in fact it's not my name. My name is Guy."
"It says Joey here."
"I know but it's wrong. It should say Guy."
A light appears to go on above his head. "So, what's Joey? Is it a nickname?"
"NO! My name is Guy. It was a translation error." I attempt to explain the English to Arabic to English phenonemon. At the end he says," Joey, Joey. He's in that American comedy Friends. You can get that if you sign up for satellite TV."
I thank him for his help and say that my next task is to sign up for satellite TV where I'm sure to see Joey.

Masalamah
Yahya

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