Revisiting the Problem of Ergonymy

Abstract

The paper specifies the term "ergonym" and its place in the onomastic terminological system of the Russian language. A number of relevant studies performed by Russian linguists have allowed the author to conclude that there are no scientifically grounded criteria for distinguishing ergonyms from other varieties of onyms, i.e. urbanonyms, toponyms, chrematonyms, etc. The article introduces a complex definition of ergonym that distinguishes it from other types of onyms, in particular, from chrematonyms and ktematonyms. The author also specifies the difference between such concepts as ergonymy, ergonymics, and ergonymicon and clarifies the concept of ergonym through the business profiles of the enterprises described in the field of chrematonymy: marketing, public and ideological. The study features the field structure of the concept of ergonomics and describes the syntagmatic and paradigmatic, or genus-species (hyperonymic-hyponymic), relations of ergonyms in the terminological system of onomastics, as well as their systemic organization.