An ergonym is a proper name or title of an organization, that reflects its function (for example, business associations, learned institutions, industrial companies, agencies, banks, shops, cultural institutions, sports complexes and stadia). An ergonym is a unit of the linguistic space of a city.[1]
An ergonym may be an important marker of sociocultural processes, and is one of the mirrors in which history and everyday life are reflected. To study the ergonyms of a place is to paint its linguistic portrait, describing the typical and individual aspects of its onomastic space, and making a snapshot of its everyday life.[2]
The term ergonym was first used in 1978 by the Russian linguist N. V. Podolskaya.
The term is derived .[3] However, ergon can also be translated as 'work' or 'action'.[4]
There are different understandings of the term "ergonym". Some Latvian linguists consider it a proper noun, meaning an association of people (such as an organization, a company, or educational institution) created for a specific purpose.
In Russia, which has a long tradition of studying ergonyms, the term is defined in a similar way, as a proper noun denoting an association of people united by a specific direction and type of activity. Russian linguists define ergonyms as names that indicate the functional sphere of the association formed for the purpose of a certain action.
In German linguistics, the term is used to refer not only to the associations or unions of individuals, but also to names of goods and services (e.g., groceries, clothes and cars), names of works of art, publications, broadcast items, children's toys, and the names of retail outlets such as cafés, shops, and hairdressers.
In Finland, researchers rarely use the term, and prefer "company name", "name in public space" or "commercial name".[5] But for others, the concept of ergonym may be somewhat broader than that of merely a trading name or trademark. In their view, "ergonym" also describes the names of institutions such as schools, theatres, churches, and bureaucratic organizations.
| Type | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| hotel | Hotel Carlton, Auberge de Soleil, Mandarin Oriental | |
| corporation | General Motors, Giant Bicycles, Samsung Electronics | |
| British Airways, Brussels Airlines, EgyptAir | ||
| organization | the Common Market, United Nations, International Committee of the Red Cross | |
| agency | the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Global Travel International, Best Day Tour | |
| shop | CentralWorld, Missguided, Pretty Little Thing | |
| school | Burgess Hill Girls, CATS Canterbury, Woodcote House School | |
| hospital | Great Ormond Street Hospital, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital | |
| cinema | The Screen On The Green, Greenwich Picturehouse, CinemaPark | |
| café | Le Dome Cafe, Grand Cafe, Café Central | |
| beauty salon | Thompson & Co, Salon Next, Fashion Look Studio | |
| library | New York Public Library, State Library of Victoria, Trinity College Library | |
| theatre | Grauman's Chinese Theater, Boston Opera House, Palau de la Música Catalana | |
| stadium | Wembley Stadium, Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Old Trafford Stadium | |
| fitness centres | Metroflex Gym, Original Temple Gym, Firehouse Fitness | |
| banks | C. Hoare & Co., Barclays Bank, Weglin & Co. |
Ergonyms can be formed in different ways. Some linguists propose a classification of formation.[7] This classification includes:
Other linguists propose a different classification that includes:[8]
An ergonym may have functions beside being a proper name. It might also be: