Névtani Értesítő

Névtani Értesítő 46. (2024)

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Eh, mi a név?

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What’s in a name? On the linguistic, cultural and translational aspects of literary naming

On 28 November 2023, the Miskolc Regional Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences organised a conference on the above-mentioned topic, with 13 speakers in attendance. In my opening remarks, I emphasised the interdisciplinary nature of the conference, citing an example of the relationship between proper names and literary texts: I referred to the poem written by Miklós Zrínyi in 1659, which is known in the literature as „Elégia”. I then highlighted one of the scientific theses of the conference, namely that names in literary texts can facilitate a deeper understanding of the functioning and nature of literary fiction.

Névhasználati stratégiák a klasszikus századforduló epigrammagyűjteményeiben

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Strategies of name use in epigram collections at the turn of the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

At the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the acceptance of criticism as a genre was controversial in Hungarian classical literature. On the one hand, contemporary interpreters debated who had the authority to write criticisms; on the other hand, the critical and pedagogical principles of the reviewer’s opinion were often questioned; and thirdly, the genres in which literary works could be criticised were also under discussion. In many instances, these questions were addressed through the conscious use of author’s names, as critics expressed their opinions anonymously, under pseudonyms, or in reviews under their own names. At that time, epigrams were considered a more acceptable form of critical expression than printed reviews. This paper is based on the collections of epigrams in Ferenc Kazinczy’s Tövisek és virágok [‘Thorns and Flowers’] and those published by the members of the Aurora Circle (József Bajza, Károly Kisfaludy, György Stettner, Ferenc Toldy, and Mihály Vörösmarty) in the journal Kritikai Lapok [‘Critical Papers’] under the titles Kritikai pálya-ágak [‘Critical Career Branches’] and Pályalombok [‘Career Leaves’]. It analyses the aesthetic, critical and rhetorical roles played by the author’s names and other proper names in the poems. By examining the author’s names in the collections of epigrams and the proper names created in the poems through various rhetorical devices, a new perspective can be taken on the aesthetic, critical, canonising and career-building aspirations behind the volumes. Furthermore, the texts examined reveal the specificities of the naming practices of the two generations of writers.

Az epitheton ornansok Petőfi Sándor A helység kalapácsa című művében és fordításaiban

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The epithets ornans in Sándor Petőfi’s mock epic poem A helység kalapácsa [‘The Hammer of the Village’] and in its translations

Observing literary names and fictional name translations is essential in applied onomastics, contrastive stylistics and literary comparatistics. This paper examines the significance and characteristic function of the proper names and epitheta ornantia in the mock epic poem entitled A helység kalapácsa [‘The Hammer of the Village’], both in the source language text and in the Russian and English translations of the poem. The Petőfi text contains a multitude of epitheta ornantia, either in conjunction with proper names in fixed noun constructions or dispersed throughout the text. The latter adjectives serve as substitutes for proper names. The Russian and English versions of the proper names with epitheta ornantia are mainly equivalent to the source language versions. The proper names are primarily unaltered. In Russian, they are either transliterated or translated in meaning. The epitheta ornantia are usually word-by-word translations, sometimes with additions or omissions.

Személynevek és földrajzi nevek A Pál utcai fiúk fordításaiban

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Personal names and geographical names in the translations of the novel A Pál utcai fiúk [‘The Paul Street Boys’]

This paper presents decisions taken by translators concerning names in the novel A Pál utcai fiúk [‘The Paul Street Boys’]. It examines the extent to which the target language texts retain or domesticate the Hungarian names and explores the implications of these strategies. The central question is, what translation decisions are given preference in the rendition of a Hungarian work when translated into the language of a central culture? This analysis forms part of a broader research project in which the translation choices under investigation concern textual elements (e.g., sociopragmatic elements, realia and onomastic elements) that bear the spatial and temporal imprint of a particular period and culture.

„Hál’ Istennek abban a könyvben, amibe belekezdtem, nincs Rezeda Kázmér...”

