Yoruba Names

This book focuses on the naming tradition among the Yoruba, one of Africa's largest ethnic groups, consisting of over 40 million people.

Autorentext

Taiwo Ehineni is a Preceptor of African Languages in the department of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, USA.

Klappentext

This book focuses on the naming tradition among the Yoruba, one of Africa's largest ethnic groups, consisting of over 40 million people.

Inhalt

Introduction: What's in a Name?

1. The Philosophy of a Name

2. Construct, Context, and Connections: The Semiotics of Yoruba Names

3. Naming as Act and Art: A Synthesis

4. Theorizing Names: Moving Beyond Western-Centric Models

Chapter 1: Yoruba Naming and Meaning

1. Introduction: The Cultural Weight of a Name

2. The Pragmatic Theory of Properhood (TPTP): A Critical Review

3. Meaning in Yoruba Names: Beyond Referentiality

*3.1 Denotation: Literal Meaning (Revisited)

*3.2 Connotation: Cultural and Historical Meanings

*3.3 Perspectivization: The Individual and Negotiated Meaning

*3.4.Subversion and Re-semanticization: Turning Meaning on its Head

4. Conclusion: Reconsidering the Nature of Meaning in Proper Names

Chapter 2: Personal Names: Constructing Identities and Narrating Social Experiences

1. Introduction: Names as Sites of Identity Construction

2. The Naming Context Among the Yoruba: A Socio-Cultural Ritual

3. Factors Motivating the Choice of Names: A

*3.1 Family Situation or Parents' Experiences

*3.2 Birth Circumstances

*3.3 Birth Order

*3.4 Sex

*3.5 Religion

*3.6 Profession

*3.7 Death Situation

4. Conclusion: Names as Dynamic Narratives of Self

Chapter 3: Oríkì: Praising Destiny, Constructing Identities in Yoruba Culture

1. Introduction: Oríkì as a Cultural and Linguistic Phenomenon

2. The Concept of Orí: Foundations of Yoruba Identity and Destiny

3. Oríkì as a Verbal Instantiation of Orí: Performance and Power

4. Types of Oríkì: Exploring Specific Forms

• 4.1 Oríkì Àbís (Attributive Personal Praise Names)

• 4.2 Oríkì Orílé (Totemic Praise Names)

• 4.3 Oríkì Àlàjé (Praise Nicknames)

5. Conclusion: Reconsidering the Nature of Meaning in Proper Names

Chapter 4: Place Names: Language and History

1. Introduction: Place Names as Embodied Histories and Ecological Markers

2. Yoruba Toponyms: A Tapestry of History, Ecology, and Social Life

• 2.1 Flora Toponyms

• 2.2 Hill Toponyms

• 2.3 Hydro-Toponyms

• 2.4 Topographic-Color Descriptive Toponyms

• 2.5 Stone Toponyms and Forest Toponyms

• 2.6 War-related Toponyms

• 2.7 Agro-Toponyms

• 2.8 Place names based on environmental changes

3. Conclusion

Chapter 5: Pet Names: Language, Resistance, and Protest

1. Introduction: Naming as Resistance and Protest

2. The Yorubas and the Pet Culture

3. Pet Naming and Linguistic Creativity in Yoruba Culture: The Art of Subversion

4. Yoruba Pet Names: Sites of Resistance and Social Commentary

• 4.1 Pet Names and Protest in Family Matters

• 4.2 Pet Names and Protest in Communal Situations: Navigating Power and Conflict

• 4.3 Pet Names and Protest in National Politics: Voicing Dissent

5. Conclusion

Chapter 6: Hair Names: Language and Women's Agency

1. Introduction: Hair as a Site of Agency and Cultural Commentary

2. Hairstyling in Yoruba Culture

3. The Poetics of Plaiting: Creativity and Complexity in Yoruba Hairstyles Names

4. Crowning Glory: Hairstyle Names as Women's Agency and Individuality

5. Conclusion

Chapter 7: Building Names: Language and Politics

1. Introduction

2. Architecture as a Reflection of Cultural Identity

3. Renaming of Buildings and Political Ideology

4. Building Names and the Politics of Prestige and Donations

5. Conclusion

Conclusion: Everything Can Be in a Name: Reimagining Onomastics Beyond Referentiality

1. From Question to Affirmation: Reframing the Scope of Onomastics

2. Beyond Referentiality: A Multidimensional Understanding of Naming

3. Naming as a Performativity and Power: Reconsidering Agency

4. Towards a Culturally Sensitive Onomastics: New Orientations and Methodologies

5. Future Directions: Opening New Avenues for Inquiry

Index