Yesterday I read this in Dagens Nyheter :
Harinelina Rakotondramana (instead of Rakotodramanana) heter den tyngdlyftare i 48-kilosklassen från Madagaskar som har det längsta namnet i OS. Namnet har totalt 26 bokstaver.
Translation: The weight-lifter in 48-kilo category Harinelina Rakotondramanana from Madagascar has the longest name of all the participants of the Olympic Games. Total of 26 letters. DN Sport 28 July, 2012
What? That´s it? Nothing about the team, about the people? I did not know if I should cry or bite. I admit that it is quite unusual information, but who cares about the names of the Malagasy athletes. Why didn´t the journalist pick up the shortest name instead, probably from China. Why am I so upset?
I guess I felt irritated, because it reminded me of embarrassing moments in my childhood, especially at school. Every year in September, when I was back to school I would endure the teachers´ surprise or sarcasm discovering my name and the very little efforts they made to learn how to spell my name. Most of them did not even try to pronounce it and just called me by my first name. I got so used to it that I made people´s life easier responding: ”You can call me Kanto, doesn´t matter.” In fact, it did matter. My name is the essence of Me. My identity.
Do you know what people say when they meet a Malagasy person and do not want to pronounce his/her name? They say: “Hello, Mr or Mrs. Ra…etc”, Malagasy names always beginning with “Ra”… (meaning “the”, or “Andrian”… (meaning “Lord”). I can understand how difficult it is to pronounce Malagasy words, but I think you should always try and have a good laugh afterwards. It is just a matter of respect. Respect for a human being. Respect for someone´s culture.
And yes, Malagasy names are extremely long. It´s true. At least, they mean something. Check my names:
– Kanto means Grace and Beauty
– Hajanaina means Honor and Life
– Zafimananintany means granddaughter of the Landowner
– Andriantsalama (my family name) means Healthy Lord
and if I add Rickman, my Swedish name, it makes a total of 50 LETTERS ! I beat Harinelina Rakotondramanana. They should give ME the gold medal just for that.
Here is the best tongue twister: My ancestor´s name
King Andrianampoinimerinandriantsimitoviaminandriampajaka, shortened to Andrinampoinimerina !
If you want to give a Malagasy name to your child:
http://www.ebabynames.com/boards/malagasy-names-t50064.html
Malagasy names with the French translation
http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/serasera/message/631
Latest results from London 2012
http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/28072012/11/photo/28072012145158.html
madakanto 