NORNA-RAPPORTER 88 Binamn. Uppkomst, bildning, terminologi ...

Coming to grips with the multifacetedness of bynames 45
(11) classification of names,
(12) statistical onomastics and
(13) lexicography of names.
This selection of onomastic subdisciplines illustrates that onomastics, including
the study of bynames, has not only the potential to meet challenges in collaboration
with other disciplines but also to embrace a holistic approach.
4. Which is the most essential facet?
In view of the multifacetedness of bynames, the question arises which of the
facets is the most essential. The answer, which complies with my third thesis,
is simple if somewhat unsurprising – none. Integrated with the whole, each facet
of the gem is important and interesting. A particular facet of the gem can,
however, be the most essential one to look at for one’s present purposes. Looking
at one facet after the other is as valid an approach as looking at the whole
gem.
5. Conclusion
What does all that come down to? – The multifacetedness of bynames can
neither be taken for granted nor as given. That is the reason why I have suggested
that studying bynames is like gem cutting. Byname students take an active
part in what they see and how they see it. They are gem cutters who cut and
polish, that is, facet, rough gems. Now, that is the reason why I have suggested
that there are no facets without faceting. If bynames students have focused on
individual facets, this is at least in part do to with the fact that «the discrete exactness
of parts is more important than the supposed vagueness of the whole»
(Koch 1989, p. 239). Even though I have tried to sketch a picture of the whole,
I do not consider the whole more important than its parts. Instead what is being
propounded here is this: Byname students need to carry out more synthesising
research to view their findings less in isolation and to position the study of bynames
in the system of sciences. That is the reason why I have suggested that
we cannot see the whole gem if we focus on the individual facets and that, on
the other hand, there is no facet without a gem. That is what coming to grips
with the multifacetedness of bynames is all about.
References
Bach, Adolf, 1952–53: Deutsche Namenkunde 1. Die deutschen Personennamen. 2
vols. 2nd ed. Heidelberg.
Brendler, Silvio, 2006: Grundlagen der englischen Zunamenforschung. CD-ROM.
Hamburg.
— 2007: Deskriptive Konnotationen versus motivationale Konnotationen. Zu zwei zentralen
Komponenten der Wortbildungssemantik der Zunamen. In: Zunamen. Zeitschrift
für Namenforschung/Surnames. Journal of name studies 2. Pp. 21–43.