Le Benjamin (pron. Bifi-jà-mifi), The article hère

dénotes familiarity, and is thus used in common parlance before the given name, although hardly

252 LE MABIAGE DE GÉBABD

Page. Llne.

so by well educated people. Cf. similar Italian usage. In Brittany the article is also used before surnames instead. Benjamin may be hère the actual given name of the child in question. Yet in some parts of France, especially in Lorraine, it does not necessarily mean a child of that name but serves as a kind of pet name for the youngeat of the family (cf. the sons of Jacob in Old Testament history) .