Your Onomastic Research: A Call for Papers from Onomástica desde América Latina

 

Call for Papers: Thematic Dossier

There is an increasingly evident intersection between onomastics and the linguistic landscape (LL), understood as the visible display of written language in public spaces, including road signs, shop names, graffiti, billboards, memorial plaques, menus, and advertisements. Though underexplored, this convergence reveals how names - especially toponyms (place-names), ergonyms (names of businesses, institutions), and even anthroponyms (personal names used publicly, such as street names or honorary plaques) - serve as key elements of public discourse and linguistic identity.

In multilingual contexts, LL studies have demonstrated how names help signal power relations, cultural memory, or linguistic coexistence. For instance, a bilingual street sign in Welsh and English, or a commercial zone in Barcelona where Catalan and Spanish shop signs co-exist, are not just functional - they embody historical, political, and sociolinguistic narratives. This makes the LL a rich and dynamic canvas for collecting real-life material that reflects how names are used, contested, or transformed in society.

It is therefore increasingly untenable to analyze the LL of any given locality without considering onomastic elements. These names occupy highly visible spaces and encode values, identities, and historical trajectories. At the same time, researchers in onomastics can find in the LL a living field site that goes beyond archival sources, offering access to contemporary usage, spontaneous naming practices, and sociolinguistic layering.

This thematic dossier invites researchers to submit articles that explore how onomastic elements function within linguistic landscapes, including but not limited to:

• Toponyms and ergonyms in urban signage

• Commercial names (crematonyms) and their stratified distribution

• Multilingual naming practices in public space

• Official vs. unofficial names in contested areas

• Historical evolution of place-names as seen in street nomenclature

• The role of personal names in commemorative landscapes

Through these contributions, the dossier aims to illuminate the potential of this interdisciplinary dialogue and advance the understanding of names as both linguistic and spatial phenomena.

---

Ainiala, T. y Vuolteenaho, J. (2006). How to study urban onomastic landscape? Acta onomastica, XLVII, 58–63.

Bagna, C. y Machetti, S. (2012). LL and (Italian) menus and brand names: A survey around the world. En C. Helot, M. Barni, R. Janssens, & C. Bagna (Eds.), Linguistic Landscapes, Multilingualism and Social Change (pp. 217–230). Peter Lang.

Edelman, L. (2009). What’s in a name? Classification of Proper names by language. En E. Shohamy y D. Gorter (Eds.), Linguistic Landscape. Expanding the Scenery (pp. 141–154). Routledge.

Fernández Juncal, C. (2024). Paisaje lingüístico y crematonimia: la estratificación social de los nombres comerciales. Philologia Hispalensis, 38(1), 49–68.

📢 LLAMADA DE ARTÍCULOS – DOSSIER TEMÁTICO

Onomástica y paisaje lingüístico: una convergencia necesaria

Cada vez es más evidente la intersección entre la onomástica y el paisaje lingüístico (PL), entendido como el conjunto de manifestaciones escritas visibles en los espacios públicos: señales viales, rótulos comerciales, placas conmemorativas, grafitis, menús o carteles publicitarios. Aunque esta interrelación ha sido poco explorada, revela cómo los nombres - en particular los topónimos, ergónimos (nombres de comercios, instituciones) e incluso antropónimos (nombres personales presentes en espacios públicos) - son elementos clave del discurso social y lingüístico.

En contextos multilingües, los estudios sobre PL muestran cómo los nombres transmiten relaciones de poder, memoria cultural y convivencia lingüística. Un ejemplo clásico es la señalización bilingüe en galés e inglés en Gales, o los escaparates comerciales en catalán y español en Barcelona: más allá de su función práctica, comunican narrativas históricas y sociolingüísticas.

Por ello, no es posible analizar un paisaje lingüístico sin tener en cuenta los elementos onomásticos, que ocupan lugares muy visibles y reflejan los valores, identidades e historias de las comunidades. Al mismo tiempo, el PL se convierte en un campo fértil para la investigación onomástica, ofreciendo materiales vivos que van más allá de los repertorios tradicionales.

