According to author Christopher L. Robinson, a professor of English at HEC-Paris, “Onomastics, or the study of names, dates back to Plato. Comparing the work of the namemaker to that of a blacksmith or weaver, he treats names as functional objects created for the purpose of designating people, places or things in a fitting manner. Today we continue to speak of a ‘namesmith’ or of ‘coining’ a new word. Tolkien has enriched this metaphor by reminding us that a name should not only serve a useful purpose such as designating a character, it should also appeal to the senses.”
Posted on: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 05:24:08 +0000