Ethnonymy

Ethnonymy is the study of ethnonyms, the names given to ethnic groups. It examines how ethnonyms are formed, transmitted, and used across languages and contexts. The field intersects linguistics, anthropology, history, and political science, and it covers both the forms used by groups themselves (endonyms) and those used by outsiders (exonyms).

Endonyms are names used by a group to refer to themselves; exonyms are names used by others. Ethnonyms arise from various sources: geographic location, language, lineage, religion, or historic events. They may be built from a group's own language or borrowed from neighboring peoples or rulers, and they can change in response to social or political developments.

Name choices can carry significance and controversy, influencing identity and representation. Researchers strive to use self-designations when available and to document the source and connotations of a term. Standard reference works in ethnonymy and sociolinguistics catalog widely used ethnonyms, but usage differs by language and context.

For instance, in Germany the endonym is Deutsche and the language is Deutsch; English uses the exonym Germans. In France the endonym is Français; English uses French. In Spain the endonym for people is españoles; English uses Spanish.