An APPROACH TO EPONYMS IN MATHEMATICS

Abstract

The background to this study lies in the field of word formation, with a particular insight into the structure of mathematical set phrases which include personal names. Aim of the study: basing our argument on the hypothesis that eponymization has been highly productive in the general English vocabulary, we scrutinize the phenomenon from its structural perspectives. Materials and methods: the paper provides an epistemology of mathematical eponyms by describing various eponym-including terms useful in the
scientific terminology, in general and in the mathematical terminology, in particular. Results: whilst numerous eponymous elements are shared by most of the scientific terminologies (medicine, economics, physics, chemistry and mathematics), a considerable number of such structures are used in mathematics exclusively. Over 320 eponymists have been recorded to have their names included in ‘set phrases’ related to the mathematical terminology which means that at least an equal number of linguistic patterns may provide investigation and analysis material. For practical purposes only a few such formations were selected and they will be used to account for a wide diversity of personal names associated with common words. Nevertheless, mathematical eponyms present structures which are characteristic to the mathematical jargon only. Conclusion: the paper advocates not only the presence but also the structural abundance of eponymisms in the specialist terminology of mathematics.