Question about Russian name usage
Would someone introduce themselves using a diminutive? For example, introducing themselves as Katya when her name is Katherine. Also, would a person higher in authority, say, a boss, call someone by a diminutive or their actual name? How about someone lower in authority?Is it pretty much like the West, where Dave is simply Dave to everyone, and almost never David?
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They'd introduce themselves by the name they want to be called, so it depends on personal preference. And everyone, regardless of their social standing, would call you by that name. Giving people arbitrary nicknames or calling them by anything other but what they introduce themselves is considered rude (so if you introduce yourself as Dave everyone calls you Dave, if you introduce yourself as David everyone calls you David).
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A person introduces herself/himself by the name she/he wants to be called.
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