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FUNCTIONS OF NAMES IN LITERARY TEXT

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Debus F.
Onomastica
|
2003
|
vol. 48
5-15
EN
The view that a person and his or her name are one has been expressed for a long time by the assertion: 'nomen est omen'. In the Middle Ages, when giving real names, this view played a more important role than it does nowadays. However, in the world of names used in literary texts it has remained essential up till now. In their literary works, writers have always considered it very important to create or choose the names for their characters. This has been evident both in the analyses of numerous literary texts as well as in the opinions of many modern writers. Fictional names, contrary to the real ones, have a remarkable strength of expression which manifests itself in certain functions these names perform. The most important functions that the fictional names perform are the following: 1.Identification. Through its proper name an object gets its identity. 2.Fictionalization. Existing real names (and their bearers) get included in the fiction of literary works and become, in principle, equal to the fictional (imaginary) names. Literary illusion appears. 3.Characterization. This very intricate function can be assigned to four types of names in literary texts. (According to Birus these four types of names are the following: narrative names, classifying names, symbolic names and personifying names). 4.Mythologizing: This function can be considered the prototype of characterization but, in this case, what is significant is an old magical conviction that some unknown, mysterious powers are hidden in names. 5. Accentuation/Anonymity. This function can also be considered a subtype of Characterization. However, in this case, we deal with strong emphasis (e.g. comicality, word playing) on one hand and with phenomena of taboo or concealment on the other.
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