onomastics

on·o·mas·tics

O0080700 (ŏn′ə-măs′tĭks)n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)1. a. The study of the origins and forms of proper names.b. The study of the origins and forms of terms used in specialized fields.2. The system that underlies the formation and use of proper names or terms used in specialized fields.

onomastics

(ˌɒnəˈmæstɪks) n1. (Linguistics) (functioning as singular) the study of proper names, esp of their origins2. (Linguistics) (functioning as singular or plural) a systematization of the facts about how proper names are formed in a given language

on•o•mas•tics

(ˌɒn əˈmæs tɪks)

n. (used with a sing. v.) the study of the origin, history, and use of proper names. [1930–35]

onomastics

onomatology. — onomastician, n. — onomastic, adj.See also: Names

the study of names and their origins. — onomastic, adj. — onomastician, n.See also: Linguistics

onomastics

The study of the history, forms, and origins of proper nouns.

Thesaurus

Noun

onomastics - the branch of lexicology that studies the forms and origins of proper nameslexicology - the branch of linguistics that studies the lexical component of language

Translations

Onomastik

Onomastics

(1) In linguistics, the study of proper names and their origin, as well as the changes that they undergo as a result of long use in the source language or in connection with their borrowing into other languages.

(2) Proper names of various types (onomastic lexicon), which, in accordance with the objects designated, are divided into an-throponymy (study of personal names), toponymy (place-names), “zoonymy” (in Russian, zoonimiia; proper names of animals), “astronymy” (astronimiia; names of stars), “cosmonymy”(kosmonimiia; names of the zones and parts of the universe), “theonymy” (teonimiia; names of gods), and so on.

Onomastic research helps elucidate the routes of migration and places of former settlement of different peoples, as well as the linguistic and cultural contacts of these peoples. Onomastics is also useful in determining the older states of languages and the relationships of their dialects. Toponymy, especially hydro-nymy, is frequently the sole source of information on extinct languages and peoples.

REFERENCES

Chichagov, V. K. Iz istorii russkikh imen, otchestv i familii. Moscow, 1959.
Tashitskii, V.“Mesto onomastiki sredi drugikh gumanitarnykh nauk.” Voprosy iazykoznaniia, 1961, no. 2.
Superanskaia, A. V. Obshchaia teoriia imeni sobstvennogo. Moscow, 1973.
Bach, A. Deutsche Namenkunde, vols. 1–3. Heidelberg, 1952–56.
Gardiner, A. The Theory of Proper Names, 2nd ed. London, 1957.

A. V. SUPERANSKAIA

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REFERENCES

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Words related to onomastics

noun the branch of lexicology that studies the forms and origins of proper names

Related Words