Posted by Bruce_A_Clarke on August 30, 2003 at 12:40:28 from 203.149.1.101 user Bruce_A_Clarke.
In Reply to: Re: Formality -men under twelve posted by Robert Hill on August 29, 2003 at 22:54:20:
1. I went to school in the 50's and everyone was referred to by their surname and among the pupils themselves they referred to each other by surname or worse by nickname eg "Boofhead Ahearn "come on Boof, pass the ball...", Spot Brown or Lubra Mitchell "tackle him Lubra don't just stand there"!
2. When I taught in the 60's all the pupils were referred to by their surname except for brothers who were referred to by both their names (none of this "major" or "minor" or the American "Junior")
3. John calling his sister a "Chap" is no worse than the American habit of referring to both sexes as "Guys" as in "You guys come this way..." and in AR's mind may well be showing John as really praising Susan as being as good as a "chap"!