About a month back I was discussing with a friend about the uselessness of having last names.
Yesterday I read something interesting about last names in Iceland. Though I had known of Iceland's (last) naming convention, I didn't realize that all members of a family could have different last names.
Yesterday I read something interesting about last names in Iceland. Though I had known of Iceland's (last) naming convention, I didn't realize that all members of a family could have different last names.
Language: Rather than using family names, as is the custom in all mainland European nations, the Icelanders use patronymics or matronymics. The patronymic and matronymic follows the person's given name, e.g. Elísabet Jónsdóttir ("Elísabet, Jón's daughter") or Ólafur Katrínarson ("Ólafur, Katrín's son"). Consequently, the Icelandic telephone directory is listed alphabetically by first name rather than by surname.
A friend tells me that Arabs also have a (last) naming convention similar to that of Icelanders.
All that last names do is perhaps make the full name a little more distinct than the first name by itself. Other than that I don't see a purpose for the last names. Some South Indian communities and some Afghans don't have any last names. I wonder who else don't have last names.
All that last names do is perhaps make the full name a little more distinct than the first name by itself. Other than that I don't see a purpose for the last names. Some South Indian communities and some Afghans don't have any last names. I wonder who else don't have last names.
Published on
11/4/10, 12:57 PM
India Standard Time
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