The WordSmith - What's In A Name?

The WordSmith

by Darin M. Bush

What’s In a Name?

Every field has its own way of defining the tools in its toolbox. Think of the word “brush”. To a painter, a brush is used to apply paint, perhaps to add a hint of snow to mountain tops. An archaeologist interprets the word differently. She thinks of a tool that removes rather than adds, gently helping a fossil to escape from the side of a mountain.

This specialized vocabulary, usually of a profession or group, is known as “jargon”. What kind of jargon does the Wordsmith utilize? Some Wordsmith jargon you know: synonym, metaphor, and antonym. Other terms you might have heard about, but are not sure you know: palindrome, homonym, and eponym.

An eponym is a name derived from a name, e.g.: Georgia. The home state of Coca-Cola is named after King George of England, who ruled at the time this colony was founded. The colonists literally named their new home after their sovereign.

See how easy that is? I would guess you can come up with a few: Columbia, Washington, Jimmy Carter Blvd., and Turner Field. Science and medicine are loaded with eponyms: Tourette’s syndrome, the Ohm, the Hertz, the Newton, Einsteinium (no joke!), Freudian analysis, and Euclidian geometry. Some eponyms seem to fall accidentally into our language: “hand me a Kleenex”, “make a Xerox of this”, or even “I will have a Coke”.

Obviously, eponyms are in great abundance. However, stay away from over-using eponyms. Avoid confusing or distracting your audience with obscure or complex eponyms. Eponyms should enhance a speech, not dominate it. However, put to good use, they add depth and flavor to speaking. What would a scary speech about big government be without referring to an “Orwellian future”? Is there a better term for an overly safe or happy piece of art than “Disney-fied”?

Questions? Suggestions? Ask for me by nym at the Tourette Tiger

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