More independent work

Now i'm trying to make up my independent work. I haven't written down my thoughts often, but that doesn't mean that i'm not doing anything. It just takes time to think and then to write something. Especially in English. It just feels like I can't say everything I would like to. I know that we can also write some stupid or "not so deep" thoughts, but when I do something, i'd like to do it properly. And it disturbs me that I don't have sufficient vocabulary and my grammar sucks. I should take some English schoolbook for the beginners and start to learn some basic stuff. Because 4 years of English lessons are not enough and I have learned from the media by listening.

I really thought and hoped that I would have more time to learn English. But it seems that I haven't done enpough. Though, I have learned some new words and how to write academic texts. At least something, huh?

I also have started to read my academic book for the class presentation. This book is called "Naming and Identity. A cross-cultural Study Of Personal Naming Practices" by Richard D. Alford. Why that book? Because at the moment i'm interested on people's names and also identity. I would like to do my Master's research about my name. I've got some ideas, but nothing specific. For example I could interview estonian women in Finland called Kai. It's because Kai is a men's name here in Finland (and also everywhere else, except in Estonia). I have had some weird coincidences and situations in Finland and I also didn't like my name when I was a child. So that subject just seems interesting for me. And also personal. I'm having some great courses about names and naming, so I hope that this will work out.

About my academic book. It's about naming rituals and naming in general in different societies. There are very interesting examples of name bestowal in different societies. For instance the period of naming is varying from society to society. It depends on society's beliefs and traditions. In most of the nordic countries you have to name your child after at least 6 months after child's born, but e.g. Ganda children are named in a group ceremony after they are weaned at three-plus years of age. The difference between name givers is also quite big.

Alford says that to name a child is to help shape that child's identity. Nietzsche suggests that name giving is an act of power by which the name giver takes possession of the named entity. In some societies parents (or some other name givers)first are giving an ugly name to their child or just calling her/she "boy" or "girl". When the child has grown older, he/she can pick a new name for him/herself. I found it really impressive. Sometimes parents really don't know what tey are doing by naming a child. There can be very awful and insulting names that parents can give. At least there are naming laws in most of the countries, but not in America for example.So parents can name a child "Destynee" or "Krystougher". But still there are weird names in the countries where naming law applies. So if you really care about your child's future, give him/her an ageless and easy name.