Author Topic: Tatiana's Name  (Read 97514 times)

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Carol_Shvybzyk

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Tatiana's Name
« on: June 06, 2005, 06:33:49 PM »
Hi everyone!!
I'm new here,I've just login for the 1st time.I'm from Brazil,South America,so I speak portuguese,try a lil' of spanish and my english is becoming very nice (heheh)
I also would like to learn russian,because of my huge love for OTMA and our dear Nicky.
my msn messenger e-mail is anacarol_suniga@hotmail.com , and i'd really LOVE to share some pics and ideas with you.

But now,back to my topic:
What's the correct spelling of Tatiana's name?
I've seen of everything: Tatiana,Tatjana,Tanyana, and many others things...

Please help this girl with serious spelling problems.

xxx
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Carol_Shvybzyk »

Offline Georgiy

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2005, 06:44:28 PM »
Hello Carol.
The best spelling in English would probably be Tatiana. It can be hard to transcribe cyrillic into English letters though. It is written (in Cyrillic script) with 7 letters:
T
A
T
Soft Sign (this palatises the previous 'T' using more of the tongue than a normal T)
YA
N
A

The reason why I said Tatiana is a better English spelling than, say, Tatyana is that I think Tatiana better represents the pronunciation for an English speaker, but no doubt there will be a variety of opinions on this!

ferngully

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2005, 10:45:14 AM »
what was it in russian?
selina              xxxxxxxx

Pasha

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2005, 11:40:03 AM »
In Russian it would be the equivalent of;

T-AH-T-EE-YA-NA, so the closest in English would be Tatiana. The Russian language has a letter with the sound of "ya", so perhaps that is why it is sometimes spelled Tatyana in English. I guess if we wanted the exact pronunciation it would be
Tatiyana.

Pasha

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2005, 11:59:24 AM »
No Pasha,
Georgi is correct. The proper pronunciation is "Taht'yana" not Tah-Tee-ana

Alicky

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2005, 06:25:28 PM »
It's pretty easy to see what inspired Nicholas and Alexandra to choose the other girls' names--- Olga for her young aunt Olga; Maria for her Grandmother; Anastasia, though not a name in the immediate family, was a popular Russian name, then and now.  And of course, Alexei was not only the name of Nicholas's favorite Tsar, but of his uncle (whether favored or not) as well.  

But "Tatiana"?  What made them think of it?  I admit I haven't read as many Romanov books as some here have, but aside from Anastasia's friend, the doctor's daughter Tatiana Botkina (whom, I presume, was younger and perhaps named as a compliment to the
child Grand duchess) no other, older Tatianas are mentioned.  I admit I don't know much about Russian Orthodox saints, either--- was there a Saint Tatiana, and the baby girl happened to be born on or near her feast day?

I'm just rather surprised Alexandra didn't name one of her girls for her beloved "Granny", Queen Victoria.

"Tatiana" WAS an excellent and rather prescient choice,
though--- the exotic yet aristocratic name really suited the young lady.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Alicky »

Offline Lanie

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2005, 07:04:15 PM »
The name was apparently taken so the two girls could be Olga and Tatiana, like in the Pushkin play.  Tatiana Konstantinovna, KR's daughter, was born in 1891 and I think named for the same reason--from the play.

AFAIK in Orthodoxy everyone's named after a saint. :)

Offline Ortino

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2005, 07:08:07 PM »
The names for the oldest two girls, Olga and Tatiana, seem to be from Pushkin's "Eugene Onegin" written in the 1800's, although there may be other reasons for them as well.

In case you're interested, here's a short summary as to what it's about:

Evgenii Onegin is a dashing young aristocrat : "In French Onegin had perfected / proficiency to speak and write, / in the mazurka he was light; / his bow was wholle unaffected." On inheriting his uncle's estate, he retires to country. Soon Onegin befriends Vladimir Lenskii, who is in love with a local girl, Olga Larina. Her unpolished, romantic elder sister Tatiana falls in love with Onegin, but he rejects Tatiana's love. He considers himself mysteriously doomed, he would be a bad husband. "But I for bliss was not created: / To that my soul is foreign still. / In vain, in vain, are your perfections;/ Of them I count myself unworthy." At a party Onegin insults Olga, and Lenskii challenges him to a duel, and is shot dead. Three years later Onegin meets Tatiana who is married to a prince. He declares his love to her, and writes her a series of letters expressing a mad passion. Now it is her turn to reject him. She confesses that she loves him but insists that they must part for good. Pushkin's novel has been a rich source of character types for Russian writers. Tatiana has been regarded as the ideal of Russian womanhood. She is faithful, generous, sincere, and considerate.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Ortino »

ferngully

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2005, 06:23:37 AM »
here's a thread discussing it
http://hydrogen.pallasweb.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=family;action=display;num=1078968800
selina              xxxxxxxxxx

Carol_Shvybzyk

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2005, 06:37:12 PM »
I've read once that it were because of a play of Puchkin (sorry,I don't remember exaclty his name), there were two main characters that were togheter,and their names we O&T...so I think Alix or Nikki must have enjoyed the play and,afer Olga,decided to name their baby as Tatiana.
Someone correct me please if I'm wrong!!
xxx,
Ana Carolina.

RissiaSunbeam1918

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2005, 04:05:34 PM »
I'm not sure of the origin, but an interesting side note, "Tatiana" means "Fairy Queen" (which may have been said here...sorry if so...) and didn't she seem like she could grow up to be as regal and beautiful as any "fairy queen" could have?

-Dana

Offline Georgiy

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2005, 05:10:36 PM »
No, Tatiana doesn't mean fairy queen, that is Titania who appears in Shakespeare's Midsummernight's Dream!
Tatiana is the female version of the Roman name Tatian. It's meaning is not known. A much venerated Martyr of the Church was called Tatiana. Being Orhtodox, all the Romanovs were named for Saints of the Orthodox Church. However, their interest in the play may have inspired them towards choosing those particular names - but they were certainly not Baptised in the names of Pushkin's characters. We also have 'Confirmation' at the same time as Baptism, so our given names are indeed in every sense of the word our "Christian Names".

pinklady

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2005, 04:55:21 AM »
Yes, that is right, from the diary of Grand Duke Konstantin Romanov:
2 June 1897 - " I heard from the Tsar that his daughters are called Olga and Tatiana like Pushkin's Onegin."
How very sweet :)

I also read, but I dont remember where, that Tatiana was very popular choice  with the masses when her name was released as it was a popular and common name with the peasants but it was the first time it was used for a Tsar's daughter.

RissiaSunbeam1918

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #13 on: June 28, 2005, 10:17:38 AM »
I'm going by "Baby's book of names: find the perfect name for that new arrival" from 2000. It says Tatiana means fairy queen because of Shakeapere, but still says that what it means. Maybe in the later editions of baby books it has come to be the meaning.*shrugs looking confused* oook, I'll just stop now. ;)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by RissiaSunbeam1918 »

Offline Georgiy

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Re: Tatiana's Name
« Reply #14 on: June 28, 2005, 09:23:04 PM »
I'm afraid that book is wrong ;). The Shakesperean name is definately Titania, I don't think many Roman men called Tatian would have had such a name if it meant fairy queen!