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“Thank goodness! in the book I started, there is no Kázmér Rezeda...” A stylistic approach to the translation of Krúdy’s ironic naming

Functional cognitive linguistics and cognitive stylistics provide the linguistic background and methodological foundations of this paper. The most significant tenet of cognitive stylistics is the proposition that the formation of linguistic structures does not function merely as stylistic embellishments; instead, style represents an integral aspect of textual meaning. Names created by literary naming can be interpreted and analysed as defining elements of style. Following an introduction to the theory of language and style, the paper examines the fundamental issues of translating literary proper names. The most relevant question is whether it is necessary or possible to translate proper names in literary works. The following section presents an analysis of the significance of naming in Krúdy’s prose, followed by an examination of the main types of Krúdy’s names with ironic stylistic purpose. The third section analyses the German translations of Krúdy’s ironic names. In conclusion, it can be stated that the appropriate reproduction of Krúdy’s ironic names, which reflects the stylistic effect and meaning formation of the source language, is a particularly challenging task for translators. It is not uncommon to observe that connotational meanings and shades of meaning present in source language texts are not fully conveyed in translation. In certain instances, pre-existing linguistic coincidences (e.g., Hungarian Rezeda ‘reseda’ – German Reseda ‘reseda’) can assist in the translation process. In other cases, however, the translator’s professionalism, linguistic sophistication, and creativity are crucial to ensure such names’ accurate and effective translation.

Abigéltől Emerencig: nevek és sorsok Szabó Magda regényeiben

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From Abigail to Emerenc: Names and fates in Magda Szabó’s fiction

Among numerous other factors, the allegorical or symbolic interpretations of the names of characters and heroes – constructed with the help of our linguistic, literary and cultural codes – play a crucial role in the process of meaning creation in literary works. Magda Szabó’s novels employ similar strategies. This paper examines the name-giving and name-interpreting strategies employed in some of Magda Szabó’s novels (Abigél, Birthday, Tell Zsófika) using the tools of literary and cultural studies. The paper explores potential interpretations based on name symbolism, intertextuality, psychoanalytic and feminist readings, and contemporary cultural codes. It also seeks answers to how the names of characters and the literary, linguistic and cultural context in which they are situated influence the construction of possible meanings.

A tulajdonnevek műfajépítő szerepe a Sorsod Borsod című regionális krimiben

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The role of proper names in the regional crime novel Sorsod Borsod [‘Borsod is Your Fate’]

The paper aims to show the role of proper names in defining the novel Sorsod Borsod [‘Borsod is Your Fate’] as a regional crime novel. A further objective is to demonstrate how proper names are used to connect the text of this literary work to the elements of reality and to examine the role played by the reader’s competence in naming practices when distinguishing between fictional and real-life names. The paper provides a brief overview of the source text, outlining the genre-specific characteristics of regional crime fiction. It presents the framework in which the proper names of the novel are analysed. Then, it examines the relationship between the fictional names and the genre-specific characteristics of the novel (representations of topographical features, stereotypes, local spaces and persons). The comprehensive analysis of names encompasses place names, institutional names, personal names, animal names, and other types of names of the region depicted in this crime fiction. The paper examines the presence of ethno-stereotypes in personal names and suggests that proper names may serve as regional labels. The analysis concludes that the novel is dominated by fictional place names that link the textual world to the real world. Moreover, a significant proportion of the surnames in the novel are fictional names reflecting the settlement names of the real-world region. The author has clearly made an effort to follow real-world name patterns in all types of names. The paper states that proper names in this work play an important role in building up the genre of the regional crime novel, as they contribute to the representation of regional particularities rather than to the plot, period or characterisation in the novel.

Tulajdonnév vagy a tulajdon neve?

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Owning a name or being owned? Names and namelessness in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments

Margaret Atwood’s well-known dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) and its sequel, The Testaments (2019), are both set in the fictional state of Gilead, which replaced the former United States of America in a coup. One of the principal challenges facing the country is a declining birth rate. In response, the leaders of Gilead, known as the Commanders, have attempted to solve the problem by establishing a version of Christianity that aligns with their own values and by creating a society in which women and men are divided into distinct classes based on their earlier adherence to the regime’s principles, their role in the coup, and, in the case of women, their fertility. This paper analyses what the names of the different classes, the names, renamings or, in some cases, the namelessness of the characters tell us about the world of Gilead; what connotations the different names of the characters and classes have; how names are used to connect every institution of Gilead to religion; and how the plot is structured by the names that are used by the main characters in different parts of The Testaments.

