Author Topic: Russian forms of address in writing  (Read 4774 times)

Listener

  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3186
  • I place things in locations which later elude me.
    • Various and Sundry Items of Interest
on: January 14, 2009, 04:56:53 PM
In "The Clockwork Russian", one of the main characters is Pyotr Leonovich Novotny. I'm pretty sure that the proper way to address someone in Russian back in the 20s (at least, according to what I've read) is name + patronymic, so Pyotr Leonovich. However, in the narrative, do I address him as Pyotr Leonovich, or by his last name? I'm leaning toward the former, though later on in the story we meet his brother, who I just address as Vasily in the narrative, and a couple other Russian characters.

I'm basically trying to be consistent. I've tried revising to change PL to just Novotny, and it just doesn't sound right to me for some reason.

Thoughts?

"Farts are a hug you can smell." -Wil Wheaton

Blog || Quote Blog ||  Written and Audio Work || Twitter: @listener42


Bdoomed

  • Pseudopod Tiger
  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5858
  • Mmm. Tiger.
Reply #1 on: January 14, 2009, 11:34:42 PM
i forget, but try looking in A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.  Thats all colloquial russian name addresses...

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?