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Help[Facts] Re: Full name for Teddy?
in reply to a message by Shehrazad
We may be familiar with Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, but in the UK (and many other commonwealth countries), most people associate "Teddy" with "Edward", as in the A.A. Milne poem:
"Are you," he said,"by any chance
His Majesty the King of France?"
The other answered, "I am that,"
Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat;
Then said, "Excuse me," with an air,
"But is it Mr Edward Bear?"
And Teddy, bending very low,
Replied politely, "Even so!"
"Are you," he said,"by any chance
His Majesty the King of France?"
The other answered, "I am that,"
Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat;
Then said, "Excuse me," with an air,
"But is it Mr Edward Bear?"
And Teddy, bending very low,
Replied politely, "Even so!"
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Replies
Indeed! And a good poem to prove it ... here in South Africa I've only ever heard Theodore shortened to Theo, never Ted(dy).
My family tree contains an English working-class man in the mid-19th century who was named Edward Albert and always known as Ted. I have been told, how accurately I don't know, that in the UK nicknames like Ted for Edward, Dick for Richard, Bob for Robert etc were typically working class and Teddy, Dickie, Bobby etc were upper class. This doesn't work in South Africa either, for want of an upper class I suppose.
My family tree contains an English working-class man in the mid-19th century who was named Edward Albert and always known as Ted. I have been told, how accurately I don't know, that in the UK nicknames like Ted for Edward, Dick for Richard, Bob for Robert etc were typically working class and Teddy, Dickie, Bobby etc were upper class. This doesn't work in South Africa either, for want of an upper class I suppose.
1