No more "Christian name, sir?" in Kent, UK

[Robin Hamilton]

For once, I'm with the Kent force here (or whoever wrote the guidelines).

A few years ago, I became personally (internally) uncomfortable with the
term "Christian name" -- while I have one, neither of my children do, since
neither were Christianed.  So I guess the term is more offensive to atheists
than to members of other religions.

Actually, "offensive" is probably much too strong -- it's a case for me that
there's just this slight element of discomfort and disturbance.

Simply, I'm more comfortable with the term "given name" -- more accurate (if
one can use the term in a lexical context, and risk the genetic fallacy),
and carries less ideological baggage, therefore a "natural" (?) replacement.

(Apparently, I have just been informed, the official term is "forename".)

Terms which are quasi-endearments or possibly patronising are always tricky
in context, and perhaps the poor bobbies are glad of the guidance.  I wonder
how the East Midlands force deals with the term "me duck", which isn't
gender specific?  It implies a kind of intimacy that an officer might be
reluctant to suggest when feeling someone's collar.

What *really disturbed me was the first time a police officer called me
"Sir" -- sheesh, I thought, I *am old.  That gentleman is young enough to be
my grandson.

Having said all that, I don't particularly mind other people using the term
"Christian name", even though I no longer employ it myself.  I understand
what they intend, and perform an act of internal translation.

Robin

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Mandel" <thnidu at GMAIL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 4:23 AM
Subject: No more "Christian name, sir?" in Kent, UK


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
> header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Mark Mandel <thnidu at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      No more "Christian name, sir?" in Kent, UK
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *Police officers banned from asking for 'Christian'
> names*<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/7472046/Police-officers=
> -banned-from-asking-for-Christian-names.html>
>
> Police officers have been banned from asking for a person=E2=80=99s
> =E2=80=
> =9CChristian=E2=80=9D name
> because it might offend people with other religious beliefs.
> By Richard Edwards, Crime Correspondent
> from telegraph.co.uk
> Published: 12:18PM GMT 18 Mar 2010
>
> Officers taking down a suspect=E2=80=99s particulars must now ask them for
> =
> a
> =E2=80=9Cpersonal and family name=E2=80=9D in case the word
> =E2=80=9CChrist=
> ian=E2=80=9D offends Muslims,
> Sikhs or other faiths, according to the new official guidance.
>
> Kent Police's prescriptive diversity rulebook also tells officers to
> refrai=
> n
> from using phrases such as =E2=80=9Cmy dear=E2=80=9D or
> =E2=80=9Clove=E2=80=
> =9D, when addressing women for
> fear it may cause =E2=80=9Cembarrassment or offence=E2=80=9D.
>
>
> *[click headline for article. hat-tip to
> copyediting<http://www.facebook.com/copyediting?v=3Dfeed&story_fbid=3D42418=
> 0033331&ref=3Dmf>
> **  on Facebook**] *
>
> m a m
>
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