Przeoonym

Przeoonym is a term used in onomastics and information management to describe a cross-linguistic set of name variants linked to a single named entity. A przeoonym functions as an interlingual anchor in dictionaries, encyclopedias, and name authority files, enabling researchers to connect forms across languages and scripts. The form in the master language serves as the canonical or reference entry, while the associated variants record orthographic, phonetic, and transliteration differences.

Etymology: The word combines Polish prefix prze- meaning across or through with onym, from Greek onoma "name"; it is used in contemporary linguistic discussions as a way to describe cross-language name mappings.

Characteristics: A przeoonym entry includes fields such as canonical form, language code, variant forms, source references, date of attestation, and notes on usage. It aims to provide a structured link between all recognized forms of the same entity across languages.

Usage: The concept is employed in multilingual databases, digital humanities projects, and library catalogs to aid search, data linking, and interoperability among systems that store and present names in different languages and scripts.

Limitations: The term is not yet widely standardized, and not all languages have a direct or easily delineated przeoonym mapping. There is a risk of ambiguity when multiple entities share similar or identical names, requiring disambiguation notes.

Examples: For the English name George Washington, a przeoonym entry might map to Jerzy Waszyngton (Polish), Georges Washington (French), and Georg Washington (German), linking these forms to the English canonical.

See also: exonym, endonym, anthroponym, toponym, name authority file. Notes: It remains a proposed term with limited formal adoption, used mainly within specific projects or theoretical discussions.