Unit Three: What's in a Name

Objectives:By the end of this unit, you should be able to: ◆recognize the terms used to describe English personal names

◆ distinguish between full and short forms of given names

◆ discuss the origin of Chinese and English names

◆ associate certain personal names with their national background

◆ apply linguistic theory to analyze differences between male and female names

◆ use different strategies to avoid biased language

◆ apply English names, titles and kin terms in an appropriate way

◆ display familiarity with the names of a number of different nationalities

A person’s name is his handle. Why?

For your name is the handle by

which others can get hold of you,

the means by which they can

grab your attention.

Decide whether they are family names or given names … male names or female names.

HelenGreenEdwardLucyRichardsRobertGeorgeRuthIdaTaylorWilliamsBrenda

SmithEricJacksonMargaretWilliamAnneVictorRichardJulieEdwardsBillAngela

Case studies6

Titles3

Kin Terms5

Naming Names1

Contents

7

2

His and Hers4

Origins

Homework

1、 Naming Names

Components of Chinese

names

Components of English

names

Family name + Given Name Given name Surname

Christian name + Family name

First name Last name

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Most English people have three names:

the 1st name +the middle name+ a family name英国人习惯上将教名和中间名全部缩写，如 M. H. Thatcher ；美国人则习惯于只缩写中间名，如 Ronald W. Reagan 。 A joke: W.C.ROMBOUTSSome have several names:

several given names +a family name

1、 Naming Names1.Initial letters:Andrew Simon Smith ------ ASSGraham Adam Yiend ------ GAY Fiona Alice Tanner ------ FATMichael Adam Davies ------ MAD• 朱逸群，杨宜知。• 有个孩子叫子滕，本来挺文雅的名字，偏偏父亲姓杜2. Shortening of namesAlexander------ Alec Anthony ------ Tony Donald ------

DonTimothy ------ Tim Michael------ MikeWilliam------ Bill Robert------BobEdward ------ Ned Beuben ------BenAndrew ------Andy & Drew Elizabeth------Bess

2、 Origins◆Information of Chinese Nameswhere and when the person was born: 周海婴、张渝，刘解放等family relationships ：比如毛泽东的祖父毛恩普，就是“恩”字辈，父亲毛贻昌，即是“贻”字辈，毛泽东和兄弟毛泽民、毛

泽覃等都是“泽”字辈。ethnic group ：斯琴高娃parents’ expectation for the children ：国栋、定国、耀邦，荷、兰、菊、梅、贞、淑、静、雅等 。values ：王慧旖、陈益丽等。personal characteristics: 林阳、郑彬等。

2、 Origins◆Information of English Names (names and their sources)

Sources of Names Names

Place identity Norman, Moor, Hall, Chesterfileld, Wood

Occupation Cook, Forester, Chandler, Taylor, Clark, Smith, Turner, Butler, Thatcher, Cooper

Family relationship identity Robertson, Donaldson, Macdonald, O’Patrik, Watkins, Thomas

Ethnic identity English: Robertson, Donaldson

Scottish: Macdonald

Irish: O’Patrik,

Personal characteristics Long , Little, Moody, Fox, Brown, Young, Rich, Newman

3、 Titlesformal situation England people call each other by first name

employers employees

in less formal settings People usually use first name, even they meet for the first time, regardless of age and status

informal situation first names are less likely to be used

in many offices use of the first name among colleagues is customary;

use the title plus last name would be taken as an open declaration of dislike someone.

the most frequent used titles

Mr. / Mrs. / Miss. / Ms.

general terms of address Sir / Madam / Mack / Buddy / mate

collective informal terms guys

terms of endearment husband & wife / dear / darling / love

3、 TitlesNotes on English Titles

In informal situations, people usually call each other by their first names.

Mutual use of first names does not in every situation imply friendship and intimacy. Use of title plus last name in an informal circumstance is still avoided. It would be taken as being too cold, an open declaration of dislike.

Children often address schoolmistresses simply as 'Miss' without adding their surnames.

"Sir" and "Madam" without adding their surnames are usually addressed by people like shop-assistants or air-hostesses.

When "Sir" is used before a life peer in Britain, it is of course a title of lords. The word can be used before a person's whole name like "Sir Beatle Paul McCartney" or just with the first name alone like "Sir Paul".

