Roman Mykulchyk

Technical Committee for Scientific and Technical Terminology Standardization,

National University Lviv Polytechnic

research of eponyms in ukrAinian terminilogy

© Mykulchyk R. B., 2015

The article describes history and state of research of eponyms in Ukrainian and world linguistics.

Keywords: Ukrainian language, term, eponym, linguistics, dictionary.

Prominent place among the modern terminology research takes the research of eponimic items – terms which include proper names. The main provisions of the general theory of proper names appear in a number of works by Ukrainian and foreign researchers (V. Bolotov, I. Efymenko, Y. Karpenko, E. Kourylovych, V. Nikonov, E. Otin, A. Superanska, M. Hudash, V. Shulhach etc.).

Purpose of the article – to analyze the history of eponimic terms and their state of research in Ukrainian and world linguistics.

The relevance of the chosen research topic is conditioned by the absence of a generalized view of linguistic works aimed at research of eponimic terms.

Among the works can be identified as the theoretical as well as the specific field terminology.

Theoretical problems of eponyms investigation in Ukrainian scientific terminology is fulfilled by M. Dziuba.

World scientific community for centuries adheres to traditions to perpetuate the names of the greatest scientists and inventors in terms. Such terms are automatically internationalized: every language adapts them to its structure in a way peculiar to it inherent model.

In linguistics there is no consensus as to which of their own names – anthroponomy or other onims – can be the basis for the creation of the term, eponyms (or be a term derived from proper names). Special name may be derived from anthroponyms, mythonyms, theonims,  ethnonyms, kosmonyms.

Research in terminology proves that the main condition for the creation of terms-anthroponyms is historical mention of the existence of any of those persons whose names are the basis for the creation of eponyms. D. Lotte identified the following criteria for subjects of terms: 1) concept, to which the term is assigned must be connected with feeling, process or technology subject and mean a certain stage in their development; 2) anthroponimical sign must be associated with the person who has made some discoveries or contributed to it; 3) the term is usually a component of composite terms.

Recently, exploration of eponyms is active in specific fields. There are studies in cardiology, anatomy, veterinary medicine and other areas of scientific knowledge.

In Ukrainian lexicography single attempts of lexicographing eponyms based on different fields of medical terminology exist, such as: congenital and acquired syndromes in otorhinolaryngology, hereditary syndromes, clinical syndromes etc. So, dictionaries of eponyms are necessary not only for the medicine, but also for other metalanguages.

Thus, we can say that in the Ukrainian linguistics, despite the significant number of publications, issues of eponyms are highlighted in small quantities of field terminologies. Lexicographical support of these studies is rather fragmentary. So, there is a wide field for researchers and lexicographers.