Nennungen

Nennungen is the plural form of Nennung, a German noun that denotes the act of naming or mentioning something or someone. The term is used across several domains to describe explicit reference by name, and it can also refer to the listing of candidates or items in a process such as nominations for a prize or an election.

Nennung derives from the verb nennen (“to name”). A historical development of the noun is tied to the semantic shift from an act of naming to the naming itself and its referents. The plural Nennungen covers both the act and instances of named references.

In linguistics and discourse analysis, Nennung describes the explicit naming of entities in text or speech. It contrasts with Erwähnung, which can refer to mentioning without supplying a name (e.g., pronouns or unnamed references). In corpus linguistics, Nennungen are counted to study referential patterns and information structure.

In the context of awards or appointments, Nennungen refer to the collection of nominations or announced candidates. While the term Nominierungen is widely used, Nennungen appears in journalistic language and formal announcements, e.g., die Nennungen für den Preis.

In everyday use, Nennungen can simply indicate the act of listing or naming items, as in a directory or roster. The term is neutral and its exact meaning depends on context: explicit naming, the act of listing, or the process of nominating.