They're coming, they're here!!!!

[BAMSS04]

That is right folks according to Arkandy Leokum writer/researcher for the " Tell Me Why " books kids these days are asking serious questions. I picked up one of his books a couple of days ago and was simply astonished at the questions kids are asking these days (Yes there are some sexual but there are others too)Why, you might ask/ Beacuse If my neice or nephews were to ask me these questions I wouldn't have known the answers.

I thought it would be kind of fun to see if you guys could answer these questions if asked. No cheating if you don't know simply say pass, of Piss off, or eat me, whatever, just don't go looking the answers up.

Anyway Lets get started:

#1

How long have people been using last names, and why did they start?
Asked by Tom Braymer, Kindergartener from Illinois

NO CHEATING!! I'll post the answer at 9pm along with another question.

[karmattack]

Nice idea for a forum. That said, I have no [censored] idea.

[Mighty_Wingman]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
How long have people been using last names, and why did they start?

[/ QUOTE ]

My guess would be it developed at different times in different cultures and areas.

For example : having recently been privy to conversation about Sweedish surnames ( as they're sometimes called )It became difficult to tell who, one was referring to, so they added their fathers name.
"Jack. "
"Jack who ? "
" Ya know ? Jack, Jons' son . "

Gradually "Jack , son of Jon", became "Jack Jonson".

In England it was little different. Your last name was more commonly based on trade or skill this is evidenced by names like Blacksmith, Cook and Shoemaker. If you speak German the same trends are evident there.

I'm getting tired of typing here, but I could go on for a while . There better be a pretty punchline here BAM.

[BAMSS04]

I shall type word for word Mr. Leokums answers. I will only say this I though it was kind interesting, but if your expecting it to be a joke, nope. Just the facts...

[BAMSS04]

I am late posting this but I see that know one else wanted to chime in anyway.

Here you go....

[BAMSS04]

Hey, Shorty!” “Hi, Skinny.” “There’s Fatso.” Here comes Blondie.” Sound familiar to you? It’s a perfectly natural way to call people-give them a nickname that describes them in some way.
You know that is exactly how first names were given originally! A girl born during a famine might be called Una ( Celtic ford “famine), a golden haired blonde might be called Blanche( French for “white”), a boy might be called David because it means “Beloved.”
A first name was all anybody had for thousands of years. Then, about the time the Normans conquered England in 1066, last names were added to identify people better. The first name wasn’t enough to set one person apart from another. For example, there might be two Davids in town, and one of them was lazy. Do people began to call this one “ David , who is also lazy” or “ David do little and this became David Doolittle.
The last names were originally called “ekenames” the word “eke” meant “also.” And by the way , we get our word “nickname” from this word.
Once people got into the habit of giving a person two names they thought of many ways of creating this second name. For example, one way was to mention the father’s name. If john had a father called William he might be called John Williamson, or John Williams, or John Wilson(Will’s son), or John Wills. ( Score two points for Mighty Wingman)
Another good way to identify people with second names was to mention the place in which they came from. If a person lived near the woods they may be called Wood, or if he lived near the village green they would become John Green.
And then there is of course the work that a person did, often times this was used to identify them. So we have last names like Smith, Taylor, and Wright. ( “Wright” means some one who does mechanical work.) (Score two more for Wingman)
In ancient times the closest thing they had to last names was when they added a second name to indicate the family or clan to which a child belonged. Later, they even added a third name, as a descriptive nickname.” -Arkandy Leokum

I hope you all enjoyed round one its now time for round two:

Do animals laugh or cry?
Asked by Katie Barret 2nd grader Mississippi