I find myself at an impasse. I have two irksome things to complain verbosely on today...but sadly the complaints are conflicting, same issue just two different sides. However, rule #2 of The Bitch and Moan Club clearly states that "nothing is ever too small or to petty." Viola - insta-justification for the wenchy-ness that is me!
What's with the leaving the "H" out of John when you shorten the name Johnathan? Jon? It makes no sense to me. It's already there and it doesn't do any harm. It doesn't add a syllable. If anything, it makes writing said name in cursive much more fluid. Still, some people persist: Jon. Add to the argument that I don't think that I've ever me a "Jon" that I enjoyed. I worked with one once, he was a head case who somehow procured my phone number...it took a while to get rid of that one.
But what if the person's full name was spelled "Jonathan," without the h in its full form? Would Jon still annoy me? It makes no sense but I am compelled to say yes, it would still get to me.
Do annoying Johnathan's tend to spell their name without the H? Or does the name itself make them annoying? Could Shakespeare have been wrong when he said "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet!?!" I enjoy Shakespeare, the prospect of this rocks my world.
And now for the hypocrisy. On the full, far other end of the spectrum is the name Thomas and those who shorten it to "Thom." Where as I am a strong advocate for retaining the H when shortening the name Johnathan, I am fully opposed for allowing it to remain the shortened version of Thomas. Thom just looks....pretentious? Creepy? As if the possessor of said name also has unnaturally long pale spidery looking fingers and shifty eyes?
This much is clear, Thom's and Jon's and I just can't be friends. It isn't in the cards.
3 comments:
Dear Wench,
"nothing is ever too small or petty to be repeated over and over again" is the complete rule for P&M.
Here's my take on the silent H issue in male names. In my feeble estimation I justify the H as a residual of whole language reading methods. While you at it, what's up with the John's that go by the nickname Jack and Williams that are Bills and Ralph's that are Pete's.
Now we do have the female Margaret's that are Peggy but that's old news now that every girl is named Brittany, Chastity, Sophia and all the un-saintly names that fill our university sororities. Stop the madness.
Take Care,
Monica
I just thought of a Jon you do in fact enjoy. Jon Stewart. Boo-Yah!!!
I stand corrected! I DO know a Jon that I like :P
nevertheless, I stand by my argument!
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