Este dossier temático invita a investigadores a enviar artículos que analicen cómo los nombres propios se integran en el paisaje lingüístico, abordando temas como:

• Toponimia y ergonimia en la señalética urbana

• Nombres comerciales y su distribución estratificada

• Prácticas de denominación multilingüe

• Nombres oficiales y no oficiales en zonas en disputa

• Evolución histórica de la nomenclatura urbana

• Antropónimos en monumentos y placas conmemorativas

---

📢 APPEL À CONTRIBUTIONS – DOSSIER THÉMATIQUE

Onomastique et paysage linguistique : une convergence nécessaire

L’intersection entre onomastique et paysage linguistique (PL)  - l’ensemble des inscriptions visibles dans l’espace public comme les panneaux, enseignes, graffitis, menus ou affiches - devient de plus en plus pertinente. Bien que rarement étudiée, cette convergence montre que les noms, qu’il s’agisse de toponymes, d’ergonymes (noms de commerces, d’institutions) ou même d’anthroponymes (noms personnels utilisés publiquement), jouent un rôle central dans le discours linguistique et identitaire.

Dans les sociétés multilingues, le PL met en évidence des dynamiques de pouvoir, de mémoire collective ou de cohabitation linguistique. Pensons, par exemple, à la signalisation bilingue en Bretagne (français et breton), ou aux noms commerciaux en catalan et espagnol dans les rues de Valence : ils incarnent des récits historiques et sociaux aussi bien que des usages quotidiens.

Analyser un paysage linguistique sans considérer ses composantes onomastiques serait ignorer une partie essentielle de la communication publique. Inversement, le PL offre aux chercheurs en onomastique un terrain vivant pour observer les usages contemporains des noms dans leur contexte naturel.

Ce dossier thématique invite les chercheurs à soumettre des contributions qui explorent la présence des noms propres dans le paysage linguistique, en abordant des sujets tels que :

• Toponymes et ergonymes dans l’espace urbain

• Noms commerciaux et hiérarchisation sociale

• Pratiques de dénomination multilingue

• Noms officiels vs. noms populaires dans les espaces contestés

• Évolution historique de la toponymie urbaine

• Usage public des anthroponymes dans les lieux de mémoire

---

📢 CHAMADA DE ARTIGOS – DOSSIÊ TEMÁTICO

Onomástica e paisagem linguística: uma convergência necessária

A interseção entre onomástica e a paisagem linguística (PL)  - entendida como o conjunto de inscrições visíveis nos espaços públicos: placas de rua, letreiros comerciais, cartazes, grafites, cardápios, monumentos, entre outros -  torna-se cada vez mais evidente. Embora ainda pouco explorada, esta convergência revela como os nomes - especialmente os topônimos, ergônimos (nomes de instituições ou empresas) e antropônimos (nomes pessoais visíveis no espaço público) - são fundamentais para o discurso social e linguístico.

Em contextos multilíngues, a PL reflete relações de poder, identidades culturais e convivência de línguas. Exemplos incluem a sinalização bilíngue em regiões galegas da Espanha, ou a presença simultânea de português e mirandês em placas no norte de Portugal. Essas formas visuais de linguagem vão além do funcional e expressam narrativas sociais e históricas complexas.

Assim, torna-se indispensável considerar os elementos onomásticos na análise da paisagem linguística. Por outro lado, o PL oferece um campo rico de observação e coleta de dados para os pesquisadores da onomástica, revelando usos atuais e espontâneos que escapam aos repertórios tradicionais.

Este dossiê convida pesquisadores a enviar artigos que analisem como os nomes próprios se manifestam na paisagem linguística, tratando de temas como:

• Toponímia e ergonímia em contextos urbanos

• Nomes comerciais e suas implicações sociais

• Práticas multilíngues na denominação pública

• Conflitos entre nomes oficiais e populares

• Evolução da nomenclatura urbana ao longo do tempo

• Antroponímia em placas e monumentos públicos

Onomástica desde América Latina – Vol. 6 No. 1 (2025)

The latest issue of Onomástica desde América Latina - volume 6, number 1 (2025) - is now published! This Open Access, peer-reviewed journal continues its mission to promote naming research across Latin America and beyond, featuring high-quality scholarship in Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French.

What’s Inside This Issue?

• An insightful “Presentación” introducing the editorial focus and thematic scope for the year.

• A collection of dossier and regular articles exploring topics such as:

  • Anthroponymy and toponymy in Latin American contexts

  • Naming practices and identity construction

  • Toponymic documentation in Indigenous and regional languages

  • Emerging onomastic methods in digital humanities

Each contribution undergoes double peer review, maintaining quality and relevance. The average submission-to-publication timeline is impressively under 48 weeks academia.edu+1ppgte.ufc.br+1e-revista.unioeste.br+3e-revista.unioeste.br+3academia.edu+3.

