General Chat

Like all the other Anns/Annes, there isn't very much that can be done to shorten it.
Unlike my siblings who all had 2 or 3 first names, I wasn't given any other name.
Just ...Anne

My mum rarely called me Anne and within the home, she chose to refer to me as... Frances!
I have no idea why, but of course, I still answered to it!

Rather recall a tale that Princess Margaret, when young, could only manage

"Lilibet"

Bob

I agree about Makaton too, JoyLouise. I learned BSL years ago - and have forgotten quite a bit.
I've never had lessons in Makaton but have 'picked it up' over the years - it's amazing how much a person uses it with young children, without realising it :-D

The person with the deaf dog also had a dog that could hear. She'd give the hearing dog a short command, which meant he was to get the deaf dog to look at her, then she'd use Makaton!

Lovely to hear Makaton mentioned MaggieW. Remember watching Justin with grandchildren several years ago.

Once yearly, at a special event, I met a North Wales gentleman, a professor, who was not at all happy that BSL was being taught instead of the universal sign language. He thought it limited deaf people's travel to the UK when learning the universal sign language would open up worldwide travel for them. I agreed with him then and still agree though, sadly, he is no longer with us. A very kind and gentle person he was.

Whenever my mother called my full name out, I knew I was in trouble lol

My middle brother was Philip but known as Pip by an aunty, it didn't really catch on in our immediate family. Little bro is Graham but couldn't pronounce it himself so was Nao for a while, and I was Bebe! WhenI was too young to manage Elizabeth, I called myself Bizzy!

My Dad was Arch or Archie but christened Arthur. Mum was Dorothy mostly known as Dot or Dolly, but when in the Land Army she was Tilly!
My son's name is short and can't be altered. Lots of people think his birthday was on Nov. 5th, but it's in the summer lol

Lizx

Some friends & family call me Kate (the name my grandmother used).

That's fine with me........ it's strangers who seem to decide they will call me what they want!

A few years ago, waiting to see a GP...... doc came out and called for "Cath"....... nobody stood up...... he called again...... and again....... and eventually shouted "CATH T...... are you here?" I stood up, said that I had no idea he was looking for me, because I've never been called Cath in my life. He was very short tempered! His temper was worse by the time my appointment was over....... Dr Peter Somebody did NOT appreciate me calling him Pete :-D

In hospital recently, one of the volunteers decided to call me Cat! He got snotty when I corrected him.

I hate my full name "Linda" so I am known by most people by Lynn but I drew the line at my friend one day when she called me Linney

My son-i-l was called "Bud" by his father when he was young, and quite often even now that he is in his 40s.

So, he in turn calls his son "Bud", and my daughter has copied him ...............

I hate it!!

Especially as he has two very nice names, and we were told in no uncertain terms that neither one was to be shortened.

We often call him MJ ............... his two initials!

My eldest grandson - 7 going on 43 - has an unusual (family) forename.
We, within the family call him Guy.
A boy at school called him 'Guy'. He wasn't happy.
As Guy explained to me:
'He had no right, granny, that's 'our' (meaning the family) name' :-)

When Uncle Arch died the florist asked for his name so they could make sure the flowers went to the right funeral.

We knew his surname but had no idea until the service that his name was Arthur.

Likewise, Uncle John's name was Archibald.

My grandson is Oliver, but I am the only one to use it all the time. Everyone else uses Ollie, which I hate, as it was the name of a rather odious man that I knew. Me? You can call me "Sir"

My cats - all 3 of them, know their individual names, which, of course have different sounds - they also know their 'pet' names.
They also respond to the words 'down', 'places', 'off', 'leave' and 'behave' (amongst others) all said in the same (bored) tone. If I raise my voice, they get excited - they have no idea what a voice raised in anger means!

No need to call them for dinner, just quietly pull a ring can or touch a box containing sachets of food - and they're there!!

Din dins?

my cat is pretty good at understanding what I say :-D

Dogs can understand basic sign language, like Makaton - also used on/by children who haven't learnt to speak, and those with special needs.
Oh, and also used by owners of deaf dogs!! :-D

Dogs generally work on sounds such as sibilants.

I too have read about that Collie Rico - clever dog :-D

I have an Hector in my tree....he was called Eric...I didn't find out till someone
on here was doing the same tree and told me.......

Some dogs learn to understand an impressive number of words, as .
A gifted border collie, Rico,
mastered the names of more than 200 objects using a technique
called fast-tracking that small children also employ, :-D

Barb, my great aunt was called Alice - until she met her future husband, Len.
Everyone thought they were two peas in a pod, so she was called Nel(l).

No-one told me this, she'd always been Auntie Nell to me, so I spent a time looking for the birth of a Nellie, Ellen, Helen etc :-S

I also have a g great aunt who was christened Etheldreda. Always known as Bella!
She was easier to fid, as she was with her family on the 1881 census.

One of my g granddads was a pain - in fact he and 2 of his 3 bothers were. He was christened Giffard - but was Sidney on his marriage certificate, child's birth certificate, and death certificate.
HIs brother Ivor was known as Frank, brother Sylvanus - Hector. Ernest kept his name, as did their sister, Beatrice.