Surname

A surname or family name is a name added to a given name. In many cases, a surname is a family name and many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name". In the western hemisphere, it is commonly synonymous with last name because it is usually placed at the end of a person's given name.

In most Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries, two or more last names (or surnames) may be used. In China, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, Taiwan, Vietnam, and parts of India, the family name is placed before a person's given name.

The style of having both a family name (surname) and a given name (forename) is far from universal. In many countries, it is common for ordinary people to have only one name or mononym.

The concept of a "surname" is a relatively recent historical development, evolving from a medieval naming practice called a "byname". Based on an individual's occupation or area of residence, a byname would be used in situations where more than one person had the same name.

Bien

Bien may refer to:

Marquess

A marquess (UK /ˈmɑːkwɪs/;French: marquis, [mɑʁki]) is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent Asian styles, as in imperial China and Japan.

In Great Britain and Ireland, the correct spelling of the aristocratic title of this rank is marquess (although for aristocratic titles on the European mainland, the French spelling of marquis is often used in English). In Great Britain and Ireland, the title ranks below a duke and above an earl (see "Marquesses in the United Kingdom"). A woman with the rank of a marquess, or the wife of a marquess, is called a marchioness /ˌmɑːrʃəˈnɛs/ in Great Britain and Ireland or a marquise /mɑːrˈkiːz/ elsewhere in Europe. The dignity, rank or position of the title is referred to as a marquisate or marquessate.

The theoretical distinction between a marquess and other titles has, since the Middle Ages, faded into obscurity. In times past, the distinction between a count and a marquess was that the land of a marquess, called a march, was on the border of the country, while a count's land, called a county, often was not. As a result of this, a marquess was trusted to defend and fortify against potentially hostile neighbors and was thus more important and ranked higher than a count. The title is ranked below that of a duke, which was often restricted to the royal family and those that were held in high enough esteem to be granted such a title.

Tout

In British English, a tout is any person who solicits business or employment in a persistent and annoying manner (generally equivalent to a solicitor or barker in American English, or a spruiker in Australian English). According to the American Bar Association, touting occurs when a person advertises, promotes, or otherwise describes a security for sale without disclosing that the person is being paid to do so.

An example would be a person who frequents heavily touristed areas and presents himself as a tour guide (particularly towards those who do not speak the local language) but operates on behalf of local bars, restaurant, or hotels, being paid to direct tourists towards certain establishments.

Types of touts

In London, the term "taxi touts" refers to a kind of illegal taxicab operation which involves taxi drivers (or their operator) attracting potential passengers by illegal means—for instance, calling out travellers, or fetching them and their luggage, while parked in an area where taxi drivers must wait in their vehicle. They may charge exorbitant fees upon arrival, possibly using threats to ensure payment.

Ray Ventura

Raymond Ventura (16 April 1908, Paris, France – 30 March 1979, Palma de Mallorca, Spain) was a French jazz bandleader. He played a significant role in popularizing jazz in France in the 1930s. His nephew was singer Sacha Distel.

Career

Ventura played piano in a group called The Collegiate Five from 1924, which recorded under the name Ray Ventura and His Collegians for Columbia Records beginning in 1928. He led the group from 1929 and recorded for Decca Records and other labels through the 1930s, becoming a popular dance ensemble in France in that decade. His sidemen included Philippe Brun, Alix Combelle, and Guy Paquinet. One of his group's popular songs from 1936 was "Tout va très bien, Madame la Marquise," in which the Marquise is told by her servants that everything is fine at home, except for a series of escalating calamities. It is seen as a metaphor for France's obliviousness to the approaching war.

He led a big band in South America from 1942-44, before returning to lead a group in France from 1945 to 1949. During his tour in Brazil during the Second World War he was joined by the French singer Henri Salvador (1917–2008). Two years later in Argentina the French trumpet player Georges Henry joined the group after having left the Lecuona Cuban boys. Henry later worked at the creation of TV Tupi in Brazil.