The eponym describes a generic name derived from the name of a single individual, such as Zeppelin as the name for an airship or a pace for the papers. In linguistics a further differentiation is made, here the eponym is named the author himself, and the derived genus designation is summarized under the opposite term “deonym”.
term
The word comes from the Greek (ἐπώνυμος) and can be translated with name-giving or name-borrowers. Thus the translation of the concept reveals, in principle, namely, a word which can be traced back to a name (and designated as a fixed concept of things of this kind or genre). Let us look at an example to illustrate the eponym.
Americans eat a sandwich sandwich
The above example unites two eponyms. The word America goes back to the discoverer and merchant Amerigo Vespucci. Columbus discovered the New World in 1492, but it was not until Amerigo realized that it was a new continent. Although this attribution is controversial, this does not alter the fact that he became the author of the continent: an eponym.
Furthermore, the substantive example is the noun sandwich. A sandwich is a small snack. This consists of two bread slices, between which is a spicy covering (cheese, eggs, sausage). It is probable that the namesake of this intermediate meal is John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who was said to have not had time to eat during a card game and had the meal sandwiched between two bread slices. The sandwich and the eponym were born.
Note: The term “eponym” refers in principle to terms which refer to the name of a particular person and thus form a generic name derived from the person’s name. Consequently, all eponyms, when introduced, are neologisms, that is, word-creations.
Eponym and deonym
The explanations given above are valid only in a general context, while linguistics still knows a division between eponym and deonym. In this case, the proper name itself is considered an eponym, while the derivative is called a deonym.
If we take the previous example and look at the word America, we can clearly point out the difference between both terms. The word goes back to the named merchant and explorer Amerigo. The name Amerigo would thus be the eponym, while all derivatives (Americans, American, Americans) are to be described as deonymous. Another example.
On the initiative of the physician Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, the Guillotine was designed to decapitate the guilty with the case ax, so to guillotine them and thus to allow them a quick death.
The doctor Joseph-Ignace Guillotin is the name given to the well-known case ax in order to execute the death penalty. His surname is thus to be understood as an eponym, since it is the basis of the term. Various terms are derived from this. On the one hand the guillotine itself and on the other guillotine the verb. These words are deonyms, that is, derivatives of the eponym.
Note: The separation of the two terms is usually only relevant in linguistic studies. After all, eponym and deonym are very often homonymous. This means that the same term stands for two different things (namesake and thing), which is why a separation in the usage of language is rarely effective and only makes sense in the scientific sense.
Examples of the eponym
In our language, innumerable terms have now become anchored, which can be traced back to the name of a person. Therefore, we would like to introduce you to a selection of examples.Short overview: The most important part about the eponym at a glance
In principle, a generic name is named as an eponym, which is derived from the name of a person. Very often, this person is decisively involved in the discovery, invention or exploration of the respective object and thus the name giver.
However, there is a distinction between eponym and deonym in linguistics. In this case, the name-giver himself is called an eponym, and the derivation is designated as a deonym. This separation is usually not useful in the everyday language.
When an invention or a new thing is named for the first time, we are usually dealing with a word novelty. Such a construction is called neologism.