Me and my animals - Animal names | Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum

Dear respondent,

The aim of the survey is to learn about people's experiences of naming their pets and other domesticated animals, and of interacting with them.

The data from the survey will be used later for a research paper. We need full data for the research, but we will only use it for research purposes and in the research archives of the Estonian Literary Museum, where it will be of value decades from now for further research and cultural mapping.

Please answer the questions either on this form or in a separate file sent to kp@folklore.ee.

Survey PDF file.

Data of the respondent

Name*

Gender*

Age*

Number of family members*

School*

Grade*

Place of residence (city or county)*

Animal data

1. Number of pets/animals in your family?

2. Where and how did you get the animal?

3. Do all your animals have names?

4. What species of pets do/did you own? In the case of a purebred animal, also name the breed.

5. Is/was the pet a female or a male?

6. What is/was the name of the pet? If there is/was a pet name or other name options in addition to the (official) name, please indicate these as well.

7. Who chose the pets name? How old was the person who named the animal?

8. Why was this name chosen for the pet? If there is a story behind the name, please write about it.

9. When the pet was named, was there a specific name already chosen or were there other names to choose from? In the case of several possible options, name the other names in the selection.

10. Does your family have names that have been given to pets in the past?

Communication with the animal

1. Do you talk to your animal, and does it understand what you are saying?

2. Do you sometimes use a different language, so the animal would not understand what you are saying? When and what language?

3. Do you use a special tone of voice and in what cases?

4. How do you call them over (other than by name) – with a whistle, food?

5. How do you forbid certain activities – with particular words, in another tone of voice, hand gestures, in other ways?

6. Are there specific traditions that are part of the day – walking, hunting outside, are there specific routes or the animal can run in your own garden?

7. Some rituals, like washing, brushing, nail-cutting – how and when?

8. What kind of games and playing around are part of the interaction?

Getri Tomson, student at the University of Tartu, Mare Kõiva, folklorist at the Estonian Literary Museum

Thank You for answering!