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Feminine names

de Oŝo-Jabe, 2009-septembro-19

Mesaĝoj: 10

Lingvo: English

Oŝo-Jabe (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-19 04:24:45

I just read an interesting explanation of the "-a" endings at the end of female names. Kolocsay argued that the names are adjective describing the 'implied' noun "ino." So, "Paŭla" as a name is actually "Paŭla (ino.)"

What do you think, does this explanation hold up in actual usage?

Rogir (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-19 21:55:49

Nah, it's just some kind of convention taking from many other languages.

Oŝo-Jabe (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-20 04:33:51

Rogir:Nah, it's just some kind of convention taking from many other languages.
Obviously, but if the form is going to be prevalent, there might as well be an explanation that isn't "anti-Foundational." rideto.gif

Names have always been pretty much a free-for-all in Esperanto, and that's okay. However, with the ones that fall into nice categories (like feminine names ending in -a) it's nice to have rules for them that make it easier to use them freely.

Like, what if I want to talk about "Paula-like thoughts" - then I can say "Paŭlaj pensoj," from "Paŭla (ino)" not "Paŭlaaj pensoj." (Of course, the first one would also be Paul-like thoughts...)

Oŝo-Jabe (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-20 09:13:20

formiĉjo:
Oŝo-Jabe:I just read an interesting explanation of the "-a" endings at the end of female names. Kolocsay argued ...
Kie vi legis tion?
At Vikipedio. The actual proposal was that _every_ female name should end with the adjectival -a, and the justification was that it would pertain to an elided "ino."

I did a little digging and found that the quoted text probably originated from this excerpt from Literatura Mondo.

ceigered (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-20 16:31:45

I know I shouldn't be bringing up this topic, BUT, would it be wrong to just use paŭlo for boys and girls and completely skip a whole step of complexity? After all, there are many names out there that are unisex or have no innate gender and seem to work fine.

(I was thinking this because I was wondering if someone called 'Paŭla' in a theoretical Esperantejo/ujo would appreciate being only an adjective and not a bonafied substantive lango.gif)

Donniedillon (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-20 19:20:47

I know I shouldn't be bringing up this topic, BUT, would it be wrong to just use paŭlo for boys and girls and completely skip a whole step of complexity? After all, there are many names out there that are unisex or have no innate gender and seem to work fine.
Agreed! I see no reason to have to identify someone's gender by their name alone. I have a male friend named Ashley, a female friend named Ryan, and another male friend who shares the same name as my mother Joe/Jo. Context has always been enough to keep from being confused about gender.

Oŝo-Jabe (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-20 20:33:46

Donniedillon:
I know I shouldn't be bringing up this topic, BUT, would it be wrong to just use paŭlo for boys and girls and completely skip a whole step of complexity? After all, there are many names out there that are unisex or have no innate gender and seem to work fine.
Agreed! I see no reason to have to identify someone's gender by their name alone. I have a male friend named Ashley, a female friend named Ryan, and another male friend who shares the same name as my mother Joe/Jo. Context has always been enough to keep from being confused about gender.
Both of you are, of course, right. That would be infinitely more easy than having two separate naming systems, especially considering that some languages are the total opposite of feminine-a/masculine-o systems.

I was only thinking that the adjective-noun format for feminine names ending in -a was interesting. It reminds me of Toki Pona, where names are adjectives describing "jan"-person.

Oŝo-Jabe (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-20 21:43:47

formiĉjo:Do, ĉu oni diras "Mi kisas Paŭla-on" aŭ "Mi kisas Paŭlan"? Mi forgesis tion, kion "Gerda malaperis" uzis.
Based on the sentence "Ili trovas Gerdan en la koridoro," I would say that it takes the "Mi kisas Paŭlan"-route.

Momomomomo (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-20 21:50:12

Do, ĉu oni diras "Mi kisas Paŭla-on" aŭ "Mi kisas Paŭlan"? Mi forgesis tion, kion "Gerda malaperis" uzis.
ĉu vi rifuzas paroli anglan, eĉ je la angla forumo?

RiotNrrd (Montri la profilon) 2009-septembro-20 23:08:30

Technically, this specifically is an English language forum ABOUT Esperanto, and not an Esperanto forum. We have other forums which are entirely Esperanto.

The rule is that within the English language forum you may write in Esperanto, but you also must always provide an English translation if you do. This is to be kind to the beginners, for whom Esperanto may still be incomprehensible.

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