(urth) Severa

[David Stockhoff]

On 12/4/2011 10:24 AM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
> *From:* David Stockhoff <mailto:dstockhoff at verizon.net>
> On 12/4/2011 9:10 AM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
>
> > > Certainly the book seems to be suggesting that a twin sister exists
> > > somewhere.
> > > With regard to this question, it doesn’t really matter if the
> > > torturers pick names, or defer to the client’s wishes.
> > > There is a possibility that occurs to me – the torturers name the boy
> > > and the witches name the girl. Might the torturers have given a 
> twin’s
> > > name to the boy, then handed over the girl to the witches, who gave
> > > her a standard name? It would explain Merryn’s name, but it seems a
> > > slightly convoluted explanation.
>
> > That's what I said, except that Severian is not "a twin's name." It's
> > just a name. Any Latinate male named can be twinned with a female form.
> But we do get a hint that it’s typical of a twin:
> ****************************************
> "She was your sister, wasn't she?"
> He nodded. "We were twins. Big Severian, did you ever have a sister?"
> "I don't know. My family is all dead. They've been dead since I was a 
> baby.
> ****************************************
>
> And probably not all Latinate names can be associated with saints of 
> both genders.


Absolutely not---it's one reason why I think there _is_ something there.
>
> > What's convoluted about it?
> The explanation? Just that the torturers take the trouble to select a 
> twin’s name for the boy, but then say nothing to the witches. 
> [Assuming it’s a name indicative of a twin, obviously. Perhaps there’s 
> nothing there.]

IT'S NOT A "TWIN'S NAME." And why would they talk to the witches at all, 
ever?