英语名祖词语考释

英语中的名祖词语是一类比较独特的词语，主要源于历史、神话或圣经以及文艺作品中的人名。按其结构可归纳为原型名祖词、衍生名祖词、复合名祖词以及短语名祖词；根据命名对象的不同，名祖词语的指称功能可划分为对人与事物的命名和对动作行为的命名两大类。作为英语词汇的一个组成部分，它们反映了英语国家的一些文化特征。

An Preliminary Study of English Eponyms

Eponyms are peculiar to the English language in that with a rich cultural connotation they are numerous, covering such fields as politics, economy, science, military affairs, medicine, history and culture. So far as their structures are concerned, English eponyms can be classified into simple eponyms, derived eponyms, compound eponyms and phrasal eponyms. As to their referential functions, they can metaphorically refer to people and things and actions.