Why Read This Issue?

• Continue tracking major onomastic research published since 2020.

• Discover studies grounded in regional languages and cultural contexts.

• Access freely available scholarship with no publication or access fees

---

📅 Spread the Word

Please share this launch within your academic networks, especially among scholars in linguistics, geography, cultural studies, and digital humanities. Onomastics continues to be an essential lens through which cultural identity and linguistic heritage are explored across Latin America—and there's much to discover in this issue!

Nous avons le plaisir d’annoncer la parution du dossier thématique « Les Dynamiques de l'Anthroponymie : Héritages et Identités au Maghreb et en Afrique Subsaharienne », qui clôture le volume 6 (2025) de la revue Onomástica desde América Latina.

Ce dossier réunit six contributions qui interrogent les pratiques anthroponymiques contemporaines dans divers contextes africains, en dépassant la simple approche linguistique. Les noms y sont analysés comme faits sociaux, pratiques discursives et marqueurs identitaires, traversés par l’histoire, les dynamiques de pouvoir, les mutations culturelles et les tensions intergénérationnelles.

Deux grands axes structurent l’ensemble :

• L’étude de la transmission et recomposition des noms dans des contextes familiaux, migratoires ou communautaires ;

• L’analyse de la nomination comme acte discursif dans les espaces fictionnels et numériques.

Par une approche croisée – empirique, littéraire et sociolinguistique – ce dossier met en lumière la richesse d’une onomastique critique, située, et attentive aux voix africaines et à leurs manières de formuler et revendiquer l’identité.

📖 Auteures et auteurs :

• Nadjia Nehari-Roubaï (Université A. Ibn Badis-Mostaganem)

• Warayanssa Mawoune

• Amina Taibi-Maghraoui

🔗 Lire le dossier complet : DOI : 10.48075/odal.v6i1.35483

Nous vous souhaitons une excellente lecture de ce dossier stimulant, au croisement de l’anthroponymie, de la mémoire et des identités africaines.

New Onomastic Dossier: Names, Memory, and Identity in Africa

We are pleased to announce the publication of the thematic dossier “Les Dynamiques de l'Anthroponymie : Héritages et Identités au Maghreb et en Afrique Subsaharienne”, which closes Volume 6 (2025) of the journal Onomástica desde América Latina.

This dossier brings together six thought-provoking articles that explore naming practices in North and Sub-Saharan Africa. More than a simple linguistic examination, the authors treat names as social facts, discursive acts, and identity markers shaped by history, power relations, cultural shifts, and generational tensions.

The contributions are divided into two major themes:

• The transmission and transformation of personal names in familial, migratory, or community contexts;

• The discursive function of naming in fictional and digital spaces.

By bridging empirical, literary, and sociolinguistic perspectives, the dossier showcases a vibrant and situated African onomastics, attentive to local voices and identity narratives.

📖 Authors:

• Nadjia Nehari-Roubaï (Université A. Ibn Badis-Mostaganem)

• Warayanssa Mawoune

• Amina Taibi-Maghraoui

🔗 Read the full dossier: DOI: 10.48075/odal.v6i1.35483

We wish all readers a rewarding exploration of these essential contributions to African onomastic studies!

---

🌍 Novo Dossiê Onomástico: Nomes, Memória e Identidade na África

Temos o prazer de anunciar que os artigos do dossiê temático “Les Dynamiques de l'Anthroponymie : Héritages et Identités au Maghreb et en Afrique Subsaharienne” foram publicados, encerrando o volume 06 (2025) do periódico Onomástica desde América Latina.

O dossiê reúne seis artigos que analisam as práticas de nomeação no Magrebe e na África Subsaariana, tratando os nomes não apenas como formas linguísticas, mas como fatos sociais, práticas discursivas e marcadores de identidade moldados por contextos históricos, relações de poder, transformações culturais e tensões intergeracionais.

Os textos se organizam em dois eixos principais:

• A transmissão e recomposição onomástica em contextos familiares, migratórios e comunitários;

• A nomeação como ato discursivo em espaços ficcionais e digitais.

Articulando abordagens empíricas, literárias e sociolinguísticas, o dossiê destaca uma onomástica africana crítica e situada, atenta às vozes e formas de expressão identitária do continente.

📖 Autores:

• Nadjia Nehari-Roubaï (Université A. Ibn Badis-Mostaganem)

• Warayanssa Mawoune

• Amina Taibi-Maghraoui

🔗 Leia o dossiê completo: DOI: 10.48075/odal.v6i1.35483

Desejamos a todos uma excelente leitura e uma imersão enriquecedora no campo da onomástica africana!

