Kotilainen Sofia
University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Scand J Hist. 2011;36(1):44-64. doi: 10.1080/03468755.2010.542661.
It is essential to combine genealogical and collective biographical approaches with network analysis if one wants to take full advantage of the evidence provided by (hereditary) personal names in historical and linguistic onomastic research. The naming practices of rural families and clans from the 18th to the 20th century can bring us much fresh information about their enduring attitudes and values, as well as about other mentalities of everyday life. Personal names were cultural symbols that contained socially shared meanings. With the help of genealogical method it is possible to obtain a more nuanced understanding of these past naming practices, for example by comparing the conventions of different communities. A long-term and systematic empirical research also enables us to dispute certain earlier assumptions that have been taken for granted in historical onomastics. Therefore, the genealogical method is crucial in studying the criteria for the choices of personal names in the past.
如果想要在历史和语言专名学研究中充分利用（世袭的）人名所提供的证据，将谱系学和集体传记方法与网络分析相结合至关重要。18世纪至20世纪农村家庭和氏族的命名习俗可以为我们带来许多关于他们持久态度和价值观以及其他日常生活心态的新信息。人名是包含社会共享意义的文化符号。借助谱系学方法，例如通过比较不同社区的习俗，有可能对这些过去的命名习俗有更细致入微的理解。一项长期而系统的实证研究也使我们能够质疑某些在历史专名学中被视为理所当然的早期假设。因此，谱系学方法在研究过去人名选择标准方面至关重要。
