Nicknames Attributed to Ethnic Communities Reflected in Surnames

Abstract

In the popular, informal system of personal denomination, nicknames constitute a valuable inventory. Theoretically, all the words of the Romanian language can become nicknames. Practically, however, the mechanism of forming nicknames involves a more complicated path. We distinguish the personal nicknames, assigned to individuals, and generic nicknames, attributed to some collectives. Therefore, over time, the Moldovan people had contact with various ethnic groups that passed or settled in these lands. The nicknames registered for ethnic communities tended to show the religion differences, language, customs, etc., to highlight the oppositions Christian vs. pagan, autochthonous vs. foreigner, etc., mocking certain traits, defects, vices, social conditions, etc. In the study is made a selection of the most representative nicknames attributed to some ethnic groups, attested in historical documents, literature and which, transmitted, became surnames and can be found in the current onomastic nomenclature.