Revisiting Semantic Issues of Proper Names

Abstract

The semantic status of proper names in linguistics and language philosophy has been comprehensively studied. It has long been held that proper names are mainly used to refer to certain entities, not to describe them. However, while Millian theorists claim that proper names do not possess a lexical meaning but directly refer to a certain entity, Fregean scholars assert that proper names do carry meanings, and the problem is just about the “meaning” employed. This paper argues that the Mill-Frege dichotomy can be bridged from the Vietnamese perspective by using proper name specifics of the Vietnamese language, and that as a cultural universal, names convey both denotational and connotational contents. However, the content of names can only be determined in each specific language community based on clarification of traditional and cultural values embodied in the naming process.

Appellativized first names as terms of abuse

“…The question whether proper names have a meaning -other than lexical or etymological -is a widely and vividly discussed topic among the onomastics (see e.g. Coates 2006;Sjöblom 2006;Van Langendonck 2007;Nyström 2016;Reszegi 2021Reszegi & 2022Khoa 2022). In the future, it would be worthwhile to study the meaning of proper names in relation to the appellativization and the semantics of appellativized expressions.…”

“…It is an interesting question whether the proper name and the appellativized form actually have something in common, except the homonymity and the origin (urpo < Urpo). Nyström (2016) discusses names with homonymous common noun origin, such as Swedish male name Björn, which originates from the word björn 'bear' (see also Khoa 2022 for Vietnamese proper names with homonymous common name origin). In this case, the relation between the proper name and the common noun is opposite than in the case of appellativization.…”

Keresztnevek köznevesülése a finn szlengben

“…pl. Coates 2006;Sjöblom 2006;Van Langendonck 2007;Nyström 2016;Reszegi 2021Reszegi , 2022Khoa 2022). A köznevesülés kontrasztív szempontból is megközelíthető, hiszen két nyelv között sok hasonlóság, de eltérés is lehet.…”