Naming and identity: a cross-cultural study of personal naming practices
HRAF Press • New Haven • Published In • Pages: ??•
By Alford, Richard
Hypothesis
Teknonymy will be positively associated with variables which indicate either age-grading, highlighting of individual status, respect for children, respect for equals, or emphasizing parental roles (92).
Note
Most significant associations ( p < 0.01) occurred with the variable headhunting (Tau = 0.34). At p < 0.05 significance, the variables naming occurs later, technological complexity, population, and patrilineal descent were positively associated, and naming signifies parenthood was negatively associated. Although no support was found for the proposed functions, the authors note that details from specific cases suggest that tekonymy functions to show respect for parents.
| Test Name | Support | Significance | Coefficient | Tail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kendall's Tau | Not Supported | p < 0.05 | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN |
| Variable Name | Variable Type | OCM Term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Patrilineal Descent | Dependent | Rule Of Descent |
| Population | Dependent | Population |
| Technological Complexity | Dependent | Agricultural Machinery |
| Headhunting | Dependent | Aftermath Of Combat |
| Naming Signifies Parenthood | Dependent | Age Stratification, Naming, Personal Names |
| Naming Occurs Later | Dependent | Naming, Personal Names |
| Tekonymy | Independent | Personal Names |