tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462946535883846881.post2463775917599044573..comments2024-03-17T16:32:51.970-04:00Comments on Vast Public Indifference: Boy or Girl? A Public Service AnnouncementCDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14390048358391513711noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462946535883846881.post-26451499756235049852009-08-09T16:09:05.908-04:002009-08-09T16:09:05.908-04:00Hi Caitlin,
I enjoyed your instructive discussion...Hi Caitlin,<br /><br />I enjoyed your instructive discussion on boy/girl identification & "breeching" (not having known that term before).<br /><br />Here's a related phenomenon that I've noticed on gravestones, but haven't ever tracked down in any literature: Boys (and girls?) under a certain age (10 or less?) will have their mothers' maiden names as middle names, but boys who've come of age will not. My impression is that children of young age are still "of the mother," and not of the father. Later the middle name will generate a middle initial; but obviously, middle initials evolve historically into parts of adult male names as well.<br /> Maybe this is related to "breeching"? Even Freud had the age 5-7 as the period where children will identify primarily with a mother or a father. So do we have "mommies' boys" in dresses and their mothers' names as middle names prior to this period, and "daddies' boys" thereafter?<br /><br />And then there's the use of "Junior" applied to girls... another phenomenon I don't know much about.<br /><br />Love your blog,<br /><br />Jim BlachowiczJim Blachowiczhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15876334335135828777noreply@blogger.com