Onomástica desde América Latina (2025) Vol. 6(1)

 link 

The latest issue of "Onomástica desde América Latina" presents a diverse collection of articles exploring the rich tapestry of onomastics across the Latin American region.

1. "Toponímia e identidade cultural: um estudo sobre os nomes de lugares no Brasil"

This article delves into the relationship between place names and cultural identity in Brazil, examining how toponyms reflect the nation's historical and social evolution.

2. "Antroponímia indígena no Peru: preservação e transformação"

The study focuses on indigenous personal names in Peru, analyzing the preservation of traditional naming practices amidst societal changes and external influences.

3. "Nomes comerciais na Argentina: estratégias de marketing e identidade corporativa"

This research investigates the use of commercial names in Argentina, highlighting how businesses employ naming strategies to establish brand identity and market presence.

4. "A influência da colonização espanhola na toponímia da América Central"

The article explores the impact of Spanish colonization on Central American place names, revealing the layers of historical and cultural significance embedded in the region's toponyms.

5. "Nomes de rua em Bogotá: memória histórica e dinâmica urbana"

This study examines street names in Bogotá, Colombia, discussing how they serve as markers of historical memory and reflect the city's urban dynamics.

Each article offers a unique perspective on the significance of names within Latin American societies, contributing to a deeper understanding of the region's linguistic and cultural landscapes.

CfP "The Dynamics of Anthroponymy: Heritages and Identities in the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa"

 

CALL FOR PAPERS TO THE THEMATIC SECTION OF THE JOURNAL ONOMASTICA DESDE AMÉRICA LATINA - [ONOMASTICS OF LATIN AMERICA], V.6. 

The call is open from August 2024 to March 2025 for the dossier "The Dynamics of Anthroponymy: Heritages and Identities in the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa". It is organized by Yamina Taibi-Maghraoui, Nadjia Nehari-Roubai and Warayanssa Mawoune. Authors must create an account on the platform of the journal - Onomastics from Latin America (unioeste.br) - and send their paper to the "Dossier" section. 

The dossier is expected to be published by July 2025.

The anthroponymy of the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa opens up a fascinating perspective on the diversity and depth of cultures and stories that have permeated these regions over the centuries. These proper names, much more than simple designations, are living testimonies of the complex interplay between the various historical and contemporary civilizations, thus enriching our understanding of collective and individual identity in the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. In the Maghreb, this richness is particularly evidenced by the successive crossing of varied civilizations - Arab, Berber, Ottoman, Andalusian and French. Each civilization has left its distinct mark on the names of the people, thus enriching the anthroponymic heritage of this region. 

The Arabs introduced Islamic names and names, marked by religious and historical references, such as “Mohamed, Khadija, Ibrahim, Seddik, Halima, etc.” (Geoffroy, 2000, p. 326) The Berbers maintained their own nominative traditions, often influenced by the linguistic peculiarities of their different dialects, using prefixes such as “At”, “Ait’ or ‘Nait’ (Khemouche, 2005, p. 63). The Ottoman presence brought Turkish names linked to administrative and military functions, such as "Belkhoudja, Daouadji, Benabadji" or "Bey, Ghazi, Bentobdji". Other anthroponyms mark the ethnicity, such as "Benzmirli, Kasdali, Kourdoughli", integrated into the local social fabric (Taibi-Maghraoui, 2017, p. 176). The Andalusian influence is found in names such as 'Bengharnout, Benkartaba', while French colonisation has frankised many names to adapt them to bureaucratic norms, such as 'Benaoumeur, Benyacko, Azreug, Mokrétar, Kadra' (TaibiMaghraoui, 2020, p. 230). These administrative transformations often simplified or altered the original forms of names, sometimes erasing the subtleties and deep meanings of traditional.

While the Maghreb features a mosaic of names influenced by various civilizations, sub-Saharan Africa offers an equally complex and captivating perspective. In fact, onomastics in sub-Saharan Africa is a virgin land, the bearer of a historical and anthropological depth. The attribution of names obeys identity, social and cultural logics, influenced by historical, sociological and sometimes philosophical factors specific to each people (Ngbesso, 2013).

In Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire, naming is linked to contextual factors of an individual's birth, informing about their origins, their religion, and the social and cultural interactions of their family (Moreau, 2001). Names also determine social status, informing about the origins and history of individuals and peoples (Warayanssa, 2020). However, for some decades, the attribution of surnames has been undergoing a dynamic driven by intercultural and interethnic mixing, influenced by human mobilities and interactions. This evolution is also impacted by varied sociological and ethnological determinants, often conditioned by the power relations between communities and interethnic alliances.

Thus, Maghreb anthroponymy and African onomastics are not limited to reflecting a simple diversity of names. They tell a rich and dynamic story where each name brings with it the traces of the different cultural and historical influences that shaped these regions, and their role in the construction of the individual and collective identity of the inhabitants of the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa.

References 

Cheriguen F. (2005) « Régularités et variations dans l’anthroponymie algérienne » dans « Des noms et des noms… Etat civil et anthroponymie en Algérie. CRASC. Oran. 

Geoffroy Y. & Geoffroy N. (2000) « Le livre des prénoms arabes » Université de Michigan. Ed, Dar El Bouraq. 

Guillorel H. (2012). « Onomastique, marqueurs identitaires et plurilinguisme. Les enjeux politiques de la toponymie et de l’anthroponymie, in Onomastique, droit et politique, N°2/64, pp. 11-50. 

Khemouche B. (2005) « L’anthroponymie dans la toponymie kabyle : le cas d’Ait Bouaddou » dans « Des noms et des noms… Etat civil et anthroponymie en Algérie. CRASC. Oran. 

Moreau M-L, (2001). « Le marquage des identités ethniques dans le choix des prénoms en Casamance (Sénégal) », in Cahiers d’Études Africaines, numéro thématique, Entre les langues : identités, politiques et « ethnies », pp. 541-556, article consulté le 18 février 2020 sur le site : https://doi.org/10.4000/etudesafricaines.108 

Ngbesso H. (2013). « Nom propre et quête identitaire : étude de cas pris en Afrique noire », in Revue Baobab, pp. 69-89, consulté sur le site : https://revuebaobab.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/article-d6.pdf 

Taibi-Maghraoui Y. (2017) « Etude diachronique des anthroponymes algériens- cas de la ville de Mostaganem » thèse de doctorat. Université de Mostaganem. 

Taibi-Maghraoui Y. (2020) « Transcription graphique et translittération du nom propre » dans la revue Aleph.

Tsofack J. B. (2006) « (Dé) nominations et constructions identitaires au Cameroun » in Cahiers de sociolinguistique, Presses universitaires de Rennes, n° 11 | pp. 101-115, article consulté le 12 février 2020 sur le site : https://www.cairn.info/revue-cahiers-de-sociolinguistique-2006-1- page-101.htm 

Warayanssa Mawoune (2020) « Patronyme, frontière et identité ethnique dans le Mayo-Louti : essai d’analyse onomastique des anthroponymes et de leur origine tribale dans la ville de Figuil » in Multilinguales, Revue Algérienne des Sciences du Langage, vol. 8, n°1, pp. 290-319. Site https://www.asjp.cerist.dz/en/article/120646. 

Formatting 

1. Articles must be sent, in Word format, via the journal electronic submission system. 

2. Copyrighted work cannot be used. 

3. The texts should be typed with the following configuration: Times New Roman font, size 12, double space, fully justified and with symmetric margins of 2,5 cm. 

4. Paragraphs must be indicated without space, indented, except in the case of paragraphs which follow titles or subtitles. 

5. It will present uninterrupted page numbers. 

6. The first page will include title (maximum of 10 words) and the name of the author or authors, as well as personal information, they are: a) academic title and university where it was concluded; b) work institution; e-mail address and Orcid number and two abstracts , one written in the language of the article and another in English. If the article is in English the second abstract should be in Spanish, Portuguese and French. 

7.The abstract of articles and works submitted to the journal Onomastics from Latin America must be 300 words long and provide the reader with a complete and concise description of the most important parts of the research reported in the article: context, purpose and/or objectives, methodology, results obtained and contribution of the research to the field of Onomastics. After the abstract, three to five keywords separated by a comma should be included. 

8. The citations and references must be written according to the editorial pattern of the 7 th.Edition American Psychological Association (APA).

9. The articles of the “Works” section must contain, in a footnote included after the title, the full name of the supervisor. 

10. There is no limitation on the number of authors per article, however, in cases where there is more than one author, the first author must inform the editor all authors' role according to the taxonomy provided by LCCRedit - Contributor Roles Taxonomy which can be accessed at http://credit.niso.org/.