Last names and idiots who ask for them.

Submitted by carlitos2u on 6 May, 2006 - 09:09.

I have travelled many places and have run into many nicarguans while travelling. Its funny that the first few questions they ask is where do you live and what is ur last name.

As a nicaraguan I know where they are coming from when they ask for my last name. To me it is basically a sort of litmus test to see if you are from the one of the well off families.

So I ask myself what is up with nicas asking for your last name when they barely know you?

If you are one of those nicas that ask for a last name, please save the trouble keep that question to yourself, nobody likes to be measured, cataloged or placed in a case.

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A good answer

Submitted by mafalda on 22 December, 2006 - 13:39.

its totaly true, but there is a good answer and beleive me, it works! IT is "I dont know". You will see how they get lost. They dont know what to do and shut up their mouth finally. I dont know exactly why nicaragunas always ask for lastnames but I guess its a way to "romper el hielo" when you dont know how to introduce yourself. Any way it bothers me too.

Dear Carlitos...

Submitted by FORMER NL MEMBER 2 on 22 December, 2006 - 07:16.

As Blue Miskitu and 50% Banana Man, the last name is asked for simple reason of family genealogy. The rest of your posting or the way you THINK is personal problem..

Blue ,,,/ {' ;'} Miskitu

Hey, Banana Man

Submitted by Former NL Member on 22 December, 2006 - 07:30.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananaman

Do you hang out with Bananarama?

Banana Man-

Submitted by AdamAnt on 22 December, 2006 - 09:38.

Good one John, I never knew he existed.

When I worked constuction about 15 years ago we had a guy on our crew that we called Banana Man but was for entirely different reasons and things that can't be mentioned on this site.

I was doing some research on last names

Submitted by Nicabuff on 10 July, 2006 - 21:21.

I was doing some research on last names and it appears that various surnames in the Esteli region originate in northern Spain. Last names such as Chavarria, Aguirre, Arauz are of Basque origin, Rugama is from Cantabria, etc. Of course almost everyone is mixed but just some info I thought I would share will you all. I will post a geneaology link later.

Genealogy

Submitted by tropi on 6 May, 2006 - 21:43.

This site is extremely interesting http://genforum.genealogy.com/nicaragua/

I think its kind of neat that many can trace their blood lines so far.

Solution - Legally Eliminate Last Name

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 6 May, 2006 - 17:34.

Miskito Alan &#174

That is exactly what Peter Christopher legally did.

Then - When people ask - Say none (I guess).

I'm not really sure how that works.

Christopher Peter Kawecki became Peter Christopher.

I've not yet understood the switch in the first two names; but, I'm sure there was a damn good reason.

http://www.nicaliving.com/node/4324

Name Changes on NicaLiving

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 6 May, 2006 - 19:53.

Miskito Alan &#174

Josh became STS which is a Cadillac.

Sherif (who may be dead) became Granada Sherif.

Alan became Miskito Alan.

padredemumi became padredealyson and is working on being next padre.

Bamboo John became just John Wayne.

With no imagination - fyl & Pete and John - still the same name.

I will add more later.

just a though

Submitted by tropi on 6 May, 2006 - 16:09.

My last name comes from German jewish origin and tends not to be very easily pronouncable by most people I have met in Nicaragua.

In fact at times it can be a real pain because the conversation is to formal to be made by first names. Infact my wife can not even pronounce it.

I doubt I would change my name but I have thought about making it a bit more pronouncable through the spelling, kind of like they may have done in the 1800-1900's coming off the boat at Ellis Island.

Haven't really gave it much though, recently, but I suppose in the future with more professional aspects it may be something that could help out.

names

Submitted by Huehuete Bob on 6 May, 2006 - 17:11.

My name is hard to pronounce properly too. It would be Chefalu' phonetically

names

Submitted by Huehuete Bob on 6 May, 2006 - 17:33.

My wife's name is Ileana del Rosario Artola de Cefalu..... The Cefalu part is whats important to me.

Put the Glass Down

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 6 May, 2006 - 17:17.

Miskito Alan &#174

That is not your last name.

I did know one guy in high school with that name. Serious.

My mother-in-law had twin friends named Ima Hogg & Ura Hogg.

Hoggs

Submitted by Denny on 11 July, 2006 - 09:14.

I take it your mother-in-law is from Texas?

i've been there....

Submitted by Che Guevara on 11 July, 2006 - 10:07.

will be again. it is in texas.

names.

Submitted by Huehuete Bob on 6 May, 2006 - 17:35.