Pesty Frigyes Nógrád vármegyei helynévgyűjtésének nyelvjárástörténeti és szociolingvisztikai hasznosításáról

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On the use of Frigyes Pesty’s place-name collection of Nógrád County from the perspectives of historical dialectology and sociolinguistics

This paper examines the historical dialectological and sociolinguistic use of the Nógrád County place-name compilation collected between 1863 and 1865 at Frigyes Pesty’s initiative. Frigyes Pesty, a pioneer in historical name geography, toponomastics and name etymologies, organised a collection of place names covering all settlements of Hungary. This manuscript of names constitutes a particularly rich database of geographical names of mid-19th-century Hungary. Hungarian National Toponym Registry Programme researchers have started publishing the manuscript based on standardised principles. During the philological work on the press publication of the place names of Nógrád County, a microlinguistic analysis was conducted. The results of this analysis are presented in this paper. On the one hand, the author discusses the connection of the scriptors to the Palóc dialect area and the possibility of reconstructing the former colloquial language use with the help of the registered toponyms. On the other hand, the author explores the bilingualism of the multi-ethnic (mostly Hungarian-Slovakian) villages of Nógrád County, as reflected in the place names.

A készülő Dunántúli történeti családnévtárról

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On the Database of the Historical Surnames of Transdanubia. A work in progress. Introduction to a study on functional-cognitive name typology and name geography

This paper aims to present the Database of the Historical Surnames of Transdanubia in its current state. This database showcases new, innovative trends in onomastics that ensure the versatile, interdisciplinary usability of linguistic resources. The database is designed to facilitate the geographical and typological analysis of the family names of the Carpathian Basin in the second half of the eighteenth century, with a particular emphasis on functional-motivational
aspects. It also aims to explore the linguistic and onomastic consequences of the great migration waves of that century. The data originate from the name tables of the 1767-1774 tax unification of Maria Theresa and complement the material of the Atlas of Historical Surnames of Hungary, which shows the situation before the migration processes with data from the beginning of the century. The second half of the paper presents an analysis of the Hungarian and German family name data from Győr County in the Database of the Historical Surnames of Transdanubia and of the entire Hungarian family name data and the German family name data from the Transylvanian Saxon territories in the Atlas of Historical Surnames of Hungary. This analysis reveals the similarities and differences between the name stocks, emphasising routinised name patterns and their socio-cultural and historical background.

A névtani tudománykommunikáció szerepe és fórumai napjainkban

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The role and platforms of onomastic science communication today

The importance of science communication lies in countering misconceptions that are often deeply rooted in the public consciousness, and the pseudo-scientific content spreading with unprecedented dynamism. The cultural and social changes brought about by the technicisation and virtualisation of information flows mean an unprecedented challenge. But it has also opened up new venues for science communication. Over the last decade and a half, the emergence of blogs and various multimedia and internet platforms has been a major development in the field of onomastic and science communication in general. After a more general introductory section, the paper presents a selection of good examples of contemporary platforms for science communication in onomastics, both in Hungary and abroad, with a more detailed discussion of the onomastic blog of the Onomastic Student Study Circle at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, the NÉVállomás.

A Kiss Lajos-díj 2024. évi nyertese: dr. Köteles-Szőke Melinda

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Winner of the 2024 Lajos Kiss Prize: Dr Melinda Köteles-Szőke

The Lajos Kiss Prize, awarded every two or three years since 2006, is considered to be a highly prestigious award for young onomasticians. The 2024 winner of the prize is Dr Melinda Köteles-Szőke, research fellow at the Institute of Hungarian Linguistics of the University of Debrecen. She was given this award for his contribution to Hungarian Historical Onomastics, especially for her research on place names.