In English professional titles, the most commonly used three are Doctor( 博士 ),Professor and Doctor( 医生 ) that can go together with a person's name. Other titles that can be used together with a person's name are Queen (Queen Mary 玛丽女王）， Prince (Prince Charles),President (President Clinton),Senator (Senator Fulbright 议员） , Judge (Judge Harley 法官） , Father (Father White 神父 ),General (General Patten), Colone (Colonel Quail 上校 )and so on.

4、 Kin Terms

亲属称谓是家庭成员之间的称谓习惯。在中国的社交称谓中，人们有用亲属称谓称呼非亲属成员的习惯。在社交活动中使用亲属称谓并非易事，有一些准则要遵循：

◇ 以辈份为标准。◇ 以双方是否熟悉为标准。◇ 以交际场合的性质为标准。◇ 以听话人的社会特征为标准。

4、 Kin Terms

• In china, kin terms are not only used within one’s own family but also to other people. Such as 警察叔叔， ×× 大姐，李姐……

• In china, the appropriate use of kin terms may reflect a person’s politeness, respectfulness, and friendliness .

• What about British…?

Differences between Chinese and English Kin TermsChinese Culture English Culture

people refer to people strictly according to the kin terms. It is completely unacceptable to refer to one's parents by using the names

In some families in Western countries, some children address their parents directly by their first names.

When children address relatives, Chinese kin terms tell whether they are older or younger than their father or mother.

In Britain, children are expected to address the parents' brother and sisters with the title of Uncle or Aunt plus their names and sometimes simply address them by first name without a title.

Chinese kin terms tell whether the relatives are from the mother' or father's side and whether one's brother, sister or cousin is older or younger than he/she

English kin terms don’t tell whether the relatives are from the mother' or father's side ,and there are not disdinct kin terms for elder brother or younger brother.

Chinese kin terms are also to other people who are not one's relatives;

kin terms are widely used to address known or unknown people

kin terms are not as frequently used as in Chinese. In all kinds of social situations, either formally or informally, people won't use kin terms to address each other if they are not relatives

5 、 His and Hers

• From Chinese names we can guess whether a person is a man or a woman

• Such as 王刚，雨婷……

5 、 His and HersDifferences in English male and Female names

Aspects of differences Female Names Male Names

Number of syllables in first names

Tending to be longer with more syllables

Much more likely to have names with one syllables

Number of syllables in pet names

Likely to be longer with more than one syllables

Much more likely to be one-syllable ones

Percentage of names with stress on a syllable other than the first

guarding privacy; valuing freedom to do and think whatever they choose

the right to privacy in the sense of freedom is not recognized

Sound of the stressed syllables

Tending to make more use of /i/sound

Much less common use /i/ sound

Last sound More likely with Vowel sound at the end

Much more likely with a plosive sound at the end

Speed at which fashion changes

More quickly Less quickly

Impressions conveyed Longer and more vowel sounds

Short and sharp sounds

5 、 His and Hers

• Language and sex

chairman chairperson

postman post worker

fireman fire-fighter

policeman police officer

6.Case studies

Please analyze the case on Page 112： Case One: The use of names and titles can be confusing. As you know

in a Chinese name, the surname comes first while in an English name, the surname comes last. When an American meets a Chinese whose name is Liu Xin, he would call him Mr Xin.

Case Two: When an American meets a Chinese woman whose name is Cai Hong, he might make another mistake in calling her. As he know she is married, he says "Mrs. Cai". He thinks that Cai Hong's surname is her husband's surname, since he is not aware of the fact that in China women still use their own surname after marriage.

7.HomeworkCase analysis: A British tourist got lost in a small town in China. A Chinese c

ouple volunteered to offer their help . And now they are introducing themselves.

British tourist: It was so nice to meet you both here. I'm Susan Williams. Thank you very much.

Chinese couple: It's a pleasure. I'm Li Fang, and this is my husband. Welcome to China, Miss Susan.Thank you.

Chinese couple: Mrs. Li. Would both of you like a cup of coffee? British tourist: No, thanks.

7.Homework

The Key to the Question:

The British tourist thinks that Li Fang's surname is her husband's surname, since she is unaware of the fact in China women still use their own surnames after marriage. Li thinks that "Miss" is a respectful term of address for any female English speaker, but unaware of the fact that in Britain it is not used before someone's first name--Susan . She also mistakes the given name for the surname.