On 4/09/2015 11:11 AM, Freelance Traveller wrote:
> Earlier postings in this series have discussed naming practices, but all
> of them carried the implicit assumption that a name was fixed for all
> time. This turns out, in fact, to not be the case. Names can be changed
> for a number of reasons, sometimes by the person being renamed,
> sometimes by others, sometimes posthumously.
>
> [snip]
>
> It has been previously noted that Chinese immigrants often take Western
> "use names" as their legal 'given' names.
>
I don't know if there is any real life parallel but one of the cultures
in MTU get to add a name as their social status goes up;

So, social 8-9, one word name - Bob
Social 10-11, two word name - Billy Bob
Social 12-13, three word name - Brian Billy Bob
Social 14-15, four word name - Ben Brian Billy Bob

Also your social status dictates which name you are "allowed" to address
that person by, i.e.
At social 8-9 you address the above person as Ben, at social 10-11 you
are allowed to address the above person as Brian, at social 12-13 you
are allowed to address the above person as Billy, and at social 14-15
(an equal so to speak) you are allowed to address the above person as
Bob - with the exception of direct family members.

Brett.