I'm not sure when it happened, but yes you are correct re being forced to change. However, my understanding was that they Germanicised (is that a word?) their existing names, eg Solomon translated into the German "Friedman", which is why a number of German surnames are particular to Jews
OK, looks like at least some of them got to have some input, then!
(although other surnames appear to be shared - for example every Zimmerman I know is Jewish, but I am led to believe that this is not an uncommon surname among non-Jewish Germans).
That would make sense, because 'Zimmermann' means carpenter.
OK, looks like at least some of them got to have some input, then!
That would make sense, because 'Zimmermann' means carpenter.
Ah!
All this is pass-me-down lore, but my dad's family name is Friedman, so this is the story as I have known it. My mom's family name is a corruption of a village in Poland (the corruption probably by immigration officials when her parents landed in South Africa in the late 1930s). But all the grandparents came from Lithuania, so I guess the families all got pushed into the Pale of Settlement at some stage, which in turn implies that the surnames were in use by then so at least a few hundred years ago.
All this is pass-me-down lore, but my dad's family name is Friedman, so this is the story as I have known it. My mom's family name is a corruption of a village in Poland (the corruption probably by immigration officials when her parents landed in South Africa in the late 1930s). But all the grandparents came from Lithuania, so I guess the families all got pushed into the Pale of Settlement at some stage, which in turn implies that the surnames were in use by then so at least a few hundred years ago.
Well, I'm pretty sure we were told at school that the naming was arbitrary because often officials couldn't be bothered to ask what people's real names meant, so some of them wound up with silly-sounding names like 'Grünspan' (which is German for verdigris).
Sorry if that was a bit off-putting. It wasn't intentional, but RAE/REF and other citation-based metrics represent a real pitfall for those who do change their names. For example, if I had changed mine, my h-index (more pseudoscientific nonsense based on citation counting) would currently be 23 and not 28.
And why does this matter? Because I have seen the first cut in a Fellowship scheme, for example, made on the basis of applicants' h-index. Similarly, I have seen job specifications which require a minimum h-index. So changing name may inadvertently and terminally disadvantage you in a very competitive job market.
Well, I'm pretty sure we were told at school that the naming was arbitrary because often officials couldn't be bothered to ask what people's real names meant, so some of them wound up with silly-sounding names like 'Grünspan' (which is German for verdigris).
Sorry if that was a bit off-putting. It wasn't intentional, but RAE/REF and other citation-based metrics represent a real pitfall for those who do change their names. For example, if I had changed mine, my h-index (more pseudoscientific nonsense based on citation counting) would currently be 23 and not 28.
And why does this matter? Because I have seen the first cut in a Fellowship scheme, for example, made on the basis of applicants' h-index. Similarly, I have seen job specifications which require a minimum h-index. So changing name may inadvertently and terminally disadvantage you in a very competitive job market.
Anyway, apologies for any upset.
C
Nope there's no upset. I just found the 'errr no' bit at the start of your post to imply that it was very obvious. As someone just starting my PhD I think its normal to be fairly ignorant about how the REF works, and things like h-indices. So I couldn't work out why name changes were so problematic to womens' careers. That information is very useful, thanks.
Gah, I'm such an idiot. There were two jobs that I wanted to apply for, but then several things got in the way (a migraine that lasted four days, deadlines for drafts to be sent to my supervisor, an enquiry about summer school teaching etc), I got distracted, and now I've realised that today is the 1st, the deadline is tomorrow and I've got no hope of making it - and even if I miraculously did (which I won't), there's no way that my referees would. Damn.
Gah, I'm such an idiot. There were two jobs that I wanted to apply for, but then several things got in the way (a migraine that lasted four days, deadlines for drafts to be sent to my supervisor, an enquiry about summer school teaching etc), I got distracted, and now I've realised that today is the 1st, the deadline is tomorrow and I've got no hope of making it - and even if I miraculously did (which I won't), there's no way that my referees would. Damn.
This happens to me all the time...
I have my foster kitteh here now She is hiding under the sofa but I'm hoping she'll come out eventually. Very scary for her.
Just over 1000 words of essay written today . I'm such a slow writer - I tend to agonise over each sentence. But I've managed to write a bit more intuitively for this - for once I know what I want to say!
I have my foster kitteh here now She is hiding under the sofa but I'm hoping she'll come out eventually. Very scary for her.
Is she out yet? I once had a cat who hid under my bed for TWO WEEKS after I got her. I gradually coaxed her out with food and love - it took about a week before she would even let me touch her. Then one day I came home and she came out to greet me without any coaxing . The next day I came home to find the window open and the cat gone....after 2 days I gave up hope. The next night I was woken up by hungry miaowing at 3am .
Is she out yet? I once had a cat who hid under my bed for TWO WEEKS after I got her. I gradually coaxed her out with food and love - it took about a week before she would even let me touch her. Then one day I came home and she came out to greet me without any coaxing .
She came out half an hour ago and had a good sniff around the room and ate a pouch Then she saw someone walking past the window and dived for cover again. But when I reach down to stroke her she purrs, and she was eating out of my hand too She is really very affectionate, given her ordeal today (which included a vet pitstop) and the general chaos of her life so far. I'm impressed with her! My own cats are not too impressed though, being shut out of the room and knowing something is going on...
The next day I came home to find the window open and the cat gone....after 2 days I gave up hope. The next night I was woken up by hungry miaowing at 3am
Too scary! I'm so glad she came back! The charity lady who dropped Jess off said they'd had a cat adopted this week and the next morning the family had already lost her... I'm being super-cautious about it, as it would be a total disaster if she got out. I'm making sure to shut all doors as I move around the house. Paranoid!
She came out half an hour ago and had a good sniff around the room and ate a pouch Then she saw someone walking past the window and dived for cover again. But when I reach down to stroke her she purrs, and she was eating out of my hand too She is really very affectionate, given her ordeal today (which included a vet pitstop) and the general chaos of her life so far. I'm impressed with her! My own cats are not too impressed though, being shut out of the room and knowing something is going on...
Too scary! I'm so glad she came back! The charity lady who dropped Jess off said they'd had a cat adopted this week and the next morning the family had already lost her... I'm being super-cautious about it, as it would be a total disaster if she got out. I'm making sure to shut all doors as I move around the house. Paranoid!
Oh happy to hear she is out and affectionate already! I think the general rule of thumb is to keep them inside for 2 weeks?
I just got back from the library to find a distinctly damp Lyra. Still, if she was going to fall in, today was the day to choose, and she clearly got herself out ok.
This really hasn't been my week I've got a raging migraine right now from the stress of it, but since I'm the sole organiser for our monthly PhD socials, I have to go along to the March one this evening at the pub even though I won't be able to hear anyone (got an ear infection) or drink (can't drink with the migraine painkillers) and even though its looking like a tiny smattering are actually going to make it this evening. I would reschedule it but I don't have mobile numbers and don't think the smattering would get the message on facebook on time... House hunting has just been awful, as expected. It takes up all one's time and energy, and each time you see a place you feel really rushed to make a decision because loads of other people are also viewing and they go so fast. Overall I'm just really stressed about what impact the whole thing is going to have on my work. The longer I search, the bigger the distraction. But if I don't choose the right place it might be really hard to settle down and work well at home and so forth.
This week our boiler broke, and the sockets in all the upstairs rooms (and my office) went down.