When I was working for the city as a payroll person, one of the names was Peter Meager. Of course when whe made the paycheck the last name came first and the first name last.............

Funny

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 6 May, 2006 - 17:43.

Miskito Alan &#174

Great short story.

no,

Submitted by Che Guevara on 7 May, 2006 - 06:50.

it was a meager story. meager.

i sang that song to my little 4 year old.....

Submitted by Che Guevara on 7 May, 2006 - 06:47.

it goes like this, ima nut, ima nut, i asked myself out on a date, had to be ready by half past 8, ima nut, ima nut, ima genuine nut. and i have been to the Reeperbahn, only to look, when i lived in germany. it was the first week of june, i had a shirt, sweater, and a jacket on and i was still cold.

Slavic last name?

Submitted by carlitos2u on 6 May, 2006 - 16:42.

Oh those are tongue twisters.

"ur" is being used here as short hand for "you are"

Submitted by carlitos2u on 6 May, 2006 - 16:39.

Thanks for the lesson though. I hope I did not confuse you in using "ur".

As for your statement that I paint people as idiots who ask for last name, well the below link posted at 16:00, before you posted yours, I believe contradicts your statement. In particular I state that to those that do ask for last names to catalog or measure up people to save the trouble.

No Prisoners

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 6 May, 2006 - 17:02.

Miskito Alan &#174

I'm taking no sides and no prisoners on the correct English issue.

I'm certainly not commenting on the "ur" usage.

Some of us here who are always here when we are not there do appreciate a little formality on NicaLiving.

Dat pretty good expresses my tinking on dat.

No prob.=No problem:)

Submitted by carlitos2u on 6 May, 2006 - 16:57.

Glad we could clear things up and not turn into other rants that we have seen lately on Nica Living.

It is pretty funny how they go at each other. For those that are going at it in other forums..keep going its great humor.

With 3 Machetes - No Less

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 6 May, 2006 - 17:04.

Miskito Alan &#174

Related to so & so...

Submitted by iva on 7 May, 2006 - 12:33.

Even then, when you're asked if you are related to so & so's... it may be a "friendly" type of contact... like in the USA.. if someone knows someone you know... it may mean they are trustworthy... versus someone with no reference "at all"... it's just a way of knowing a bit of someone you know nothing at all "about"... For Americans that are building new "aeas", neighborhoods, enclaves... in the future they may ask which enclave you are living in... so, if from the Atlantic Coast then they will know you have a very laid-back type of life versus someone in an enclave in Granada, Managua, Leon... and if you're enclave is in the North... they can pretty much asume that you've invested in coffee or cattle and the conversation may go around that... it creates "small talk" between strangers.. But is mostly a habit Nicaraguans have to relate to each other and wether they are familiar with the others' background or not... will make the conversation more cassual or less... may even go from Usted to Vos...

friendly?

Submitted by carlitos2u on 6 May, 2006 - 10:24.

I don't think being friendly requires you to divulge ur last name.

I quess we can take two approaches to this. One, oh they are being friendly and want to know more about me gee thats wonderful. Or two, the position pointed above.

So can we agree that some ask to just be friendly and others are asking to merely catalog you? It is these people who are asking for that latter reason, I say to them to save the trouble.

Thanks for your input it raises a valid point.

I can relate

Submitted by lola on 11 July, 2006 - 22:25.

Carlitos I can totally understand where you are comming from. I don't like it either. You can pretty much know the intention of the person who asks about your lastname by the way the question is being asked. I suppose it is part of our classist society. I remember in 1995 I was briefly working for the travel agency "viajes tisey" in Esteli. There were three girls there. The owner used to introduce us to his customer by our last name. This is a "Castillo" and the other one is a "Rodriguez" and that one (me) is from an unknown last name (de las afueras) from a village...I actually have my father's last name; who was from managua, but I have no idea where my last name came from. So yeah I know what you mean.

Approaches too narrowed down

Submitted by iva on 7 May, 2006 - 12:22.

