[lit-ideas] What is a name

  • From: "Simon Ward" <sedward@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 23:30:41 +0100

Circumstances conspired to entail a discussion between my other half and a 
woman from the Cat Protection League. Naturally enough, the conversation 
wondered and the woman discussed a cat they had 'homed' with an eighty year-old 
local man. 

It transpired the cat was pregnant and since the man would be unable to look 
after kittens as well as the cat, the league decided to take in the cat until 
such time as the the kittens had grown and they could return it. They asked the 
gentleman whether he had named the cat. He replied that he hadn't, making do 
with calling out (in a Devonian accent), 'Where be you.' 

Of course the cat, having no grounding in pet nomenclature, was happy to accept 
this as its name...providing the accent was right. 

This made me wonder (after I'd stopped laughing). I had thought to name our new 
cat 'Barry', much to the annoyance of my other half (who prefers 'Tawny' 
ugghh), but now I realise it could be anything...yes 'Anything'.

Suggestions?

Simon
(Which is my name of course, and would certainly confuse matters when it came 
to dinner time.)

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