What is a middle name? This is a familiar word for everyone, which designates a part of the generic name of each person, with rare exceptions. And it is given by the father, again with rare exceptions. Details about what a middle name will be described in the proposed review.
Dictionary word
"Patronymic" - the meaning of this word there is presented as follows. In most languages, this is the name of the person by his father. Usually it consists of a base taken from the name of the father with the addition of an affix to it. The latter in this case denotes the origin of man. In Russian, this is one of the three parts of the full name of a man or woman. As a rule, this name consists of three parts - first name, middle name, last name.
Etymology
To better understand what a middle name is, it would be advisable to consider the origin of the word. It is formed from the noun "father", which comes from the Proto-Slavic otec. From it also originate:
- Old Russian and Old Slavonic "father";
- Ukrainian "father";
- Belarussian “okets”;
- Serbo-Croatian "father";
- Slovenian óč;
- Czech and Slovak otec;
- Polish ojciec;
- Upper Luga wótc, wóćec;
- Lower Luzhsky wóśc.
The pre-Slavic noun otec comes from otek, which, in turn, is formed from ot - "father". As suggested by etymological scientists, the latter is basically based on the Old Russian and Church Slavonic adjective "otn", which means "fatherland". And also it is associated with the dialect noun "otik", denoting a male animal.
Linguists compare the Proto-Slavic otec with:
- Ancient Greek ἄττα - “father”;
- Latin and Gothic atta - in the same meaning;
- Albanian at and Irish aite, designating the guardian, educator;
- Hittite attaš - “father”,
- Ossetian æda - “father”, “father”.
Scientists are also looking at the connection with the ancient Indian attā, which translates as “mother” and “mother’s elder sister”.
Value and Function
What is the meaning of a middle name, which in specialized literature is designated as a "patronym"? It is part of a common generic name that every person has. It is assigned at the birth of a child by the name of his father. Previously there were patronymic variations that connected their carriers with more distant ancestors, such as grandfathers, great-grandfathers, great-great-grandfathers and so on.
In the period when surnames did not yet exist, the name and treatment by first name was used to identify the person with the greatest accuracy. Thus, the fulfillment of a social function is already evident, that is, the same as that of modern surnames.
Forms
Middle name is an indication of the name of the father of a particular person. In the modern version in Russian for men, the patronym ends in:
- “Ovich” (Semenovich, Lvovich, Aleksandrovich);
- “Evich” (Ignatievich, Sergeevich, Methodievich);
- “Ich” (Fomich, Ilyich, Iovich).
Women have the following endings:
- “Aries” (Semenovna, Lvovna, Aleksandrovna);
- “Evna” (Ignatievna, Sergeevna, Methodievna);
- “Initial” (Fomnichna, Ilyinichna);
- Ichna (Iovicna).
In antiquity, there were other endings. In men:
- “Ov” (Semenov, Lvov, Aleksandrov);
- “Ev” (Ignatiev, Sergeev, Methodius);
- "In" (Fomin, Ilyin, Iovin).
Among women:
- “Ova” (Semenova, Lviv, Alexandrova);
- “Eva” (Ignatieva, Sergeevna, Methodius);
- “Ina” (Fomina, Ilyina, Iovina).
That is, in ancient times, the middle name was similar to today's surnames. It should be noted that today this option is present in the Bulgarian language.
As part of the general triple formula of which the full name of a person consists, the patronym performs a threefold function:
- Addition to the name that distinguishes its owner from the namesake (as an addition to the name).
- Clarification of kinship in the family circle is a designation of father and son.
- Expression of reverence is a form of politeness.
In conclusion, the study of the question of what such a middle name will be said about its other forms.
Other nations
As mentioned above, in Russian, the method of forming patronymics is a suffix. However, there are others in other languages. So, before the Irish and Scottish surnames the particle “Mac” is placed. Initially, she was part of the middle name. For example, McDowell refers to the son of a man named Dowell.
To designate male middle names in the Arabic language, the particle "ibn" is used. Literally, it means "son." For example, Saud ibn Hottab is equal to Saud, the son of Hottab. In Arab women, middle name is used very rarely. In this case, a particle is put in front of the name “bandage”, which literally means “daughter”. If they say Jamilya bandage Hottab, it means Jamilya, daughter of Hottab.
The same principle exists among other Semitic peoples. So, before the patronymic the Jews formed with the help of the particle “bin” or “bar”. Translated from Hebrew and Aramaic, respectively, denotes a son. For example, Aaron bin Avigdor is Aaron the son of Avigdor, Haim bar Israel is Haim the son of Israel.