Chapter 6 — Further Reading
Resources on names, forms of address, and naming across cultures.
Reading-level key: ★ accessible · ★★ moderate · ★★★ academic.
On names and identity
- Articles on "name pronunciation and belonging" (search, e.g., the "My Name, My Identity" campaign, or pieces in The Atlantic / BBC on name-anglicizing). ★ Many first-person essays by immigrants on keeping vs. changing their names — validating and varied, showing there's no single "right" choice (the heart of Xiaoli's case).
- Bruce Lansky / baby-name references and "nickname charts." ★ Free online charts mapping full names to nicknames (William→Bill, Elizabeth→Liz/Beth/Betty, etc.) — handy reference, not deep reading.
On forms of address and etiquette
- Country-specific etiquette guides (e.g., the Culture Smart! series for your destination). ★ Quick, practical sections on titles and address — especially useful for Germany, France, Japan.
- Emily Post / Debrett's (US / UK etiquette authorities). ★★ Traditional but useful references on titles (Mr./Ms./Dr.), formal address, and married-name conventions. Debrett's is the British authority; Emily Post the American.
On name order across cultures
- Wikipedia, "Personal name" and "Chinese/Japanese/Korean/Spanish naming conventions." ★ Surprisingly clear overviews of how different cultures order and structure names — directly relevant to filling out Western forms correctly (Wang Lei's case).
- Your country's embassy / a university international-office guide on "filling out [destination] forms." ★ Practical, destination-specific help for the name-order mismatch.
On pronouns and inclusive address
- University and workplace guides on "sharing pronouns." ★ Short, practical explainers on he/him, she/her, they/them and why people share them (connects to Chapters 26 and 32).
A reading suggestion
You don't need a whole book for this chapter — names are a practice problem. The best "further reading" is the passport in your hand (your master spelling/order) plus a five-minute look at your destination's naming-etiquette page, and this book's Appendix G (scripts) for your name-introduction line. Practice that one-liner until it's automatic and warm.