VOM and VON - what does this mean? - Page 3

Who are people kidding? 

Hundmutter, you ask that question and then I look at the Topic question, and I am guessing those who answer both, might not have a motive in common.

I think it can be a matter of delusion and sorry to say it, there exist ways of naming that can be considered deceptive, when a non-German owner/breeder names their dog by imitating the German way. It follows this would necessitate using the German language.

However, if the intent is to merely fit in, as the famous saying,"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." illustrates, (except in this case it is Germans, not Romans), then the attention to detail the OP is interested in, is to be commended.

And could spare them considerable snickers of derision, if they get it wrong.



 

Well I'm just interested in the thought-process, really.
 
For instance, we have a kennel in the UK which has the
name Sagenhaft.  It's been a long established and fairly well-
known kennel, though not so active in recent years.  The couple
who have it have never so far as I know had to resort to
calling their dogs "Anything von Sagenhaft";  just "Sagenhaft
​Whatever."

So it is clearly possible to have a german-sounding kennel;
whether you then make it sound doubly (and to my mind artificially)
german by calling all your dogs "Buggerlugs vom Silberswift" and the
like is clearly up to you, but I'm curious as to what is intended by it.

It sounds particularly unreal when it is something in English but with
'von' attached;  eg - I dunno, let's make one up and hope I avoid any
real ones ! - something like "Von  Murray Point".  And this does happen;
perhaps if everyone followed VKGSDs idea and only  put Von on to German
sounding names,  it would seem less silly / sound more 'genuine'  -  but
if it's a kennel run in England or New England, by someone with no German
relatives at all, it's still a bit 'fake', isn't it ?  So why do it ?
 

OK now I'm confused, you're saying people are misrepresenting dogs making them sound more German by using von/vom?  That's just part of the prepositional phrase. The von/vom is not what makes it a German name, lol.  That's just a little preposition. What is intended?  Well people are breeding GERMAN shepherds, many imported directly from Germany and or being bred by Germans.  You have a German username here, are you German or is that fake?  No, it's just name.  Also it can be hard to think of new English kennel names.  I chose a name that is a place important to me and I believe there is another breeder of a different breed using the same kennel name but not AKC registered.  When I use the German translation of the exact same thing I have no such problem.

What bothers me more are people making up German names that are grammatically incorrect.  I've seen kennel names where I'd honestly be embarrassed to own a dog with a name so bad.  I don't give a flip if people use German or English kennel names but at least use them correctly.

I dunno, VK,  do people who breed Australian Shepherds feel the
need to put American sounding names on them to reflect their
country of origin ?  LOL

I think what concerns me a bit is not ppl trying to make the dogs sound
more German, but trying to make their kennels sound more 'authentic'.

That does not have to mean a reduction in quality;  not suggesting all
breeders who give their kennels German names are de facto 'bad' breeders.
But if nobody in the UK or States used that little preposition Von or Vom,
we wouldn't have buyers so constantly asking what it means,  and we'd only
spend half as much time investigating which is the right version in the
context of the tense or gender of the kennel name.

I agree with you on the grammar question !  I didn't take German for long
enough to be confident I would recognise all the errors, for sure.  Can be even
more confusing ... so maybe best left to the genuine German kennels ???
[ I am not a kennel, so my username does not count].

I guess I don't get what you mean.  What makes a kennel "authentic"?  I thought it was the quality and soundness of the dogs they produce.  I've seen some REALLY nice dogs with really funny names!  The name is usually the last thing I consider when I'm looking for a new dog or considering a possible breeding.  And I stand by my statement that it's hard to find an original kennel name (with the AKC) these days.  It was easier for me to just use a different language that pick something random that had no meaning to me or my dogs.  I don't personally know anyone who used a German name simply to mislead people into thinking they were actually a German immigrant or something like that.  I still do not understand your criticism.

Australian Shepherds are American in origin.  I don't own one and don't plan to so I'm not sure how they are usually named...

I think my next working line puppy shall be named Fluffy Butt Doggie Goes to Paris II. It has a nice American ring to it, no?

I find the American names hilarious...reading some of the names on this facebook page has me wondering why??
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/220698737950505/
 

Although using "themes" for litters instead of just first letter of the name seems fun!

I still look at Bemoan Bee and her mom, Tru Grits Freda of Twin B, and wonder if the names are some sort of joke.

Ok VK glad to hear you don't have any 'nefarious' reasons
for having a German -ic  Kennel Name !  Hopefully no one
else ever thought that such a name might 'pay' for any reason
either ?  Here or there, Pondwise.  I simply wondered ...

Yep, theme-litters can be fun, and they can still be achieved
(with some imagination) on "Von Whatsit" names as much as
'English' kennel names, they aren't ruled out.  And yes some
of the Show names are pretty ridiculous, and I say that in the
knowledge that however ridiculous some English affixes are, in
England, some of those registered with AKC are infinitely weirder.