Middle Dot (中黒) in Non-Japanese Names


My previous question about ellipses (三点リーダー) in Japanese got me thinking about
the middle dot (中黒) in foreign names.

When I was in college, I learned that if you have a non-Japanese (or, rather,
non-kanji) name, you should put a 中黒 in between your first name and last name.

For example:

リア・スミス

However, when exchanging e-mails with a native Japanese speaker, I will often
see a katakana name typed with a space in between the first and last name:

For example:

リア スミス

Which is technically correct: middle dot (中黒) or space (スペース)? As a non-native
Japanese speaker, I prefer a space, but does a space look
incorrect/confusing/unaesthetically pleasing to a native Japanese speaker?

Thanks!




Also referred to as 中点{なかてん}, I prefer it over a space because it looks and
feels better. Traditionally, Japanese was not written with spaces. So style-
wise, I think it is more appropriate to use 中点 instead of space. Nowadays with
English and global influence, I am seeing spaces used a lot more, especially
in digital text.

Secondly, it depends on where the name is located within the text. For
example, if you are writing the name at the top of an email, then a space
wouldn't be so unnatural. However, if the name is within a newspaper article,
then the entire text is broken up by the use of this space. Using a 中点 in this
situation would preserve the flow of the text.

To summarize, I don't think there is a 'technically correct' answer. Both are
correct and it just depends on which style you prefer, whether personal style
or a formally established style.




Also referred to as 中点{なかてん}, I prefer it over a space because it looks and
feels better. Traditionally, Japanese was not written with spaces. So style-
wise, I think it is more appropriate to use 中点 instead of space. Nowadays with
English and global influence, I am seeing spaces used a lot more, especially
in digital text.

Secondly, it depends on where the name is located within the text. For
example, if you are writing the name at the top of an email, then a space
wouldn't be so unnatural. However, if the name is within a newspaper article,
then the entire text is broken up by the use of this space. Using a 中点 in this
situation would preserve the flow of the text.

To summarize, I don't think there is a 'technically correct' answer. Both are
correct and it just depends on which style you prefer, whether personal style
or a formally established style.

