forms of address

[ladyramkin2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 117377


Carol
I think you will find that in the Bunter books, although most boys 
are addressed by their surnames, close friends are either called by 
their Christian names or (more often) by a nick-name.  For example, 
Herbert Vernon-Smith calls his best friend, Tom Redwing, Tom.  Tom, 
however, refers to Vernon-Smith as Smithy, as do all the other boys, 
friends or enemies.  No one ever addresses him as Herbert.  If Harry 
and Ron were transported to Greyfriars, they would probably continue 
to address each other by their Christian names but would be known to 
everyone else as Potter and Weasley. The fact that there were no 
girls at Greyfriars or similar schools of the period is probably 
largely responsible (though, come to think of it, James does call 
Lily "Evans".
Sylvia (who inherited a collection of Bunter stories and rather 
enjoys them)