Names and Surnames
Bilingual names, having variants in both Konkani and English, like Zuãuñ (John) and Mornel (Magdalene) are common among Mangalorean Catholics. Most Mangalorean Catholic names for males follow the second declension. Among women, the names follow the first declension, while among young girls, the names follow the second declension. The Mangalorean Catholic variant of many first names is the Mangalorean Catholic Konkani version of its Portuguese counterpart which was borrowed from the Portuguese language (examples include Zâbel from the Portuguese Isabel, Zuãuñ from the Portuguese João, Pedru from the Portuguese Pedro, and Zoze from the Portuguese José). Portuguese surnames like D'Souza and Pinto are abundant among Mangalorean Catholics, and generally follow the second declension. Some families use their original Goud Saraswat Brahmin surnames such as Prabhu, Kamat, Pai, and Shenoy. Other European surnames are also found.
Mangalorean Catholic variant | English variant | Portuguese variant | Meaning | Sex |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mâri | Mary | Maria | Beloved | Female |
Monku | Monica | Mónica | To advise | Female |
Motes | Matthew | Mateus | Gift from God | Male |
Nâtu | Natalia | Natalia | Birthday | Female |
Pedru | Peter | Pedro | Stone | Male |
Šila | Sylvester | Silas | Wooded | Male |
Zâbel | Elizabeth | Isabel | My God is my oath | Female |
Zoze | Joseph | José | The Lord will add | Male |
Sources: English-Konkani Dictionary (2001) and A Konkani Grammar (2003) |
Read more about this topic: Culture Of Mangalorean Catholics
Famous quotes containing the word names:
“Consider the islands bearing the names of all the saints, bristling with forts like chestnut-burs, or Echinidæ, yet the police will not let a couple of Irishmen have a private sparring- match on one of them, as it is a government monopoly; all the great seaports are in a boxing attitude, and you must sail prudently between two tiers of stony knuckles before you come to feel the warmth of their breasts.”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)