(urth) On dream travelers

[James Wynn]

>> It has always seemed likely to me that "Gene" (if that is the 
>> ultimate spelling) is an assimilation. Originally, the name was Jean. 
>> This seems implied by the Aunt Jeanine's name, by the fact that all 
>> abo males are named "John", and that twinnish, shared-dreams between 
>> VRT and Number Five. Perhaps the English call him "Gene" because it 
>> looks like that the way it is spelled.
>
> I disagree that there's evidence for assimilation.  The head of the 
> household is still called Maitre.

So? My friend's American kids call their aunt "Tia". Various familial 
terms used within the Wolfe household mean nothing. There are plenty of 
people with French surnames in the US that English pronunciation. Have 
you never met anyone in the UK named Benet or Benoit who pronounces it 
as spelled? Mr. Million predates the English-speakers taking over the 
colony. You don't suppose they still speak French do you? I presume the 
Wolfes still know how.

> Besides, if he is called Gene because his name is spelt Jean then his 
> name is still not Gene but Jean.

Not necessarily for English. I don't know why this needs explaining.

>
> As for the abo stuff, I don't think it's relevant.  The use of the 
> name John tells us nothing about Gene, 

Slight quibble: This is should be "Because I disbelieve that "gene" is 
merely a homonym for an English pronunciation for "jean", I therefore 
believe the use of the name John tells us nothing about Gene."

Were you to accept the presupposition on which this argument is based, 
you would see that John and Gene are indeed connected.

> and I don't believe there is any connection between Number Five and 
> the abos.

Seems like an arbitrary bit of geography to choose to hold or die on,  
but okay.

u+16b9