Személynevek térben és időben

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Personal names in space and time. A complex analysis of the personal names of the early 18th-century Carpathian Basin based on the Atlas of Historical Surnames in Hungary. A summary of a habilitation dissertation

This habilitation dissertation presents the findings of the research project of the Atlas of Historical Surnames in Hungary (AHSH). The initial section of the thesis outlines the various stages of the decade-long research project, including the construction of historical Hungarian personal name databases, the creation of the mapping program, and the elaboration of the potential applications of the historical data sets. Since the inception of the research programme, the intricate relationship between name and ethnicity has constituted a pivotal area of inquiry. The historical personal name databases constructed have enabled an investigation into the correlation between personal names and ethnicity by utilising the collected data. Ethnic reconstruction methods based on personal names have been used in the past to draw conclusions regarding the ethnic make-up of parts of Transylvania, Szeklerland, and Moson County. The other principal topic of the dissertation was the application of the results of the geography of family names to dialectology. The discussion focused on two key areas: the dialectal characteristics of the observed family names and the geographical approach to diachronic changes in the family name stock. Meanwhile, particular attention was paid to the definition of the concept of onomastic dialects. As a third area of interest, the author demonstrated the interrelationship between name geography and word history, including etymology and the history of meaning, with the help of various examples. The aim was to illustrate how data on the geographical features of personal names can contribute to the clarification of certain historical linguistic issues.

A doktori iskolákban megvédett névtani témájú disszertáció 2023-ban: Spolárné Imreh Réka

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PhD thesis on Onomastics defended in 2023

The brief summaries and the most important data of onomastic PhD dissertations defended successfully at doctoral schools in Hungary are published regularly in Névtani Értesítő: year of completion, size, consultant, opponents, date of defence. – A copy of the dissertations can be found in the libraries of the respective universities. – The dissertation presented here: Réka Spolárné Imreh: The role of proper names in the alternative national ideology.

Kis Tamás – Rácz Anita – Reszegi Katalin – Tóth Valéria szerk.: Köszöntő könyv Hoffmann István 70. születésnapjára. (Magyar Nyelvjárások 61.)

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Harry Parkin: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain

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Damaris Nübling – Konrad Kunze Hrsg.: Kleiner deutscher Familiennamenatlas. Enstehung, Gebrauch, Verbreitung und Bedeutung der Familiennamen

2024-10-30T01:28:12+00:00

Robin Phelps-Ward – Wonjae Phillip Kim eds.: The Power of Names in Identity and Oppression. Narratives for Equity in Higher Education and Student Affairs

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Francesco Perono Cacciafoco – Francesco Cavallaro: Place names. Approaches and perspectives in toponymy and toponomastics

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Kiss Jenő: Mihályi tájszó- és névtár. Tájszavak, földrajzi, személy- és állatnevek. Múlt és jelen

2024-10-30T01:28:11+00:00

Takács Judit: Névtani (határ)esetek. Személynevek a segédtudományok tükrében

2024-10-30T01:28:11+00:00

Kovács László szerk.: Márkanevek: marketing és nyelvészet határán

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Despoina Panou: Translating Names in Harry Potter

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Balázsi József Attila – Kiss Gábor: Jókai-enciklopédia. Szavak, kifejezések magyarázata és személyek, földrajzi helyek, történelmi események bemutatása

2024-10-30T01:28:10+00:00

Artur Gałkowski: La competenza onomastica nell’insegna-mento e nell’uso dell’italiano L2. Il contesto polacco

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A Névtani Értesítő szerkesztőségébe beérkezett magyar névtani kiadványok

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Onoma 58. (2023)

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Names. A Journal of Onomastics 71. (2023)

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Rivista Italiana di Onomastica 29. (2023)

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Namenkundliche Informationen 115. (2023)

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Österreichische Namenforschung 50. (2022)

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Acta onomastica 64. (2023)

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Вопросы oномастики 20. (2023)

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Namn och bygd 111. (2023)

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Szerzőink figyelmébe

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Számunk szerzői

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