Theory and Typology of Proper Names

Willy Van Langendonck

Published by De Gruyter Mouton 2007

Theory and Typology of Proper Names

Willy Van Langendonck

Volume 168 in the series Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs [TiLSM]

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110197853

Overview
Contents

About this book

This book proposes a new synthesis of the functions of proper names, from a semantic, pragmatic and syntactic perspective. Proper names are approached constructionally, distinguishing prototypical uses from more marked ones such as those in which names are used as common nouns. Since what is traditionally regarded as 'the' class of names turns out to be only one possible function of name-forms (though a prototypical one), the notion of 'proprial lemma' is introduced as the concept behind both proprial and appellative uses of such categories as place names and personal names. New formal arguments are adduced to distinguish proper name function from common noun or pronoun function.

The special status of proper names is captured in a unified pragmatic-semantic-syntactic theory: a proper name denotes a unique entity at the level of langue to make it psychosocially salient within a given basic level category. The meaning of the name, if any, does not determine its denotation. An important formal reflection of this characterization of names is their ability to appear in such close appositional constructions as the poet Burns or Fido the dog. The neurolinguistic finding that proper names constitute a separate category is introduced and interpreted within a general linguistic frame of reference. The different kinds of meanings associated with names (categorical, associative, emotive, and grammatical) are shown to be presuppositional in nature. In addition, the book proposes an entirely new classification of proper names as forming a continuum ranging from prototypical (personal and place names) to nonprototypical categories (brand and language names) to citations and autonyms, and a new diachronic classification of family names and nicknames.

This book fills an important gap in the current literature, because the most recent linguistic book in English on name theory dates back to 1973. It is explicitly interdisciplinary, taking into account linguistic, philosophical, neurolinguistic, sociolinguistic and dialect geographical aspects of proper names.

Author / Editor information

Willy Van Langendonck, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.

Reviews

"Dieses Buch ist ein Markstein in der Geschichte der Namentheorie."
Volker Kohlheim in: Beiträge zur Namenforschung 3/2008

"Das Werk stellt einen Meilenstein linguistisch-onomastischer Forschung dar, informativ und mit neuen diskussionswürdigen Ansätzen."
Friedhelm Debus in: Germanistik 1-2/2007

Topics

Frontmatter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	i
Contents Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	ix
General introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chapter 1 Nominal and referential-semantic status of proper names Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	6
Chapter 2 Formal characteristics of proper names Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	119
Chapter 3 Typology of proper names Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
Chapter 4 Dialinguistic aspects of Flemish personal names Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	256
Backmatter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	321

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter Mouton
Audience: Linguists in General, Semanticians and Syntacticians, Onomasticians, Dialinguists, Philosophers of Language, Psycho- and Neurolinguists
Pages
- Front matter: 16
- Main content: 378
Keywords: Onomastics; Typology (language)

eBook

Published: August 22, 2008
ISBN: 9783110197853

Hardcover

Published: February 19, 2007
ISBN: 9783110190861