Tricky Words in this week's OVI

I'm linking TW with the Wordshop column this week, because there are some examples in the OVI extracts which are useful for answering this week's question about English language habits. The Patria Hotel and the Opatovská Rallye are examples of the typical difference in word order between English and Slovak names - a simple switch. In British and American English, longer names usually have capital letters for all the important words (e.g. U. S. Steel Košice Works Fire-fighting Unit), whereas in Slovak it's usually only the first word that is capitalized.
But double-barreled place-names have capitals on both parts (e.g. Štrbské Pleso), so that in this case it's clear we're not just talking about the tarn (Štrbské pleso). Names of company management positions have switched-round word-order as well, comparing English and Slovak, and they are capitalized throughout in English as well (e.g. USSK GM Production Support Ján Petko).

Andy's Wordshop

This week's question is about habits in the use of NAMES in English. My impression is that English speakers place more emphasis on names. Titles are relatively often used in Slovak, which goes together with the formal grammar of "vykanie". The equivalent of the formal "you" for English speakers is when they address somebody by their surname. "Good morning, Mr. President" (or "Prime Minister") is reserved for Mr. Obama (or Mr. Cameron), I expect.
Many British people have a middle name, but they don't usually mention or use it; the population of the USA is much bigger, so it's quite common to find the middle name given as an initial to distinguish between relatives, for example. Finally, I'm just wondering whether there's a little joke in the fact that one of the first USSK employees taking part in the Rallye was named Aneta Smiková (šmyk...?). The next year it was Oto Nehoda (not really, fortunately). The usual reaction is "it's just a name"…