Isikunimetused

Isikunimetused is a term used in Estonian linguistics to describe the uses and functions of personal names and other proper names in language. The study of isikunimetused falls within onomastics (anthroponymy) and examines how names designate people, convey social relations, and appear in discourse. The concept covers standard cases such as given names and family names, as well as related forms used in everyday speech or particular contexts, including nicknames, epithets, stage names, and honorifics.

Types and forms

Isikunimetused include eesnimed (given names), perekonnanimed (family names), and hüüdnimed (nicknames). They also encompass professional or social titles used with names, such as doktor, proua, härra, or majapidamis- and work-related designations. In literature and media, isikunimetused help identify individuals while signaling formality, affection, irony, or distance. Diminutive and affectionate variants often arise in informal speech and can function as distinct isikunimetused in their own right.

Orthography and morphology

In Estonian, personal names are capitalized and are typically declined in sentences, with typical cases such as genitive and partitive affecting the surrounding grammar. Affectionate forms and nicknames may undergo their own phonological or morphological adjustment, reflecting speaker relationships and register. The choice of version—full name, surname only, nickname, or a title plus name—depends on context, audience, and social norms.

Usage and analysis

Isikunimetused serve purposes of identification, politeness, proximity, and social signaling. They appear in formal documents, journalism, fiction, and everyday talk, illustrating how language encodes identity, hierarchy, and community. Privacy considerations and editorial practices influence the use of isikunimetused in public texts.

See also: onomastics, personal name, nickname, pseudonym, forms of address.