Re: [OFF-TOPIC] Naming systems...

[Bill Frantz <frantz@netcom.com>]

At 9:32 AM -0700 6/3/97, Peter Trei wrote:
>With the old Norse system, still used in Iceland, there is a tremendous
>namespace-collision problem.

There is also a namespace collapse problem in China.  They have a
patrilineal family naming convention much like the one that is common in
the USA.  However the naming system has been stable for thousands of years.
In that time, some names have died out (only girl babies).  They somewhat
avoid the associated namespace collision problem by being imaginative with
given names.

To avoid namespace collapse, you need to continually introduce new names.
If Iceland didn't limit given names, the problem would go away.  For
example: I know a Catnip Echoridge Fredrick.  I bet Catnipsson would expand
the namespace.


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