A rose by any other name ...

 

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" 

 

I think Shakespeare was an idiot. The reference is used to state that the names of things do not affect what they really are. The rose would technically still smell just as a rose smells, but it would have lost its appeal. So it would not be as desired as if it was called a rose. Which is exactly the opposite of what the Bard (or Beard) was implying.

 

How would he like it if he was called the Beard of Avon? I bet he would not be employed selling cosmetics and toiletries door-to-door.

 

If a rose were called a potato; how would you like it if your husband or boy-friend bought you a dozen potatoes for your birthday?

 

Names are important. Often one's name, given at birth, can affect an individual throughout life. They say that psychologically some people try to live up to their names in life.

 

Names are one of the most important things to us. That is why we should if possible address people by their names in conversations. 

 

I remember a head-master who was bad at remembering names. He often called his teachers for meetings and they sat in a semi-circle. He tried his best when addressing them to call them by their names but often failed to remember the names. So he decided that, at these meetings, he will address them by something they happened to sit near by. So the carpentry teacher became Mr Doors because he sat next to the doors. Then there was Miss Spelling because she sat next to the pile of dictionaries. And also Mr Notice Board, Mr Filing Cabinet, Mrs Window and Mr Curtains and so on. 

 

In order for the system to work, the teachers always had to sit in the same place at every meeting. However, even this system did not work for the head-master as he also had to remember what each teacher taught. 

 

For example, Mr Doors taught carpentry. Door ... wood ... carpentry.

 

Miss Spelling taught grammar. Spelling ... dictionaries ... grammar. And so on with all the teachers.

 

He sat them in places that would remind him of their pseudonym names and also the subject they taught in school. He sat next to a poster of Coco the clown.

 

One day at a meeting he forgot who was Mrs Window and Mr Curtains. They both sat by the window. But he could not remember if he had named the woman Mrs Window or Mrs Curtains ... and the man Mr Window or Mr Curtains? 

 

In order to hide his mistake, he asked the man to change places with Mr Filing Cabinet.

But this caused even more problems because now when he addressed Mr Filing Cabinet, the man who originally had this name but now sat where Mr Curtains used to sit answered instead. And when he addressed Mr Curtains, the man sitting by the Filing Cabinet answered.

So he told both men to forget their previous names and remember the new one he had given them. But this caused further problems when referring to previous meetings and remembering who had said what and what subject they taught at the time. For example did Mr Curtains, when sitting by the window, teach sewing and dress-making, or is he now the School Administrator in charge of all the files and filing cabinets and such documents because he is sitting next to the filing cabinet?

 

And that's why the Beard of Avon was wrong. Names are important and should not be changed to mean something else.

 

Does your name have a meaning? Have you wished to change it? What to? Why?

 

 

What's in a name?

 

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" said Shakespeare. But then, he never had a skunk called Rose did he? 

Choosing a name for a child or a pet should be a well thought-out procedure. Don't go for the first thing that comes to mind.

Some people name their children the most thoughtless, and sometimes cruel, of names. Like the girl I knew whom we called at college Cris. It was short for something, but we did not know or care what it was. To us she was Cris Lear.

On graduation day they call your full name when you come on stage to collect your certificate. Her full name was Crystal Shandy Lear. What sort of warped idiotic parents did she have?

Other people name their children after the names of their favourite celebrities, or after the names of all the players in their favourite football team. Or name their children after the place where they were conceived ?????? 

I knew someone called In The Car Park Behind KFC.

Naming pets can be just as troublesome if you don't choose properly. Years ago we had a small dog. I wanted to call him something macho to give him confidence, and to give me confidence too that I had a strong dog, even though I didn't. So I called him Shark. It was not a good idea when he ran loose on the beach and I ran after him calling his name.

An old man living near us, when we lived in London, one day had a small dog. I saw it in his garden. He must have called it Help because all day I heard him shout "Help ... Help ... Help ..." After an hour or so he must have found it because he stopped shouting. That afternoon there was an ambulance outside his house. I never found out why. Perhaps the dog was ill.

What has brought all this on, you may well ask. Well, the thing is we have a dog and a cat which have been named. The dog is called Sit. He gets confused when I call him, "Come here, Sit!" The cat has any name you care to call him because he doesn't listen anyway. The tortoise is called Speedy for obvious reasons and the rabbit  ... well ... I wanted to call him Tasty but I was over-ruled. He is called Bob.

Now the family want to name the fish and the frogs in our pond. I suggested Fish 1, Fish 2, Fish 3 and so on. And the same for the frogs ... 1, 2, 3, and so on up to 100 if you count the tadpoles too. What do you call those swimming creatures that become frogs? Tadpoles or newts? I call them Fish Food, because presumably fish eat them. 

Anyway, I suggested we call the fish and the frogs in numerical order. I was over-ruled once more because the family want to distinguish each creature individually so as not to give them an inferiority or an individuality complex. You know ... it's like when you have twin children you should not dress them the same and smother their individuality. I used to hate wearing my twin sister's clothes!

So there you have it; the family want to name each fish and frog individually. 

When I was young my parents called me "Hey you ..." and "Be Quiet". For the first few months as a baby they encouraged me to say my first word and then they called me "Shut Up".

My first words as a baby when I saw the world around me were, "Is that it?"

What's in a name?

I would like you to think about your name for a moment or two. It was given to you at birth by your parents. Most probably, you have more than one name. You may possibly like your name, or you may have chosen to be called by your other names, or by a nickname. Whatever the case, you have a name.

It identifies you. It is part of you. In some cases a name affects one's personality and some people try to live up to the name they have been given.

Your name is very important to you. It makes you pay attention when someone mentions it in conversation, or calls you, or writes to you. It is personal. Friendly. Cosy. It is you.

Now I want you to look at your foot.

You have a Big Toe, a Small or Little Toe, and three other toes in the middle.

They have no name. No one has given them an individual identity. There is no name for them on their passport. The other two are called Big Toe and Little Toe. The three in the middle ... nothing!

How would you like it if you were one of the three middle toes?

You would have felt insignificant. Unidentified. Unnamed. Unloved even. How does that feel?

That's why it is important to name all your toes. I have named my three Jeremiah, Jethro and Fred. Same on the other foot.

Come to think of it, it is important also to name all your other body parts so they don't feel unloved.

What have you called your body parts?