The “Shiira” Story
My given name is Sheila. It’s an okay-enough name. Not too fancy, but not too common either. I’ve always liked it. Well, except for my 5th and 6th grade years when I could never find those fancy post-it notes, folders, stationary, etc., with my name on them like all my other friends. But I digress…
In November of 2008 I made my very first trek to Japan. It was my first time ever leaving the United States except for a quick jaunt to Canada a long time ago, and it was terrifyingly exciting. While in Japan, I met up with a friend, Mayumi Anzai, who teaches English to 5th graders at an elementary school in Nara.
While there, the lack of a true “L” sound in the Japanese language had the gonensei (5th grade students) calling me “Shiira[san]“. Just as the Japanese equivalent of “L” can be difficult for non-native Japanese speakers, the English pronunciation proves just as hard for Japanese speakers. Instead of taking the approach of trying to correct their speech, especially since they were all so very cute when saying it, I just stuck with “Shiira” . I mean, really… it’s a pretty cool sounding name after all!
Of course, it occured to me to look up the word Shiira when I returned to the States and according to the online dictionary, Jisho.org it means dolphin or mahi mahi. Though I’ve never had dolphin, I am quite fond of mahi mahi so I was pretty much cool with the translation. Further reading, however, showed the term to be part of several “expressions”.
1. shiirarete - under compulsion, by pressure of.
2. shiirareteiru - to be under compulsion.
3. shiiraretesuru - to act under compulsion.
Hmmm… compulsion, you say? That’s exactly how I feel when it comes to this obsession with Japan. How absolutely appropriate, then, that I should keep, and cherish this name.
So there you have it - the etymology of my name. Gotta love it, right?
A chalk portrait of me and my name in hiragana, by a 5th grader in Nara
-
GoldenJamila
-
Shiira
-
Tyler Rear
-
caughtredhanded
-
2nihon
-
Rainbowhill
-
Fievel
