Разговорный английский

The two or more initials standing before a foreign name do not at all denote the name and patronymic as in Russian. In Western Europe and America children may be given more than one name and the number may vary. As a rule, the first of these names (known as the first, or Christian name) is chosen from among the numerous generally recognized names such as John, Mary, etc. The second name (known as the middle name) is not actually a name from the point of view of the Russian language. The middle name may not only be a conventional name, but the mother’s maiden name, or the surname of any person honoured in the family or the godparent of the child. The middle name may also be any word, even the combination of sounds having no meaning whatsoever, but which, for some reason, appealed to the parents. In the United States, as a rule, the Christian name is written out in full, while the middle name is abbreviated or not written at all. Therefore when making a person’s acquaintance one might ask, “What is your middle name?”

The last link in the chain of names is the surname, last name, or simply, name.

Examples:

(a)      Simplest case without middle name:

Michael Faraday, John Galsworthy.

(b)      Middle name taken from the category of Christian names: Gerbert George Wells, Robert Louis Steuenson.

(c)      First name and middle name represent the name and surname of the person in whose honour the child is named:

Andrew Jackson Tozer.

(d)      No conventional Christian name at all, first name is recognized surname:

Washington Irving.

(e)      Word used as middle name:

William Makepeace Thackeray.

(f)      Only name is name of lake where parents met:

Rudyard Kipling.

A chain of four names is usually found in two cases:

(a)      Christian names grouped together:

Cecil Eric George Reyford.

(b)      Middle name chosen is the Christian name and surname of a person held in respect in the family:

Henry George Washington Clinton.

One should note the following feature of family relations in the West European countries.

When Miss Mary Smith maries Mr. John Brown, she becomes Mrs. Brown. Miss Ada Quist marries Mr. Bert (Albert) Tozer and becomes Mrs. Bert Tozer. In the third person she might be referred to as Mrs. Tozer but that would lead to the danger of confusing her with Mrs. Tozer, her mother-in-law, who, as the older woman, has first right to this title. In addressing them Mrs. Tozer may be used for both. In informal talk and casual conversation the daughter-in-law might be called Mrs. Bert.

Translated and adapted from Commen­tary to “Arrowsmith” by Sinclair Lewis, by E. Dragunova and G. Krasnoshchekova.

2.      ON NATIONALITY

“Are you an Englishman?”

“No, I am not. Can’t you hear it from my accent?”

“I did not notice it. What country do you come from?”

“I am from France.”

“What part of France do you come from?”

“I was bom in Paris and brought up in Le Havre.”

“How long have you been in England?”

“About twenty years.”

“And how old are you?”

“I am hard on thirty.”

“Then you are almost naturalized. No wonder (that) you speak English like an Englishman.”

“Thank you.”

“And do you know your mother tongue?”

“I do. I can speak French with as much ease as I do English.”

“You are here with your parents, I suppose?”

“No, I live here with a relative of mine — a relative on my mother’s side.”

“And your parents? Are they in France?”

“Yes. They live not far from Le Havre.”

“Do you descend from a peasant family?”

“No, my father is a small tradesman.”

“Have you any brothers and sisters?”

“Oh, yes. Our family is quite a big one; there are five of us.”

“Do you often go to France?”

“Now and then.”

“Well, and how do you like England?”

“I like it exceedingly.”

“1 dare say you like France better, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

“Yes, that is quite natural.”

3.      APPEARANCE

(Two young people, George and Ann, meet after a lapse of some eight years.)

GEORGE. Did you receive my letter, Ann?

ANN. Yes, I did.

G. I wished to see you very much, Ann. I hope you will not be displeased with me.

A. No, I’m very glad to meet you. It’s a long time since we have met last.

G. It is, indeed. I think it’s about eight years, isn’t it?

A. It must be eight, I think.

G. You have changed, Ann.

A. Have I?

G. Yes, a great deal.

A. Am I like what you expected me to be?

G. No, Ann. You are much more beautiful than I thought you would be.

A. Am I?

G. Yes. But do you know, last night I was trying to fancy you as a —.