Gromit wrote:
...
Quote:
CONNOISSEURS of 1970s UK police soap operas will remember the refrain "Let's be 'avin' you" when an arrest was about to be made. Matthew Falder brings to our attention what he describes as an example not of nominative determinism, but of locational determinism - the existence of a police facility on Letsby Avenue in the Yorkshire town of Sheffield.
This is true; we have checked it out. "No news yet if there is an 'Onyer Way' or 'Evenin Hall' in the vicinity," observes Falder sadly, in reference to two more catchphrases of the genre.
...thought I'd give nominative determinism a try:
The Blessed One (Lightning), the Good, the Handsome Obama?
The name as I wrote it above is a literal translation of “Barack Hussein Obama.” Barack is a variant of the Arabic and African word baraka, the blessed one, or if you prefer, the Hebrew word for lightning (the Barak of Jewish tradition is a victor against the odds, which should come in handy for Obama). Hussein, a name of Arab, and in Jordan royal, origin, means “the good, the handsome one.” Seems nominative determinant for one running for president. Except I couldn't find a meaning for Obama. (If it means
"NOT!! !", he could be in trouble).
John McCain:
JOHN
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: JAHN (English) [key]
English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ιωαννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan) meaning "YAHWEH is gracious".
McCain: Irish derivative of McKean. McKean: Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Iain ‘son of Ian’, a Gaelic form of
John.
His name is "John" "Son of John", or "God is Gracious Son of God is Gracious". Maybe not nominative determinant, but if he wins, perhaps his name explains his win.