Calling Friends by Nicknames

Do you have a nickname? If you have, do your friends call you by your nickname? Or, do you call your friends by his or her nickname? Take a look at a talk here and think about it.

Young-hee: Mi-young, why are you crying? What¡¯s the matter with you? What happened?

Mi-young: Kwang-min called me ¡®fat pig¡¯ again. He always makes fun of me and calls me like that.

Young-hee: Oh, no! That is not good. Hey, Kwang-min, you should not make fun of your friends by calling their nicknames. You can hurt their feelings.

Yun-hee: Right. Most nicknames make fun of others¡¯ external look such as body parts. Such nicknames make you feel bad.

Jung-hwan: Not all nicknames are bad. Some nicknames are interesting and sometimes, even funny. Through those nicknames, we can get closer, don¡¯t you think so?

Yun-hee: But we all have our own names given by our parents or grandparents. They make our names with hopes and wishes. Therefore, we should call others by their own names and not by some silly nicknames.

Sang-woo: Friends can also have good memories of our school days in the future with these nicknames. I saw my father having a good time with his friends calling their nicknames that they had when they were young.

Jung-hwan: Also, nicknames can also help other people remember the person better. For example, King Richard II of England is called ¡®the Lionheart¡¯ because he was so brave and a good military leader. The king¡¯s nickname makes you easier to remember him, don¡¯t you think so? Anyway, stop crying, Mi-young!