"Up until comparatively recently, most of the English-speaking world got along without a middle name. George Washington was plain George Washington, for example."
Indeed, and to take other examples from the American Revolution, George Rogers Clark captured the British forts in what is now Illinois, John Eager Howard distinguished himself at Cowpens, and John Paul Jones (born in Scotland) captured the Serapis. It would take an American a moment or two to puzzle out the reference if you left out their middle names.
"Up until comparatively recently, most of the English-speaking world got along without a middle name. George Washington was plain George Washington, for example."
ReplyDeleteIndeed, and to take other examples from the American Revolution, George Rogers Clark captured the British forts in what is now Illinois, John Eager Howard distinguished himself at Cowpens, and John Paul Jones (born in Scotland) captured the Serapis. It would take an American a moment or two to puzzle out the reference if you left out their middle names.