Abstract
This article contributes to the study of the grammar, semantics, expressive values of a very special onymic category, inhabitants names, or demonyms. The authors examine and compare demonyms in two varieties of Romanic languages - South American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese from both a multi-modal point of view and empirical evidence (synchronic and diachronic data) and systemize them by concentrating on their morphosyntactic distinctive features and semiotic content. The perspective revealed in this paper aims to study, define and analyze the main tendencies in the creation of denominative adjectives functioning as demonyms, to establish the parameters of discrepancies and convergences regarding demonyms of the region in question. The authors based on analyzing the motivation sources, grammar formulae, suffix combinations, socio-cultural varieties and the occurrence of homonymy, as well as their significance, axiological values in forming a group identity and the stereotypes they might lead to. The methodology has included semiotic, cognitive, historic and comparative analysis - a synchronic conceptual transdisciplinary analysis. The results of the study confirm the premise that the demonym suffixes randomly alternate in derivation processes, but also demonstrate the existence of other morphological and pragmatic trends while outlining the role of demonyms in migration processes, formation of a linguistic landscape and axiological values.
Highlights
Demonyms are directly related to toponymy and represent an integral part of the lexicon and toponymic vocabulary of every language
С. 576—596 national rhetoric tradition. This investigation aims at studying South American demonyms from Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil basing on the cartographic materials, dictionaries, diverse types of texts, and surveys of native speakers
Toponyms can be studied as markers of the way speakers of different varieties of Spanish and Portuguese perceive the world, which combines the goals of traditional onomastic geography and studies in dialectology and semiotics and draws particular attention to national toponymic systems and their consecutive comparison
Summary
Demonyms are directly related to toponymy and represent an integral part of the lexicon and toponymic vocabulary of every language. The formation of this lexicon as well as its current condition and frequency in texts and discourses depend on the typology of a particular language, its history, linguistic contacts and Чеснокова О.С. This investigation aims at studying South American demonyms from Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil basing on the cartographic materials, dictionaries, diverse types of texts, and surveys of native speakers. Toponyms can be studied as markers of the way speakers of different varieties of Spanish and Portuguese perceive the world, which combines the goals of traditional onomastic geography and studies in dialectology and semiotics and draws particular attention to national toponymic systems and their consecutive comparison
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