activity 7. Chat about names.
Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 12:20 pmUnit 1. Activity 7: Chat.
1. What about you?
Think about these questions. Prepare answers and post them on the Noticeboard in the Study Room. Read and respond to the answers of your classmates.
1. What are common names where you come from?
Her in Spain, we can find lots of people called José, Antonio, Francisco, Alfredo and so on, and in Catalonia where I am form, names as Oriol, Sergi, Ot or Pere are also well known.
2. Is your family name common?
Not so common. My family name is Ros, and you can look up a few ones from telephone guide, but another ones as Pérez, Martínez or Garcia are widely more common family names here where I live.
3. Does your family name tell you anything about your family (e.g., where you come from)?
Not in my case, there are often family names related to the place the family came, or the name of ancient people from the family, but not mine.
4. Some English names refer to trades or professions, such as Butcher or Baker. Does your name mean anything? Are there any names in your country that do?
Not my name, from what I know. Anyway, in Spain yes, they are. Some names as Carnicero, Sacristán, Barbero, and even Verdugo, had their beginnings in professions.
5. Are any names from other countries popular in your country? Which ones?
Yes, some names as Michael, Kevin Costner, Iratxe, Wilson and a lot of them. They became popular from TV series, other foreign people that stay here nowadays, or geographical regions close to our country, that linguistically influence it.
6. In your country when you meet someone for the first time what name do you use? How do you know when you can use their first name?
It depends on the context; in a professional meeting we must use Family name, but sometimes, from the common relationship, when people get in touch can also use the first name, in a less formal way.
7. In your country do you ever use surnames without a title (e.g., Mrs or Mr)? When could you do this? Why would you do it?
We use only the surname at school, because is usual to have several identical First names in the same classroom, so the teacher makes a difference calling them by using the surname. This is the same reason to do so in a job, so among job mates could be usual too, to refer each other by the surname. Sometimes the reason to use the surname is related to its particular sound, which gives more personality to the owner than his name.
8. There are common pet names in English that show affection, such as honey, darling or pet. What words are used in your language?
Her we can use short names as “blanquita” or “bolita” to show affection, but we often use other kind of names as Luna, Perla or other ones with a well known meaning, but used only for pet names.
1. What about you?
Think about these questions. Prepare answers and post them on the Noticeboard in the Study Room. Read and respond to the answers of your classmates.
1. What are common names where you come from?
Her in Spain, we can find lots of people called José, Antonio, Francisco, Alfredo and so on, and in Catalonia where I am form, names as Oriol, Sergi, Ot or Pere are also well known.
2. Is your family name common?
Not so common. My family name is Ros, and you can look up a few ones from telephone guide, but another ones as Pérez, Martínez or Garcia are widely more common family names here where I live.
3. Does your family name tell you anything about your family (e.g., where you come from)?
Not in my case, there are often family names related to the place the family came, or the name of ancient people from the family, but not mine.
4. Some English names refer to trades or professions, such as Butcher or Baker. Does your name mean anything? Are there any names in your country that do?
Not my name, from what I know. Anyway, in Spain yes, they are. Some names as Carnicero, Sacristán, Barbero, and even Verdugo, had their beginnings in professions.
5. Are any names from other countries popular in your country? Which ones?
Yes, some names as Michael, Kevin Costner, Iratxe, Wilson and a lot of them. They became popular from TV series, other foreign people that stay here nowadays, or geographical regions close to our country, that linguistically influence it.
6. In your country when you meet someone for the first time what name do you use? How do you know when you can use their first name?
It depends on the context; in a professional meeting we must use Family name, but sometimes, from the common relationship, when people get in touch can also use the first name, in a less formal way.
7. In your country do you ever use surnames without a title (e.g., Mrs or Mr)? When could you do this? Why would you do it?
We use only the surname at school, because is usual to have several identical First names in the same classroom, so the teacher makes a difference calling them by using the surname. This is the same reason to do so in a job, so among job mates could be usual too, to refer each other by the surname. Sometimes the reason to use the surname is related to its particular sound, which gives more personality to the owner than his name.
8. There are common pet names in English that show affection, such as honey, darling or pet. What words are used in your language?
Her we can use short names as “blanquita” or “bolita” to show affection, but we often use other kind of names as Luna, Perla or other ones with a well known meaning, but used only for pet names.