Personal Names and Naming from an Anthropological-Linguistic Perspective

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Personal Names and Naming from an Anthropological-Linguistic Perspective

Edited by: Sambulo Ndlovu

Language: English

Published/Copyright: 2023

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This book is in the series

Volume 4 | Anthropological Linguistics [AL]

About this book

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This book fills a gap in the literature as it uniquely approaches onomastics from the perspective of both anthropology and linguistics. It addresses names and cultures from 16 countries and five continents, thus offering readers an opportunity to comprehend and compare names and naming practices across cultures. The chapters presented in this book explore the cultural significance of personal names, naming ceremonies, conventions and practices. They illustrate how these names and practices perform certain culture-specific functions, such as religion, identity and social activity. Some chapters address the socio-political significance of personal names and their expression of self and otherness. The book also links the linguistic structure of personal names to culture by looking at their morphology, syntax and semantics. It is divided into four sections: Section 1 demonstrates how personal names perform human culture, Section 2 focuses on how personal names index socio-political transitioning, Section 3 demonstrates religious values in personal names and naming, and Section 4 links linguistic structure and analysis of personal names to culture and heritage.

Author / Editor information

Sambulo Ndlovu, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe and Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.

Topics

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Frontmatter
I

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Preface
V
Antje Dammel

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Contents
VII

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List of figures
XI

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List of maps
XIII

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List of tables
XV

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Chapter 1 Introduction: The cultural aspect of personal names
1
Sambulo Ndlovu and Svenja Völkel

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Section One: The ethnopragmatics of anthroponyms
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Chapter 2 ‘Father of the spotted cow’: Hamar titles and their connection to cattle appearance
15
Sara Petrollino

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Chapter 3 The shell and the essence: Name transfer among the Hinihon
41
Angella Meinerzag

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Chapter 4 Personal names and motivations for name-giving in western Paraná state, Brazil
57
Márcia Sipavicius Seide

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Chapter 5 Nicknames as a socio-cultural phenomenon among Lithuanian youth
73
Ilona Mickiene and Rita Baranauskiene

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Section Two: Personal naming and cultural transissions
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Chapter 6 The naming gamble: Unique versus common given names
97
Shlomit Landman

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Chapter 7 From “sprinkling” a blessing to audaciously appropriating a name: Some reflections concerning personal names and naming in the central highlands of Madagascar
115
Susan Kus and Victor Raharijaona

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Chapter 8 Organising diversity: Naming groups and their languages in Indigenous Australia
133
Jill Vaughan and Ruth Singer

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Chapter 9 Names they left behind: Remembering the times with the White farmers in some parts of Chimanimani and Chipinge in Zimbabwe
153
Willie Lungisani Chigidi

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Section Three: Anthroponyms as religious belief and practice
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Chapter 10 This baby’s name is ‘Leaf’ or ‘Garbage heap’: Reading the figurative in selected death prevention names among the Bakonzo
171
Danson Sylvester Kahyana

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Chapter 11 Tibetan elements in spirit names in Dongbaism and Dabaism
189
Duoduo Xu

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Chapter 12 The appropriation of animal names as personal names in Ibibio and Tiv onomastic traditions in Nigeria: An ethnopragmatic study
217
Eyo O. Mensah

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Chapter 13 A structural study of Basà death prevention names
239
Philip Manda Imoh

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Section Four: Cultural implications in anthroponym typology
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Chapter 14 Typology and motivations for Azerbaijani personal names
265
Reyhan Habibli

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Chapter 15 The grammar of personal names in Saaroa
283
Chia-Jung Pan

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Chapter 16 Personal names and naming in Tongan language and culture
301
Svenja Völkel

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Chapter 17 A descriptive account of the modern Mazahuan onomastic system
323
Miguel Reyes Contreras

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Chapter 18 Gender intimations in the morphology of some Ndebele personal names
345
Sambulo Ndlovu

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Notes on contributors
367

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Index
373

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Publishing information

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

eBook published on:

August 7, 2023

eBook ISBN:

9783110759297

Hardcover published on:

August 7, 2023

Hardcover ISBN:

9783110759174

Paperback published on:

June 30, 2025

Paperback ISBN:

9783112213988

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

Front matter:

16

Main content:

375

Illustrations:

9

Coloured Illustrations:

11

Tables:

51

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110759297

eBook ISBN: 9783110759297

Hardcover ISBN: 9783110759174

Paperback ISBN: 9783112213988

Keywords for this book

Personal Names; Culture; Anthropology; Perform

Audience(s) for this book

Researchers in Onomastics, Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Linguistics, Literature, History, Archaeology, Gender Studies

Safety & product resources

Manufacturer information:
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Genthiner Straße 13
10785 Berlin
productsafety@degruyterbrill.com

Personal Names and Naming from an Anthropological-Linguistic Perspective

Overview

About this book

Author / Editor information

Topics

Table of contents

Frontmatter

Preface

Contents

List of figures

List of maps

List of tables

Chapter 1 Introduction: The cultural aspect of personal names

Chapter 2 ‘Father of the spotted cow’: Hamar titles and their connection to cattle appearance

Chapter 3 The shell and the essence: Name transfer among the Hinihon

Chapter 4 Personal names and motivations for name-giving in western Paraná state, Brazil

Chapter 5 Nicknames as a socio-cultural phenomenon among Lithuanian youth

Chapter 6 The naming gamble: Unique versus common given names

Chapter 7 From “sprinkling” a blessing to audaciously appropriating a name: Some reflections concerning personal names and naming in the central highlands of Madagascar

Chapter 8 Organising diversity: Naming groups and their languages in Indigenous Australia

Chapter 9 Names they left behind: Remembering the times with the White farmers in some parts of Chimanimani and Chipinge in Zimbabwe

Chapter 10 This baby’s name is ‘Leaf’ or ‘Garbage heap’: Reading the figurative in selected death prevention names among the Bakonzo

Chapter 11 Tibetan elements in spirit names in Dongbaism and Dabaism

Chapter 12 The appropriation of animal names as personal names in Ibibio and Tiv onomastic traditions in Nigeria: An ethnopragmatic study

Chapter 13 A structural study of Basà death prevention names

Chapter 14 Typology and motivations for Azerbaijani personal names

Chapter 15 The grammar of personal names in Saaroa

Chapter 16 Personal names and naming in Tongan language and culture

Chapter 17 A descriptive account of the modern Mazahuan onomastic system

Chapter 18 Gender intimations in the morphology of some Ndebele personal names

Notes on contributors

Index

Bibliographic data