Why do people use first names when they talk about their favourite artists? Eg. Eric plays a mean guitar, Linda sounds wonderful, etc.
Nobody says William wrote a great drama, or Graham was a great spy novelist…
Why?
I find the faux familiarity irritating
I agree with you.
I think it’s a British thing. I noticed the same on the F1 thread. Everyone British is taking about Lewis and Max, most people from other countries talk about Hamilton and Verstappen.
I was thinking about that as I posted about Linda. But it’s just what we do at least in the U.S. Arguably more for women: Joni, Emmylou, Dolly, Janis, Taylor. It may be how they are presented on the media.
Of course the Beatles were John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
Well. @castalla I’m pretty sure these artists are more than happy about people talking about them regardless whether first name or surname.
Eric who? Is probably the best response to this if it irritates you.
There needs to be some context, or it may not be clear, to those who don’t know…
John, Paul, George & Ringo are fine - if its clearly something about The Beatles - although Ringo always works…!!
Eric, Jeff & Jimmy - fine if its about The Yardbirds…
Context. Is Everything.
My old maths’ teacher objected to cricketers being just called by their surname; I.e. Boycott. I suppose it’s about familiarity, association and wanting to relate closely to a person, albeit you may never meet them. I prefer a more respectful approach.
But then we’d have missed:
“The bowler’s Holding; the batsman’s Willey.”
Well, it’s not Eric Idle
I haven’t come across that at all. Most often it’s full name, otherwise Hendrix, Clapton etc. I’m guessing in some thread I’ve not read here
This seems to be a very strange thing to find irritating, indeed there must be few things less irritating. Maybe the answer is only to like artists with one name: Adele, Prince, Morrissey…
If they actually know the person - rare - it comes across as name dropping.
If they don’t, then it’s a kind of unearned intimacy with someone they admire.
If someone mentions ‘Mozart’, I usually say “Wolfie or Leo?” - just to be an awkward so and so…
Maybe it is part of the English speakers’ culture? Wherever I go in Japan, Germany, Switzerland, etc. I see people always addressing each other using surnames.
I think it should already be clear from the responses here that it is not normal British culture (and of course it could hardly be a function of language). I think it is just a small minority of people.
@castalla where did you come across this, that it riled you enough to open a thread on it? Was it in some other thread here?
By contrast, in the late 80s, I remember giggling at the idea of (for some reason) Chaka Demus and Pliers going to the bank for a loan and meeting the manager:
“Ah, Mr Demus, good morning. And you must be Mr Pliers”