Desperate measures: Addendum + what's in a name?

[Tabouli]

I'm starting to get a bit edgy having this suggestion of mine quoted:

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Tabouli" <tabouli at u...> wrote:
> Couldn't we have a more exclusive list where entry is by private 
email invitation only?

...and thought I'd better add that I'm personally not too bothered by the newbie issue on my own behalf, I was just suggesting a solution for those who expressed their discontent.

Y'know, I rather suspect that being hit with "have you read the FAQ?" and "check the Lexicon" and "we discussed this exhaustively a year ago, please search the archives" will effectively chase away most of the hary iz SOOO hoT type of newbie anyway.  Doubt that that's what they had in mind when they joined an HP list.

Besides, the last three digests from the main list I've had today have been great: lots of interesting new ground covered, intriguing speculations, and so on.  Contrary to popular bale, I don't think we've even remotely exhausted the possibilities of dissecting hapless Harry yet... hey, given a bit more imagination and analycentricism (?) I'm sure we could spin him out until OoP.  People are still analysing *heaps* of books decades after the author has died.

Ah yes, one more thing... someone on the main list once mentioned that the rules of first name/surname address in upper class England is terribly complicated, especially for women.  Is anyone prepared to enlighten me?  I'd love to know.  I even have a semi-work reason for wanting to know this: I do quite a lot of explaining naming systems in my cross-cultural work. 

What seems to happen in Australia is either immediate first name basis (which can be quite alarming for people from more formal societies, implying a non-existant intimacy, or disrespect, etc.), or title+surname for both sexes until one party invites the other to use his/her first name.  Where there is a large status difference (e.g. professor and undergraduate), the higher status person typically negotiates the names which will be used.

On the subject of names, I was wandering through the supermarket today and did a doubletake when I saw a tabouli packet mix.  My list alias is taking me over...

Tabouli.


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