On the Development and Categorization of Estonian Fish Names
Über die Entstehung und Klassifizierung estnischer Fischbezeichnungen

Summary/Abstract: The article addresses the possible genesis and development of the fish names used in Estonian, analysing the folk principles of name-giving vs. scientific ­categorization and comparing both with ichthyonym classifications used by ­other peoples. The current standard Estonian fish names started to be fixed in the 1920s, when the vernacular scientific terminology was being created. The selection (out of numerous variants), harmonization and systematization of the names often followed the example of other languages, esp. of German terminology. The Estonian popular (dialect) names, however, are based on local folk categories, with the main emphasis lying on natural reality, i.e. on the ­external characteristics of local fishes.

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