Bello, Gin Tonic, Paul the Octopus - individual names of animals

Conference announcement and call to the registration

Information from the organizers: Prof. Damaris Nübling and Dr. Mirjam Schmuck

 

On the 7th and 8th of October, 2013 Mainz Academy of the Sciences and Literature will held for the first time a conference devoted to the naming of animals. The nimal names are omnipresent, but academically they are hardly investigated. It is essential that this conference should challenge the lack of knowledge.


The spectrum of subjects covers house and farm animals' names, circus and wild animals' names as well as experimental animals' names. In the the program inter alia presentations on the names of dogs, cats, rabbits and cows in different cultures (Germany, Scandinavia, Zulu) are to be found. Other articles deal with different naming strategies for home vs. farm vs. experimental animals: when and under what circumstances will individual names be given? How strong are anthropomorphized names, i.e.  to what extent they recourse to the stock of first names? How important is the sex of animals? Do we use for animals other naming practices, possibly those that are prohibited in baby naming? The principles of name-giving in the biological and behavioral science aspects from the perspective of the human / animal sociology will be discussed.


All enthusiasts are warmly invited!
Participation fee: 30€ (on site)


Registrations by e-mail to Juniorprof. Mirjam Schmuck: mirjam.schmuck@adwmainz.de

The program of the conference is here: http://www.onomastikblog.de/fileadmin/gfn/uploads/gfn/PDF-Dateien/TierN-Tagung_2013_vorlaeufiges_Programm.pdf