LfT

[rm]

Love me, love my acafen problems:

http://lettersfromtitan.com/2011/02/24/todays-acafen-problems/

(also known as, "So, do you think I'm being too familiar with the Face of Boe?")

Comments

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

When I mention characters in academic essays, I introduce them by their full name, then go on to refer them by whichever name they are most usually referred to the text, or called by the writer. So I would introduce Ianto as Ianto Jones but go on to just refer to him Ianto. Ditto Martha, but Harriet Jones would probably stay Harriet Jones since we're not really on first name terms with her. This seems to be common practise in my field at least, and I must admit referring to characters by last name alone if that's not how we usually know them looks a little odd and excessively formal to me. You're not citing them, afterall. If I was aiming to sound particularly formal for some reason, I'd keep on using the full name - Ianto Jones - not just use the second.

I wouldn't introduce a new shortened version of a name that didn't occur in the text, so the Face of Boe would remain the Face of Boe throughout.

Obviously different country, slightly different field, but that's my 2p.