Question about usage of names and social convention

[Sarah Hurst]

Yes, first name is what I mean, and "Mr/Mrs" would be more polite, but the
problem is that you can't make an assumption about "Mrs", "Ms" or "Miss",
and I've also been addressed by the wrong last name at Safeway based on
using a shared store card, which produced a name on the receipt. I think
it's better for salespeople not to use names in brief transactions, or to
ask "what would you like to be called?" if they need to deal with you on an
ongoing basis. 

-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
[mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Svetlana Grenier
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 1:10 PM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Question about usage of names and social convention

Sarah Hurst wrote:

>Very true! I and other people I know who have encountered this all say they
>find it rude rather than friendly. At my local Wells Fargo we are supposed
>to give the cashier a marble in their jar as a reward every time they say
>our names. I can't stand salespeople who don't know me using my name. Why
>haven't they cottoned on yet that this is obnoxious?
>  
>
Do you mean calling you by first name (which it usually is with 
salespeople)?  Extremely obnoxious!  I wonder, if they called one by 
Mr/Mrs and last name, would that make things better? I can't remember a 
case of that though.

Nola wrote:

>>A book I am using says: "Unlike in English, it is customary in  
>>Russian to address an interlocutor by name on a regular basis in  
>>normal or formal conversation."
>>    
>>
This phrasing suggests the book is referring to repeating the 
interlocutor's name when addressing him/her, but my unscientific 
observation (to quote one of the previous posts)  is that the book just 
made it up!  What book is it, anyway?

Best,
Svetlana

-- 
Svetlana S. Grenier

Associate Professor
Department of Slavic Languages
Box 571050
Georgetown University
Washington, DC 20057-1050
202-687-6108
greniers at georgetown.edu

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