Nennung

Nennung is a German noun derived from the verb nennen, meaning to name or to mention. It denotes the act of naming or mentioning an object, person, place, or concept with a linguistic expression. The term is used across linguistics, philosophy of language, literature, and text analysis to describe how a word or phrase refers to something in the real or fictional world.

In linguistic and philosophical usage, Nennung refers to the function of an expression in discourse, including the use of proper names and noun phrases. It is often contrasted with processes like Beschreibung (description) or Bezeichnung (designation) that focus on characterization or sense rather than direct reference. Nennung can be deictic, pointing to something in the here and now, or referential, identifying a specific entity known to the discourse participants.

In discourse and text analysis, Nennung is important for tracking how entities are introduced and subsequently rementioned. The first explicit mention may be followed by anaphoric references, pronouns, or other noun phrases. This workflow helps analyze coherence, information structure, and referential strategy in a text.

Nennung is sometimes distinguished from Benennung, which more broadly covers the assignment or establishment of a term or label for a category or object, such as in taxonomy or terminology work. In practice, the terms are related and may be used somewhat interchangeably depending on context.