Month: July 2019

ICOS has got a new website

The International Council of Onomastic Sciences has announced the launch of their newly redesigned website.

The new design will allow to find any information more quickly and easily. They are also continuing to update the website with useful information and news regarding onomastics, various events and projects. Besides that, ICOS set up modules for online membership registrations where the ICOS membership fee can be paid.

 

The ICOS is the international organisation for all scholars who have a special interest in the study of names (place-names, personal names, and proper names of all other kinds). The aim of the Council is the advancement, representation and co-ordination of name research on an international level and in an interdisciplinary context.

“Places and Names” at the American Writers Museum

Marine war veteran and National Book Award finalist ELLIOT ACKERMAN presents his new memoir PLACES AND NAMES on 17 July 2019 at the American Writers Museum (Chicago, IL). It is an astonishing reckoning with the nature of combat and the human cost of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Books will be sold and signed at the program.

At once an intensely personal book about the terrible lure of combat and a brilliant meditation on the larger meaning of the past two decades of strife for America, the region and the world, PLACES AND NAMES bids fair to take its place among our greatest books about modern war.

Decree Puts New North Macedonia Name on Army Uniforms

North Macedonia’s president says he has signed a decree renaming the army to correspond with the new name the country took in February to end a decades-long dispute with neighboring Greece. President Stevo Pendarovski said on Thursday 5 July 2019 the decree specifies that army uniforms will now bear the name “Army of the Republic of North Macedonia.”

Pendarovski serves as supreme commander of the armed forces as part of the largely ceremonial presidency he assumed in May 2019. The governments of Greece and what was then Macedonia agreed last year to add “North” to the younger country’s name in exchange for Greece dropping its objections to its northern neighbor joining NATO and the European Union.

Workshop “Aboriginal Place Names”, July 16 2019 (Mildura, Australia)

The workshops “Aboriginal Place Names – Our Language Matter – First People Of The Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation” will provide opportunities for Traditional Owners to promote the importance of local Aboriginal languages in the place naming of roads, geographic features and localities. By Traditional Owners, they understand a descendant of the tribe or ethnic group that occupied a particular region before European settlement, especially when that occupation is recognised by Australian law. Importantly, participants from Local Government Areas and emergency services, in addition to planners and surveyors will be supported to explore ways for establishing strong professional relationships with Traditional Owners to enable future collaborative naming activities.

Day and time: JULY 16, 2019 9:00 AM – JULY 16, 2019 3:30 PM

Address: Alfred Deakin Centre, 190 Deakin Avenue, Mildura, Australia

 

Chinese Ministry calls for prudence in rectifying improper place names

The Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China asked local authorities to act prudently and appropriately in a campaign against improper geographic names. Relevant regulations and guidelines of the campaign should be strictly observed to prevent the campaign from being expanded in an arbitrary manner, said the ministry.

The focus of the campaign is names of newly built residential areas and major projects, which had a negative social impact and stirred strong public reactions. Launched in December 2018, the campaign mainly targets four types of improper toponyms, including those featuring exaggeration, unrelated foreign elements, strange vulgar words and repetitive names. The campaign is an important measure to improve the management of geographic names and promote the fine cultural tradition embedded in such names.

Third Call for Papers: ANS 2020, New Orleans, LA, January 2-5, 2020

The deadline is fast approaching!

The American Name Society (ANS) is inviting proposals for papers for its next annual conference. The 2020 conference will be held in conjunction with the Linguistic Society of America. Abstracts in any area of onomastic research are welcome. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is July 30, 2019. To submit a proposal, simply complete the 2020 Author Information Form.

Please email this completed form to ANS Vice President Laurel Sutton using the following address: <laurelasutton@gmail.com>. For organizational purposes, please be sure to include the phrase “ANS 2020” in the subject line of your email.  Presenters who may need additional time to secure international payments and travel visas to the United States are urged to submit their proposal as soon as possible.

All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Official notification of proposal acceptances will be sent on or before September 30, 2019. All authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of the ANS and need to register with both the ANS and the Linguistic Society of America. Please feel free to contact Dr. Dorothy Dodge Robbins or Laurel Sutton should you have any questions or concerns.

A downloadable PDF of the Call for Papers can be found here.

We look forward to receiving your submission!