Re: OT: Teknonyms (was: OT: Re: Anthroponymics)

On 10/19/05, tomhchappell <tomhchappell@...> wrote:
>
> How common cross-culturally and/or cross-linguistically are
> teknonyms, that is, naming someone after their child?
>
> As an /un-official/ thing, it is /extremely/ common here in
> U.S.America;
> particularly so with younger speakers (those still in school, e.g., --
> the younger the speaker is, the more likely he/she is to call an
> adult "X's Mom" or "X's Dad", or "X's Grandma" or "X's Grandpa", even
> in direct address.)

This reminds me of the final scene in the second "American Pie" movie. One
of the main characters, named Finch, hooked up with another's mother during
a party in the first movie; she shows up at the end of the sequel to resume
their relationship. During the conversation that ensues, he asks her real
name; until that point, everyone in the movie had simply referred to her as
"Stifler's Mom" or "Mrs. Stifler" (or, in the case of Stifler himself, just
"Mom"). Finch (and we) finally learn that her name is "Jeanine". Later, in
the throes of passion, he says "Oh, Jeanine!" and she says, "Call me
'Stifler's Mom'".

Stifler's Mom is obviously a highly disturbed individual, although we can
perhaps forgive her since she is merely a fictional character in a bawdy
comedy. Regardless, both as a fictional character in real-world discussions,
and to the other characters in her world, she will forever be known by a
teknonym.

--
Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>