VIEWS ABOUT NICKNAMES

 

          VIEWS ABOUT NICKNAMES

Negative names given to persons instead of their real names are called nicknames. They are provocative and offensive and may encourage the victims to retaliate. Donkey for a dull person or fatty for a fat man is a nickname. But such words as Longfellow or Wordsworth are not nicknames. They are surnames common to all the members of a family. They don’t incite their bearers.

            Here are some more views about nicknames.

1.     A nickname is the heaviest stone the devil can throw at a man.

2.     . A good name wears out; a nickname lasts forever.

3.     Nicknames don’t disappear. They continue to stick to their recipients because they have a good deal of adhesive power.

4.     There may be laws whereby nicknaming a person may be punishable.  

5.     There is also a positive view about nicknames. It says that nicknames have been a part of human culture from time immemorial. They serve as endearing terms of familiarity, often used by friends, family, or close acquaintances to add an extra layer of intimacy to personal relationships.

G. R. Kanwal

29^{th December 2023}