4 | SEPTEMBER 7 • 2023 

for openers

Name, Please

guest column

Feeling Unwelcome on Campus

W

hat is in a name? 
Well, it could be 
“hiding” a short 
version, a diminutive or a 
reference to something else. 
Let’s look at 
some examples.
Elizabeth is 
a lovely name. 
It is often 
shortened to Liz 
(We apparently 
cannot take time 
for the whole 
thing). I doubt, however, 
that many dared to use the 
shortened version to address 
the late Queen. I do not 
question that a few people 
may have had the nerve to 
address the prince as Andy 
rather than Andrew (his 
personal problems aside).
Jonathan is often shortened 
to John or Jon and even, 
sometimes, James. That’s 
technically not a short version 
but is used as a nickname, 
nonetheless.

A problem that I have 
encountered with short 
versions of names comes 
when I introduce myself 
and do not separate my first 
(nickname) and last name 
adequately. As a result, many 
think that my name is Simon 
Ello. (I have even gotten 
Salomonella, but that’s a 
different affliction.)
The name James is often 
heard as Jim or, for tykes, 
Jimmy. President Carter, 

notwithstanding, not many 
adult men prefer Jimmy. 
Jimmies, by the way, are 
chocolate sprinkles used 
in decorating cookies and 
cupcakes.
Nicholas becomes Nick. To 
nick, in England, is to steal. 
Hmmmm. Donald is often 
Don, which also carries the 
meaning “to put on” as in 
clothing. Robert is sometimes 
Bob (though my friend Mr. 
Kimmel insists rightly on 

his proper nomenclature as 
Robert).
Ever wonder how Edward 
became Ned? Well, at one 
time males with that name 
might be introduced as “mine 
Ed,” which slurred into Ned. 
Have you heard of an Anne 
called Nan or Nancy? “Mine 
Anne” = Nan and a trend 
started to add “cy” to names 
= Nancy.
Got a Charles in your 
family? Have you used the 
name Chuck? Why? Well, in 
Middle English, Charles was 
Chukken (I kid you not), then 
shortened to Chuck.
Ever gotten confused 
because a name, depending 
on spelling not sound, will 
be either a man or a woman? 
Frances/Francis or Adrian/
Adrienne. And not seeing the 
person but hearing Sam, who 
would expect a Samantha? 
What’s in a name? 
Apparently, a lot more than 
originally thought. 

Sy Manello 
Editorial 
Assistant

PURELY COMMENTARY

continued on page 5

A

s a student starting 
my first year 
at Wayne State 
University, please allow me 
to share with you what is 
happening on 
campus.
First, a bit 
about myself. 
For the past two 
years, I have 
been active 
with Hillel of 
Metro Detroit 
while attending Oakland 
Community College. I was an 

Applebaum Family Intern and 
the president of the Jewish 
Student Organization at OCC, 
and I participated in Hillel’s 
J-Talk and Israel Fellowship 
programs. I am currently the 
president of the WSU Jewish 
Student Organization.
I was looking forward to 
being in Detroit and starting 
my WSU student experience. 
Then, the WSU Student 
Senate posted a statement 
that made me feel that, as an 
active supporter of Israel, I 
am not a welcome member 

of the Wayne State student 
community.
The Student Senate wrote 
a “letter of support standing 
with our Palestinian Student 
Population.” 
In this letter they state: 
“This month, Palestinians 
sifted through the wreckage 
of their destroyed homes and 
their damaged psyches. More 
than 1,000 Israeli soldiers 
stormed the overcrowded 
camp last week as rockets 
and drone missiles struck 
private homes and public 

infrastructure. Nobody could 
guess where the next barrage 
would come from. Jenin 
raid is over, but Palestinians 
are left to cope with the 
trauma. The camp in Jenin 
was established in 1953 for 
refugees from more than 
50 villages and cities in the 
northern parts of Palestine. 
Since then, it has been the 
target of continuous Israeli 
military raids. As a student 
body, we strongly condemn 
the genocide of the Palestinian 
people by the Israeli apartheid 

Maya 
Siegmann

