Russian names question

[pontifex]

I'm reading a book by a Russian author that involves Russian characters and takes place mostly in Russia. The book is New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko.

I've noticed that when he mentions character names, sometimes he uses a full name and then sometimes he uses a shorter, unrelated name.

Innokentiy Tolkov is one of the characters but sometimes he is called Kesha.

Can anyone explain this?

 

[Sho'Nuff]

I'm reading a book by a Russian author that involves Russian characters and takes place mostly in Russia. The book is New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko.

I've noticed that when he mentions character names, sometimes he uses a full name and then sometimes he uses a shorter, unrelated name.

Innokentiy Tolkov is one of the characters but sometimes he is called Kesha.

Can anyone explain this?

Are you sure "Kesha" isn't actually "Kenya?" Kenya is the diminutive form of Innokentij. Diminutives are used in many cases to convey familiarity or affection.

It is similar to calling a person named "Jonathan," "Johnny," a person named "Richard," "Dick," or (more eastern European), calling someone name Jaroslav (Ya-ro-slah-v), Jarda (Yar-da) or Slavek

Source - I know some Russian, my dad is from the Czech Republic, and my middle name is Jaroslav (which lead to the oh so fun nicknames of "Yoda" and "Youraslob" when I was a kid)

 

[z1ggy]

Are you sure "Kesha" isn't actually "Kenya?" Kenya is the diminutive form of Innokentij. Diminutives are used in many cases to convey familiarity or affection.

It is similar to calling a person named "Jonathan," "Johnny," a person named "Richard," "Dick," or (more eastern European), calling someone name Jaroslav (Ya-ro-slah-v), Jarda (Yar-da) or Slavek

Source - I know some Russian, my dad is from the Czech Republic, and my middle name is Jaroslav (which lead to the oh so fun nicknames of "Yoda" and "Youraslob" when I was a kid)

Is the book in Russian??

But I'd agree with the above. Also, if it is in English, there's probably some letters/names mixed up in the conversion between two alphabets and transliteration.

 

[pontifex]

The book is in English, so maybe it is a mistranslation then.

There is a character named Gesar that they also call Boris Ignatievich. Now, this guy is of Tibetan descent and is over 500 years old so Gesar could be some older unrelated name. I also found that there is an Epic of King Gesar in Tibet, so he might be based on that character.

I just find it odd that they call him Gesar in one instance and Boris Ignatievich in another. I was thinking they might be using Boris in public, but that is not the case.

 

[Scarpozzi]

The book is in English, so maybe it is a mistranslation then.

There is a character named Gesar that they also call Boris Ignatievich. Now, this guy is of Tibetan descent and is over 500 years old so Gesar could be some older unrelated name. I also found that there is an Epic of King Gesar in Tibet, so he might be based on that character.

I just find it odd that they call him Gesar in one instance and Boris Ignatievich in another. I was thinking they might be using Boris in public, but that is not the case.

That kind of thing kills my reading comprehension. Crime and Punishment did the same thing... Read the characters listed here...some have 3 different representations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_and_Punishment#Characters

This is exactly why you shouldn't read that crap. Just wait Mel Gibson to make it into a movie.

 

[pontifex]

Haha, they did make the 1st 2 Watch series books into movies (no Mel Gibson though), which I really liked. I actually saw the movies before I read the books. They should make movies out of the other 3 books.