Re: Off topic: nomen et omen

["R. E. Stannard Jr." restannardjr@xxxxxxxx]

Robert Holmgren -- your Indonesia reference caught my eye. When were your 20
years there, and in what capacity? I've lived in Indonesia several times over
the past 40 years, first as a wire service journalist, then as a journalism
professor or consultant. Also Egypt a couple of times (totaling 8 years).

The Scandinavian "-son" practice obviously parallels the Arabic "bin" usage, as
in Osama Bin Laden (Osama, son of Laden) -- although that family appears to
have also joined the current Western family-name practice. The female
equivalent is "binti." Also brother to the Hebrew "ben." And the Russian usage
of the first and middle names -- "Andrei Mikhaelovic," "Anna Mikhaelovna" etc.
Modern Western practice is more akin to the family-focused Chinese, although
their tradition is like the phonebook, with surname first.

             ted stannard

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___________________________________________________________________
R.E.Stannard Jr. em: stannard@xxxxxxxx or restannardjr@xxxxxxxx
Femmy T. Stannard em: femmystannard@xxxxxxxx
r: 712 Highland Dr, Bellingham, WA98225-6412, USA. ph:(360)392-0712
[prof. emeritus WESTERN WASHINGTON U, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN CAIRO]
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