Adalékok a nyelvhasználók családnevekkel kapcsolatos ismeretéhez
Date: 2016
Subject: surname
occupational name
questionnaire survey
attitudes
Hungarian
családnév
foglalkozásnév
kérdőíves felmérés
attitűdök
magyar
occupational name
questionnaire survey
attitudes
Hungarian
családnév
foglalkozásnév
kérdőíves felmérés
attitűdök
magyar
Abstract:
ANITA SCHIRM, Comments on language users’ knowledge about family names
The paper presents the conclusions drawn from a 2010 questionnaire survey of adult language
users’ knowledge about, and attitudes to their own names, family names from their places of residence
and family names of occupational origin. The 68 respondents involved in the survey had little
understanding of the onomastic features of their own family names and were also ill-informed
about names typical in their home towns, but possessed a great deal of relatively precise information
about their first names. In general, respondents displayed a positive attitude towards their family
names, appreciating family names as distinctiveness and identity markers. Occupational family
names, which account for a considerable proportion of Hungarian family names, were only recognised
if the term for the occupation is commonly used and widely known in the present day and the
name form is morphologically and etymologically transparent. Language users were found to have very little knowledge of etymology, and were prone to rely on folk-etymology instead. Furthermore,
the uncertainty of language users in connection with the possible motivations of family name giving
could also be observed in their responses.