Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
John Smith and Mary Brown
English answer:
Ordinary people
Added to glossary by
vitaminBcomplex
Dec 25, 2022 10:29
1 yr ago
48 viewers *
English term
John Smith and Mary Brown
Non-PRO
English
Art/Literary
Names (personal, company)
Hi everyone. This is from Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility:
"The idea of Edward's being a clergyman, and living in a small parsonage-house, diverted him beyond measure;—and when to that was added the fanciful imagery of Edward reading prayers in a white surplice, and publishing the banns of marriage between John Smith and Mary Brown, he could conceive nothing more ridiculous."
There is no other reference to the names John Smith and Mary Brown, so I suspect they are simply random names to refer to any men and women, which the context seems to support. However, I wasn't able to confirm my guess, so I can't be sure.
Thank you.
"The idea of Edward's being a clergyman, and living in a small parsonage-house, diverted him beyond measure;—and when to that was added the fanciful imagery of Edward reading prayers in a white surplice, and publishing the banns of marriage between John Smith and Mary Brown, he could conceive nothing more ridiculous."
There is no other reference to the names John Smith and Mary Brown, so I suspect they are simply random names to refer to any men and women, which the context seems to support. However, I wasn't able to confirm my guess, so I can't be sure.
Thank you.
Responses
| 4 +6 | Ordinary people |
AllegroTrans
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Responses
+6
3 hrs
AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Sensible solutions
Native in: English (Variant: Wessexois) 
Works in: French to English, English, English to French
Selected
Ordinary people
Yes, because the names are qyite common
name rank People Per 100,000 population
name SMITH rank 1 People Per 100,000 population 828.19
name JOHNSON rank 2 People Per 100,000 population 655.24
name WILLIAMS rank 3 People Per 100,000 population 550.97
name BROWN rank 4 People Per 100,000 population 487.16
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Note added at 3 hrs (2022-12-25 14:14:50 GMT)
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It is among the most commonly given names in Anglophone, Arabic, European, Latin American, Persian and Turkish countries. Traditionally in the Anglosphere, it was the most common, although it has not been since the latter half of the 20th century.
John (given name) - Wikipedia
19 Sept 2022 — Mary was the most popular baby name for girls in America for over sixty years, from the 1880s until the year 1946.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2022-12-25 14:15:37 GMT)
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Margaret and Mary were the only girls' names to have featured in the top 10 for a longer period of time than Emily. In contrast to the top 10 girls' names, there were no new entries in the top 10 boys' names
name rank People Per 100,000 population
name SMITH rank 1 People Per 100,000 population 828.19
name JOHNSON rank 2 People Per 100,000 population 655.24
name WILLIAMS rank 3 People Per 100,000 population 550.97
name BROWN rank 4 People Per 100,000 population 487.16
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2022-12-25 14:14:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
It is among the most commonly given names in Anglophone, Arabic, European, Latin American, Persian and Turkish countries. Traditionally in the Anglosphere, it was the most common, although it has not been since the latter half of the 20th century.
John (given name) - Wikipedia
19 Sept 2022 — Mary was the most popular baby name for girls in America for over sixty years, from the 1880s until the year 1946.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2022-12-25 14:15:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Margaret and Mary were the only girls' names to have featured in the top 10 for a longer period of time than Emily. In contrast to the top 10 girls' names, there were no new entries in the top 10 boys' names
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