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UKRAINIAN AND BRITISH ANTHROPONYMS AS A PHENOMENON OF MODERN LIFE

Vladyslava Lisova

Kamianets-Podilskiy Ivan Ohiienko National University

Scientific Supervisor: S.I.Nykytiuk

UKRAINIAN AND BRITISH ANTHROPONYMS

AS A PHENOMENON OF MODERN LIFE

Abstract

The article deals with the comparison of Ukrainian and British anthroponyms, with the examples of this phenomenon, adduced the factors which could influence the people’s choice. We tried to find facts of this phenomenon by virtue of the most famous scientists exploration.

Keywords : anthroponyms (proper names), factors, choice.

In any society every person has his or her own proper name, furthermore it makes his or her own world. During the choosing of name, it takes into account the prevalence, popularity and nevertheless euphony. All the proper names, in some way, have passed a certain stage of development and it is due to the science, which we called anthroponymic. The derivatives of this science are anthroponyms.

Anthroponyms are special linguistic units that distinguish and specify the object, but do not classify it [1, p.85]. Such scientists as S.Bevzenko, A.S.Popovych, L.G.Skrypnyk, L. Masenko, O.A. Leonovych, V.A. Nikonov, J. Karpenko have been engaged in this branch.

The purpose of article is to compare Ukrainian and British anthroponyms and find out the main factors of their choosing.

 The choosing of Ukrainian proper names started in pre-Christian times. It depends on diverse situations of the child’s born in the family, for example, Kotyhoroshko sounds like when one mother had seen the rolling pea she had ate it and after that she gave a birth to her child; Semylitochka – when a couple did not have a child during seven years; Solovej denotes the child was able to sing in a proper way; or for example Sereda is the day when a child was born [1, p.87].

As for the British people, they also have their own history of the choosing the proper names. For example, as a result of the Norman invasion, the proper names gained the momentum under this influence (there were popular such names as William, Richard, Robert, Hugh, Ralph). In that time it was also very popular to give children the names as saints people have. For boys: John, Peter, James, Michael, Simon; and for girls: Mary, Catherine, Margaret, Ann(e).

In Ukraine we may also observe the emergence of canonized names with the adoption of Christianity, for example: Vasyl, Jurij, Klym, Nechai, Marija, Anna, Olga, Varvara.

In the Ukrainian system of usage of proper names, the clear distribution is official. In the English language reduced derivatives exist, which gradually become official names: Dick Cheiney, Bill Clinton. There are many names, which symbolize the belonging to a certain linguistic culture or for instance a representative of any English-speaking country – John; an Irishman – Patric, Paddy, Mickey, Pad [3, 118].

The proper names are also associated with the famous state and political people, artists and scientists: Julius (Caesar), Vincent (Van Gogh), Сharles (Darvin), William (Shakespeare).

There are a lot of different kinds and styles of proper names in Britain. It is relevant to define the main factors of such choice [2, 46] :

  1. The influence of modern fashion and society is one of the most popular factor, which could change our thoughts and of course our choice. There are a lot of weird British proper names: Jason, Cameron, Morgan, Nigel, Prentis, Fionnula, Cedrik, Pip, Mia, Cordelia, Lulu, In some way it is very interesting to have an unusual proper name, but in the other hand it sounds so bizzare for another people: Pepper, Apple, Flower, Lady, Sofa, Сatty.
  2. The religious influence. As it was mentioned, in times, when Britain was in a significant dependence of the church, all baptized children were named like some saints, in order to commemorate them, for example: Adam, Eve, Mary, Luke, Mark,
  3. People often could give a name for child in order to honour someone from their relatives, like to appreciate him or her: Rose, Felix, Nicholas, Antonia, Addison, Hazel,
  4. The desire to stay unique plays also significant amount of weird proper names. Maybe in such way parents try to make everything good for their children: Queen, Mimi, Popo, Dodo.
  5. A connection with the history, traditions and culture affect people too. In the British society such names as Goodwin, Wolsey, Robert, Beatrice, Cecily, William, Maud, Alice, Grace, Prudence, Alfred, Bruce, Marilyn appeared.
  6. An integral part of the proper names associated with the territory, where the child was born. So, there are a lot of parents, which do not think so long: Anon, Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Tyrone.
  7. Some of the names appeared in order to highlight some person’s occupations, such as Barber, Kitchener, Shepherd [3, 119].

So, Ukraine also has a lot of significant information for everybody, because our history and culture, our traditions and mentality play significant role in all the times.

The main factors of the choosing proper name in Ukraine are [2, 47] :

  1. The desire to remain original and famous all the time: Milasha, Shamama, Igorina, Princessa, Stasyniia, Ona, Italiia, Vesna, Medeia – for girls; Leopold, Bomond, Peresvit, Bertran, Azarij, Mychva – for boys.
  2. The respect for the ancestors, our past times: Roksolana, Taras, Ivan,
  3. To honour of grandfather-great-grandfather.
  4. To «glorify» someone or something very famous: Aaron, Aleksandr, Andrij, Apostol – for boys; Afina, Bohemiia, Vanda, Varta, Venera, Vyspa, Kalabriia – for girls.
  5. To borrow something abroad in order to stay modern: Alisa, Varvara, Rodion, Adam, Damir, Ovsij, Herman.
  6. To give a name of someone’s favourite movies or book hero: Pajper, Star, Harfild, Bella, Harry, Synderella.

So, we could see the diverse number of the factors, which plays significant role in our life, in the life of our children. All of them are interconnected and close, despite of the country. We think that the problem of the choosing proper name will be during all the time. For example, we have such problem that parents really do not know which name is appropriate for their child. As a result, in Ukraine were registered such proper names as Domysla, Olianna, Sofra, Ajva, Leriia, Antos, Rusalina, Kalyna, Myla, Islam, etc. But, the main anthroponyms were: Anna, Daryna, Valeriia, Karina, Veronika, Kateryna – among girls; Artem, Pavlo, Tymofij, Ivan – among boys.

As for the British people, nowadays the main proper names are Oliver, Olivia, Zoe, Lydia, Amelia, George, Thomas, Annie, Flori, Luna. Their choice was caused by religious, historic, fashionable, family, person’s occupation, and territorial factors.

So, as a conclusion we must admit that it is very important and responsibly how to name your child in our time. Anthroponyms are the most serious theme of our society, because one should always stay between a lot of contradictions and choice. They are worth researching and defining in a specific way.

References

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