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Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 2:32 pmby expat
This is a question for any of our American cousins, maybe you can enlighten me slightly. I have relatives on the East and West coasts and friends also East and West. With some I have been to work with and interacted with their co-workers over the years............
Now;
My wife is a huge fan of NCIS, Bones, The protector, Castle, The Glades, Criminal Minds, Perception, CSI, in fact any crime type show.....Bear with me I am getting to the point of this post....I have noticed over the years....and years, and years of having this stuff on in the background that they all have one single running similarity........that is....:
No one, not a single character has a first name. Male or female, they only have surnames when talking to each other, referring to or being romantic when two characters get it on. So, going back to my introduction, I have never ever witnessed anything like this in the real world. In fact, if you decide to just call me by my surname, then it is a sure chance way, that you will not be speaking to me again anytime soon. So can anyone tell me why Hollywood and or the TV people have decided to go down this rather odd street.....?
Fullick........Sorry, Matt
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:10 pmby Fozzer
The only time I have ever been addressed by my Surname only, was when I was in the Army.
Never in Civilian life,
Like Matt says, if that did happen, I would find it very abrupt, very rude, and I would be very annoyed!
...but it does happen in the list of American programs, as Matt pointed out!
Paul....
...!
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:43 pmby pete
2 of my very closest friends only call me by my surname .... and that's if their being boring .. usually it's the most obscene genital name you can think of. 'Hey dickhead' would be if they are feeling off that day.
If it was any different I'd think things were wrong. That way in school too. The ruder the closer.
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:58 pmby pegger
I find with friends, we tend to have nicknames for each other. Surnames are certainly thrown in now and then. First names seems to be reserved for formal use. I'm canadian btw...but i must admit that the practice is valid with my american aquaintences also.
What is truly a unique phenomena, is the use of "ey" at the end of ones name when adressing each other at the ice hockey rink. For example, if i played hockey with all of you, you would be called patsey, petey, and fozey while were are together anytime during the hockey season.
So long as i am not called late for dinner, it's all good by me!
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 4:00 pmby Steve M
Hollywood hoohaw. I've been working in the same company with a guy of whom for 18 years doesn't call me by my given name. (Steve or Stephen) He calls me 'Chief' and it irritates me. I know he thinks it's endearing though. A little off track from the topic maybe..
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 4:28 pmby Fozzer
With all my family members I call each of them by affectionate nicknames, a suitable modification of their Christian names....
...!
They know I love them then!
Paul...
...!
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 4:33 pmby OldAirmail
Identity theft.It's a big problem over here.
Some are left with only one name.
And, sadly, some with no name.
I seem to recall a movie, years ago, about someone who didn't have an names at all.
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 5:39 pmby Tug002
OldAirmail wrote:Identity theft.It's a big problem over here.
Some are left with only one name.
And, sadly, some with no name.
I seem to recall a movie, years ago, about someone who didn't have an names at all.
I love that answer
Keep smiling
Tug
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 7:31 pmby Apex
How interesting. I've never seen any of those shows, not to my liking, but I do find this topic of interest.
Yeah, SteveM, the "Chief" thing. Don't you just hate that? Usually done by a jerk of a co-worker, no respecting co-worker does that. Best way is to counter the greeting in kind, "I'm doin' real fine, bro", in a sarcastic tone, or better yet, just with a couple of war whoops.
The Surname thing. Yep, Hollywood at its finest, allright. I guess it's a crime show standard. Good one there.
Junior High (now called Middle School, back then, Jr High, grades 7-9) phys ed coaches. Both always called us by last names. One of them just couldn't even get that right with some of us, he'd leave off the last vowel, or add an "S" to your name thereby pluralizing it, or some other weird variation would come through. The head coach there (a former amateur boxer) got it right, tho, surnames still, but at least he would pronounce them correctly.
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Thu Sep 11, 2014 9:17 pmby Webb
Isn't "Bones" a nickname?
I rarely refer to others by their surnames because I'm old enough that I don't have to show deference. If I'm in court (my profession) I am expected to refer to people as Mr. or Ms. So and So but on the phone it's, "Hi Harry, this is Jim". With unrepresented parties I have to keep up the Mr. So and So all the time.
That reminds me. I need to call Harry.
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:59 amby Hagar
Apex wrote:Junior High (now called Middle School, back then, Jr High, grades 7-9) phys ed coaches. Both always called us by last names. One of them just couldn't even get that right with some of us, he'd leave off the last vowel, or add an "S" to your name thereby pluralizing it, or some other weird variation would come through. The head coach there (a former amateur boxer) got it right, tho, surnames still, but at least he would pronounce them correctly.
Things have changed a lot since I was at school. Our teachers always called us by our surnames & we would never have dreamed of using their first names, even if we knew them. Nowadays it seems that even young children are on first name terms with their teachers. I think this familiarity reflects the lack of discipline & respect in our education system.
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:17 amby H
Steve M wrote:I've been working in the same company with a guy of whom for 18 years doesn't call me by my given name. (Steve or Stephen) He calls me 'Chief' ...
I've been tagged with that on occasion but, a while after exiting the USAF, I recombed my hair and let it fall down to my shoulders, similar to my Anglo-Saxon ancestry (my foster mom said I reminded her of Prince Valiant). My skin tone is very light but a few times back then, probably quite ignorant of English history, someone was actually acknowledging my Native American ancestry (although I have no knowledge of chiefs or sachems in it).
I have occasionally been addressed -- or heard someone else addressed -- by their last name; sometimes when there is more than one around with the same given name. Because her first was so common when she was in school, my grandmother used her middle name -- I never knew her first name was actually Mary until she died.
As said, in the military we were addressed by our surnames -- except for the fellow who had his U.S. Air Force and surname tags over the wrong pockets. No, it was not I -- nor do I remember his actual name since the Training Instructor kept calling him "U.S.Air Force." 
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:44 amby Fozzer
H wrote:Steve M wrote:I've been working in the same company with a guy of whom for 18 years doesn't call me by my given name. (Steve or Stephen) He calls me 'Chief' ...
I've been tagged with that on occasion but, a while after exiting the USAF, I recombed my hair and let it fall down to my shoulders, similar to my Anglo-Saxon ancestry (my foster mom said I reminded her of Prince Valiant). My skin tone is very light but a few times back then, probably quite ignorant of English history, someone was actually acknowledging my Native American ancestry (although I have no knowledge of chiefs or sachems in it).
I have occasionally been addressed -- or heard someone else addressed -- by their last name; sometimes when there is more than one around with the same given name. Because her first was so common when she was in school, my grandmother used her middle name -- I never knew her first name was actually Mary until she died.
As said, in the military we were addressed by our surnames -- except for the fellow who had his U.S. Air Force and surname tags over the wrong pockets. No, it was not I -- nor do I remember his actual name since the Training Instructor kept calling him "U.S.Air Force." 8)
@H.....
From now on, I will always refer to you affectionately as; "Prince Valient"....(...with the hair extensions)....
....!
Paul.....
...!
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Fri Sep 12, 2014 8:09 amby E-Buzz
I used to work in a fairly large medical facility that had roughly 80 clinicians, with approximately half of them being comprised of interns and residents. There was an unspoken "ism" that instead of having to address a person as "Doctor So and so," you were called by your last name only. The only time you were called "Doctor So and so" was in front of a client.
So, a typical conversation would go something like this:
"Hey Smith! You figure out the which ab's and fluids you want yet?"
"Still not sure. Waiting on the culture, bloods and cytology to come back, but Jones is suggesting cepha and plain LRS. White wants to hold off on ab's and throw some KCl in the fluids until we have all results. I want to ask Greene what he thinks."
Since we had so much yearly (interns) and every 3 year (residents) turnover, while I could remember some last names after they left, I rarely remembered any first names - especially intern first names...
E-Buzz
Re: Sir names
Posted:
Fri Sep 12, 2014 10:20 amby logjam
I find this discussion quite interesting. I always thought that the use of surname only was a form of English class distinction. The Squire referring to his peasants. The Officer referring to his erks etc. It always irked me when some aspiring superior couldn't pronounce my name. I found it due to the fact that said superior was not a genuine leader. All genuine upper class were taught at private(Public in UK) schools and paid their way through the education system. One thing they had in common was to learn how to pronounce surnames properly. Amongst themselves they referred to each other by their 1st names (Christian names in those days) The conversation between 2 such would go:"I say Roger, won't you please ask Smith to clear up that mess?" Wheras the other would reply "Certainly Clarence, I'll have it done immediately."
When I emigrated to Canada, it was refreshing to be addressed by my 1st name, although my close friends called me Rob while my workmates called me Bob. It was even stranger to refer to my Doctor by his 1st name too. Now in my old age, I hear the occasional mutter about Fart.