Proper Names in the Light of Theoretical Onomastics

Proper Names In the Light of Theoretical Onomastics129(2) The geographical objects Jánošík’s cave, Farárka and Baračka are located in the surroundingsof Trenčianske Teplice.(3) His honour is said to have replied and promised N. money and a knighthood.(D. Krman). – A well-built young man was taken to D., the kids were punished andthe old Gypsy woman was put into prison (W. Scott). – A post-woman in N., EmilL., everybody watched the mink, which was dragged from a cage by Stanislav Č.(J. Johanides).In context (1) communicant B’s knowledge of the objects is superficial.However, it is sufficient to identify the names of Jánošík’s cave, Farárka andBaračka as local geographical names, or more precisely, as geonyms fromthe locality of Trenčianske Teplice. In ordinary communication, it is notnecessary to “be familiar with” a generic particularity hence it is sufficientto “know” that e. g. the names Jánošík’s cave, Farárka and Baračka are thenames of uninhabited geographical objects within a set of Slovak localarea names.In context (2), however, the attention is focused on the onymic object.The communicating person is provided with basic information on therespective onymic objects with which he or she may not necessarily befamiliar. On the basis of this information, unambiguous reference identificationof proper names is possible. In ordinary communication, the referenceidentification resulting from certain information and encyclopaedicknowledge is usually emphasized. The knowledge, information about thedenotat of a proper name, has an individually variable range, even wherean identical, relatively known object is concerned.(3) The examples quoted, which usually occur in written (especiallyartistic) speeches, are specific; a proper name is not referred to in its fullform but only in its initial (seldom random) letter. Intentionally in completeinformation is provided by a surname having just the initial letter of thesurname. In similar cases, the provider can talk about the onymic objectas such, the unambiguous identification of this object is not essential tothe receiver, or should stay a secret, or only pragmatic components of thename are important. What is significant, however, is the circumstance thatthe given context provides the information as to which onymic class theobject termed in the abbreviation belongs. Therefore, e. g., in the statement:Once, it happened in the town N., the abbreviation N. is not just anempty “label” for the name of an inhabited place. This form is the determiningaspect of a toponymic sign. The determined aspect of this signis its proprial semantics (designation). Despite its abbreviated form, the