On Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:04:24 +0200, clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:

>Stephen schrieb:
>> Just out of interest, does German have names that are used for either sex? Like
>> Lesley or Francis in English.
>
>Some, yes. Though most of them are either (a) originally shortened forms 
>of distinctively male or female names (e.g. "Chris", which could be a 
>short form of either "Christoph" or "Christian", but also of 
>"Christina", "Christiane" or "Christel"),

We have those too male names with a feminine suffix: Stephen - Stephanie, Paul -
Paula etc.

> (b) names "imported" from 
>other languages (e.g. "Etienne") 

That is something that does not happen very much in the UK. Most "foreign" names
are anglicised except those from the subcontinent or Islamic names where it is
obvious that the people are not natives. I have met a few Africans with names
like "Blessed" or "Joyful" which always raises a smile.

>or (c) both (e.g. "Sam" could be short 
>for either "Samuel" or "Samantha" - or, in recent days, "Samwise" for 
>that matter :-) - with only "Samuel" having a significant tradition here 
>in Germany to be considered a "German" name [though 70 years ago many 
>people would have strongly objected even to that, but that's a totally 
>different story].)

Indeed it is. :)
It is nice to be able to talk about it after all this time. The BBC is running a
series of programmes ATM about events leading up to the war and what happened
during the war. They seem, to me, very open and unbiased especially concerning
what would now be considered war crimes by the allies. 
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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