Projects per year
Abstract
The names of plants, or phytonyms (from Ancient Greek 'phytón', ‘plant’, and 'ónoma', ‘name’, ‘noun’), are a very significant part of the lexicon of a language. They represent not only a relevant ‘specialized vocabulary’, but, when investigated through the analysis of the linguistic procedures implemented by speakers to generate them, tell us a lot about the mindset and culture of a population. The etymological reconstructions of phytonyms often hold surprises and challenges for the Linguists who study them and, once completed, enable them to understand the perspectives of a group of individuals and to document their perception of the world. The English language has a very rich botanical lexicon, and English plant names often tell us fascinating stories. Their origins are etymologically captivating or conceptually startling. This article briefly comments on three of them, which are linguistically unique.
Original language | English |
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Type | Article for 'Ancient Origins' |
Media of output | Online Magazine |
Publisher | Stella Novus Limited |
Number of pages | 1 |
Place of Publication | Dublin |
Publication status | Published - 28 Sept 2024 |
Publication series
Name | Evolution & Human Origins |
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Publisher | Stella Novus Limited |
ISSN (Electronic) | 588498 |
Keywords
- Etymology
- Phytonyms
- Botany
- Lexicology
- Historical Linguistics
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Dive into the research topics of 'The Hidden Origins of Three English Plant Names'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Words and Their Stories: An Etymological Exploration of the English Vocabulary
6/06/23 → 28/08/23
Project: Internal Research Project