It's the little things...

[alexpgp]

I started to write a diatribe about the maddening American tendency to insist (without asking, mind you) on dealing with everyone on a first-name basis, but it got way too long. The short version is that a significant number of people seem to go over to first names from the very first step.

The short response is that Russians have a different, yet perfectly usable method of addressing one another that involves the first name and something called a "patronymic" (a name derived from the name of one's father). You can use first-name-and-patronymic with just about everyone in Russia (except children), and nobody will be offended. For some reason, though, there are some Americans who either cannot or will not bother to learn this simple thing - how to address a person who was born in Russia - which will pay off handsomely in dealing with that person. If nothing else, use of the patronymic will distinguish them from the rest of the North American herd.

I've been on console too long...

Cheers...

Comments

[ex-sanssouci422.livejournal.com]

Hi Alex :)

You took me right back to Russian Studies with your post - Gogol, Dostoevskii, etc.

I agree with what you've said, entirely.

:)

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

Of course the key is that a person from one culture must first be aware that there are differences and that there's something they need to learn. And one only learns by observing or by asking. How would you know someone's patronymic without asking?

And of course, your comment actually only applies to men, you sexist pig, heh heh ;)

Re:

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

I'll grant a great deal of leeway to folks who are new at the game. In my sleep-deprived befuddlement, I neglected to note that as a rule, the people of whom I speak have been dealing with their Russian counterparts for - in some cases - as many as 7 years.

I also neglected to point out that not only are people comfortable being addressed by name and patronymic, in professional situations it is expected as a sine qua non of proper etiquette.

How would you know someone's patronymic without asking? Well, you ask. Doing so is considered good form; culturally, the U.S. equivalent would be to express some genuine interest in the other person's name.

> And of course, your comment actually only applies to men,
> you sexist pig, heh heh ;)

Would that were the case! :^) But alas, women go around decorated with a patronymic as well. It doesn't sound fair to me, but I didn't make up the rules. :^)

Cheers...

Re:

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

I've never been around Russians, but I've still picked up on the form just from the news and documentaries. But I always thought that women were addressed using their mother's rather than their father's names. Nothing like only getting half the story ;)

Re:

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

No, it's still the father's name, but the ending is different to reflect the woman's gender (and the same is true for the family name).

Example. A brother and sister (Ivan and Svetlana, respectively) who are the offspring of Nikolai Volkov would be known as:

• Ivan Nikolaevich Volkov
  
• Svetlana Nikolaevna Volkova

Cheers...