On mental representation of proper names

Abstract

On mental representation of proper names

Onomastics, especially historical onomastics, has always been ready to take over the attitudes and results of other branches of linguistics or related studies. In recent times, new trends, such as cognitive linguistics have been exerting a strong influence on onomastics, requiring the adoption of a more dominant psycholinguistic approach in research concerning the mental representation of proper names. Meeting this requirement, however, is hindered by the fact that we know relatively little about the mental representation of linguistic items in general. Furthermore, the examination of mental processes affecting proper names is presently situated at the periphery of psycholinguistic research. This paper, as a basis for further studies, seeks to present how and under what conditions the investigation of the mental relations of proper names appears satisfactory, and wishes to summarise the results of psycho- and neurolinguistics as well as those of cognitive linguistics achieved so far in this research field, also mentioning and commenting on some relevant onomastic observations.