What's In A Name? The Russian Naming System
"In formal or official situations, Russians address each other by using both a person's first name and his or her patronymic. the patronymic invariably is derived from the first name of the person's father. For example, Sergey Ivanovich is literally Sergey, son of Ivan, and Tatyana Andreyevna is Tatyana, daughter of Andrey.
Additionally, Russians are extrememly fond of using diminuatives when addressing each other in familiar situations. Although some diminutives may be slightly derogatory, the majority are used to express closeness and /or tenderness.
Note also that all Russian words carry stress on only one syllable. "
Excerpt taken from "The Works and Days of Svistonov: A Novel From the Post-Revolutionary Bolshevik Years
by Konstantin Vaginov, Copyright 2001 USA
Translated from the Russian by Howard Shernoff
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