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Ergonym

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An ergonym is a proper name or title of an organization, that reflects its function (for example, business associations, learned institutions, industrial companies, agencies, banks, shops, cultural institutions, sports complexes and stadia). An ergonym is a unit of the linguistic space of a city.[1]

An ergonym may be an important marker of sociocultural processes, and is one of the mirrors in which history and everyday life are reflected. To study the ergonyms of a place is to paint its linguistic portrait, describing the typical and individual aspects of its onomastic space, and making a snapshot of its everyday life.[2]

Etymology

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The term ergonym was first used in 1978 by the Russian linguist N. V. Podolskaya.[citation needed]

The term is derived from Ancient Greek ergo 'work, trade' and nym 'name, title'.[3] However, ergon can also be translated as 'work' or 'action'.[4]

Definitions

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There are different understandings of the term "ergonym". Some Latvian linguists consider it a proper noun, meaning an association of people (such as an organization, a company, or educational institution) created for a specific purpose.[3]

In Russia, which has a long tradition of studying ergonyms, the term is defined in a similar way, as a proper noun denoting an association of people united by a specific direction and type of activity. Russian linguists define ergonyms as names that indicate the functional sphere of the association formed for the purpose of a certain action.[3]

In German linguistics, the term is used to refer not only to the associations or unions of individuals, but also to names of goods and services (e.g., groceries, clothes and cars), names of works of art, publications, broadcast items, children's toys, and the names of retail outlets such as cafés, shops, and hairdressers.[3]

In Finland, researchers rarely use the term, and prefer "company name", "name in public space" or "commercial name".[5] But for others, the concept of ergonym may be somewhat broader than that of merely a trading name or trademark. In their view, "ergonym" also describes the names of institutions such as schools, theatres, churches, and bureaucratic organizations.[2]

Examples

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Type Examples
hotel Hotel Carlton, Auberge de Soleil, Mandarin Oriental
corporation General Motors, Giant Bicycles, Samsung Electronics
flag carrier British Airways, Brussels Airlines, EgyptAir
organization the Common Market, United Nations, International Committee of the Red Cross
agency the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Global Travel International, Best Day Tour
shop CentralWorld, Missguided, Pretty Little Thing
school Burgess Hill Girls, CATS Canterbury, Woodcote House School
hospital Great Ormond Street Hospital, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital
cinema The Screen On The Green, Greenwich Picturehouse, CinemaPark
café Le Dome Cafe, Grand Cafe, Café Central
beauty salon Thompson & Co, Salon Next, Fashion Look Studio
library New York Public Library, State Library of Victoria, Trinity College Library
theatre Grauman's Chinese Theater, Boston Opera House, Palau de la Música Catalana
stadium Wembley Stadium, Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Old Trafford Stadium
fitness centres Metroflex Gym, Original Temple Gym, Firehouse Fitness
banks C. Hoare & Co., Barclays Bank, Weglin & Co.

[6]

Formation

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Ergonyms can be formed in different ways. Some linguists propose a classification of formation.[7] This classification includes:

  1. Affixation, for example, "Интермебель, Супертрубы" ("Intermebel Super Pipes").
  2. Compounding, where an ergonym is formed by a combination of two or more word stems. For example, "КinoRооms", "MissAmor".
  3. Abbreviation, for example "DHL", "DNS", "V&L".
  4. Ergonyms can be created with the help of a numerical component such as "Boutique No. 7, est. 1910".
  5. Ergonyms that have unknown meaning or origin, such as "Bershka", "Oodji", "Kari".

Other linguists propose a different classification that includes:[8]

  1. Ergonyms formed from adjectives, verbs, participles, numerals, adverbs, particles, interjections. For example, "Rendez-vous", "Déjà vu", "Respect".
  2. Ergonyms in the form of phrases and sentences. Names of two or more words are more informative and semantically expanded. For example, "Petit cafe", "C'est la Vie", "Shaping Queen".
  3. Plays on words. These form the largest class. For example, Любовь-морковь, Кроваткино.
  4. Ergonyms formed from anthroponyms ("Cleopatra"), toponyms ("Olympus"), mythonyms, the names of living things,[7] These may be explained by their being easily recognized by many people, by their having many different meanings, and by the implication that their characteristics are transferred to the ergonomical entity.[2]
  5. Ergonyms formed from obsolete words, jargon or slang. For example, "Очкарик, Ёшкин Кот"
  6. Loanwords. For example, "Angel", "Nota Bene", "Бонжур".

Function

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An ergonym may have functions beside being a proper name. It might also be:[7]

  1. Informative (the name acts as an extremely informative unit in the speech of each communicant)
  2. Advertising (the name is intended to attract interest, to encourage the response of a potential client)
  3. Aesthetic (the name usually evokes a positive association, “sounds beautiful”)
  4. Memorial (the names often reflect the names of the founders, the names of popular music groups, films, etc.)
  5. Denoting property protection such as a trademark.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Наука, М. (1978). Подольская Н.В. Словарь русской ономастической терминологии (in Russian). p. 166. Retrieved 20 July 2020.[failed verification]
  2. ^ a b c Smirnova, N. (2017). "Naming in the public sphere of Stavropol city: sacred and profane" (PDF). Proceedings of ICONN (4). Rostov-on-Don: 1048–1057. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Cotticelli, Paulo; Rizza, Alfredo (2018). Language, Media and Economy in Virtual and Real Life: New Perspectives. Cambridge Scholars. ISBN 9781527521452.
  4. ^ Frétey, Thierry (2 December 2019). "Capitalised epithets in the works of Linnaeus (1758‒1767): findings and consequences in herpetology". Bionomina. 16 (1): 22–45. doi:10.11646/bionomina.16.1.2. ISSN 1179-7657. S2CID 212996500. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  5. ^ Sjöblom, Paula (2017). "Commercial names and unestablished terminology" (PDF). eLS Noms en la Vida Quotidiana. Actes del Xxiv Congrés Internacional d'Icos Sobre Ciències Onomàstiques. Biblioteca técnica de política lingüística: 92–98. doi:10.2436/15.8040.01.12. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  6. ^ The theory of translation. Moscow. 1985.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ a b c d Курбанова, М.Г. (2014). Эргонимы современного русского языка: семантика и прагматика (PDF) (in Russian). Astrakhan. p. 191.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ Емельянова, А.М. (2007). Эргонимы в лингвистическом ландшафте полиэтнического города/А.М. (in Russian). Уфа: БГПУ: Емельянова. p. 170.
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