APPELLATIVIZATION AS A WAY TO REPLENISH THE VOCABULARY OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE

Abstract

The article deals with a broad spectrum of common names that form the lexical structure of the Spanish language. The study of common names has made it possible to define key trends of transforming proper names into appellative ones not only in special vocabulary, but also in common lexis. Such a complex approach has revealed two main ways of proper-name-into-appellative transformation, which are eponymization and appellativization. A wide range of eponyms that includes scientific terms and nomens is formed mainly by borrowing eponymic units from other languages, while eponymization in Spanish is relatively limited due to some extralinguistic factors. Specific national features are more relevant in common names with qualifying or nominating function, which derive from different types of onyms (anthroponyms, toponyms, poetonyms, trademarks, ergonyms, etc). It is the apellativization of proper names that clearly illustrates historical and cultural diversity of global Spanish language community, its relation to other cultures and languages.