Lisanimi

Lisanimi is a term occasionally used in discussions of onomastics and ethnolinguistics to describe names and naming practices that are primarily transmitted and circulated through spoken language within a community, rather than through written records. In this sense, lisanimi encompasses oral names, nicknames, epithets, and descriptive identifiers that function as personal or place names in everyday speech.

The exact origin and usage of the term are not standardized, and its application varies among scholars. Etymologically, lisanimi is typically construed as a compound of elements related to speech and naming, though there is no universally accepted derivation. In practice, lisanimi refers to naming practices rooted in oral tradition and social interaction rather than in official registries or literate documentation.

Lisanimi can carry social information such as lineage, place of origin, occupation, temperament, or notable life events. These names may be fluid, changing with social status or life stage, and may coexist with written names or official identifiers. They are often used in everyday address, storytelling, kinship terms, and community memory, reinforcing social bonds and identity within the group.

Scholars note that oral naming practices like lisanimi pose methodological challenges for documentation and standardization, since names evolve through use and memory. Research typically relies on ethnographic fieldwork, oral histories, and analysis of address forms to understand how these names function in social life.

See also: Onomastics; Anthroponymy; Toponymy; Nicknames; Oral tradition.