Nicaraguans.. [boring for gringos (a kind word)] There are alot of reasons a Nicaraguan may ask you for your last name and where you are from. Not to long ago the population was only 2million, and we married mostly Nicaraguans. So, if anyone may have been interested in someone else, either for themselves or for a relative, then it may have been a reason to ask those questions. Since you didn't want to be "related" to anyone you may date. My last name is quite common in the North. But, my grandmother is from Esteli, so... I would probably ask for your last name, where from... and then even your "second last name". It's a Nicaraguan habit, that only applies to other Nicaraguans... mostly wanting to know wether there is anything in common, or not. If you where from the south I probably w. It is true some may want to know what part of society you belong too and some may want to "catalogue" you into a have or have-not. But, dif. people catalogue people dif. ways. You for example, cataloguing people who ask for last names as "idiots". It may be your ignorance of Nicaraguan habits... since you where born in 76, you probably went in exile at 3 y of age, and grew up in American society... where it is abnoxious to be asked for your last name. I certainly have no interest in knowing anyones last name here [USA]. Unless they are from Nicaragua. I can pretty much tell where they are from... from this bit of info... and I will ask this question, more out-of-habit, than anything else... I'm always curious as to wether people may be related to me or not. Then I've had people, that have grown-up here [usa] think we are relatives just because we come from the same town and we have the same last name [there's like 10 families with the same last name in my town]. That anoys me... I went to lunch in Sn Fco. and the waitress kept rambling about being related to a 1st uncle of mine... when I told her she was talking about my daad's brother... she says "oh, it was only a friendly way of calling him"... so, we all get anoyed by other peoples habits, if they are not are own... to you I say GET-OVER-IT... AND JUST SAY I GREW UP IN THE US AND AM NOT ACOSTUMED TO GIVING MY LAST NAME ... OR BE SHORT AND SAY NON OF YOUR BEES-WAX... keep in mind that if you are Nicaraguan, you may not want your kids marrying a long-lost-cousin.... who knows carlitos... maby you're my cousin carlos... or carlos ortega more likely...

Norte Americano thing?

Submitted by Huehuete Bob on 6 May, 2006 - 10:39.

Looks like this thing about asking last names is a result of the two cultures meeting. Like I said, I never thought twice about asking a last name not to classify anyone though. Guess I will think twice now.

One culture, one list culture

Submitted by fyl on 6 May, 2006 - 10:57.

In the US, ages ago, last name had social significance. Carpenter, Baker and Miller are good examples. Also, if you had an obviously Irish last name you got another label.

While last name, with a few exceptions, has lost any real meaning, I expect it was regularly used 100 years ago in the US to "classify".

Do You Remember Boston & Beacon Hill?

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 6 May, 2006 - 12:55.

Miskito Alan &#174

The Lodge family would only speak to the Cabot family.

The Cabot family would only speak to God.

Big names

Submitted by Zompopo on 6 May, 2006 - 14:40.

A couple of nights ago the Capitol Police applied the golden rule: Recognize a Kennedy at the scene of an accident, no sobriety test, give him a ride home!

Think you are wrong

Submitted by Huehuete Bob on 6 May, 2006 - 10:05.

I know the only reason I ask for last names is to see if they might be related to my wife or others I know. I even use my last name in my email address and my id on this site. Believe me, I am not in a well off family here or the U.S.

Mine are:

Submitted by se_vnt3 on 6 May, 2006 - 09:38.

Urroz, Darce, Jarquin and Morales from Chinandega and Managua.

Can anyone tell me anything about them because I don't know anything about them myself?

Oh, and Hernandez through an adopted family member.

Amen!

Submitted by VidaVerde on 6 May, 2006 - 09:23.

So true, Bro! No matter where you live!

-Carl

Not True for purpose

Submitted by Henrywayawaya on 6 May, 2006 - 09:33.

I would ask the last name because I might know the family if I don't know them directly. So there.

It happen one I ask the last name was an English last name and they were married but we were related. So there, don't asume.

Nicaragua is consider a small country so every one might know a cetain family. The Atlantic coast is a lot more tight nit than the Pacific. One of the other reason if you are from a corupted family I'll drop you like a hot potatoe. (;-)

Correct

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 6 May, 2006 - 09:42.

Miskito Alan &#174

The Atlantic Coast:

All Creole people are related,

All Miskito people are related,

Or so it seems.

Related?

Submitted by Jose721 on 7 May, 2006 - 12:42.

They say in Kentucky, divorce isn't so bad, cause when its over, you're still brother and sister!

and when that Marriage is finished

Submitted by Miskito Alan on 7 May, 2006 - 13:37.

Miskito Alan &#174

Just go to a family reunion and find the new & next wife.

Boaco too

Submitted by no longer registered on 6 May, 2006 - 10:28.

Seems like everyone in Boaco is somehow related to one side or the other of my wife's family. I just call them all "primo/a"...

Los primos se exprimen

Submitted by se_vnt3 on 6 May, 2006 - 13:32.

"Los primos se exprimen" también.

A.K.A.

"The closest gets the moistest" too.