Dragaera

Patronymics vs. family names

Steve Simmons scs at di.org
Fri Sep 6 13:42:02 PDT 2002

A question for Steve B, or for those who know Hungarian, er, Fenarian
better...

Cawti has a patronymic name which we never learn.  Vlad seems to think
that all Fenarians (or maybe all easterners?) have patronymics.  But
Vlad himself is called Vlad Taltos.  And his grandfather is called Taltos
as well (by Kelly).  So either Taltos is a family name, or both Vlads
father and great-grandfather were named Taltos.  Or maybe I just don't
understand patronymics at all.

So are there family names as well as patronymics?  If so, what is Vlads
patronymic?  I don't recall his fathers name being mentioned.
-- 
'Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity.'
   -- credited to various people, I heard it from Robert A Heinlein.