Informational potential of scientific bird names (based on passerine ornithonyms)

The given research is aimed at revealing scientific bird names informational potential. Latin, Russian, English and French generic names and specific epithets of 102 passerine species that entered a comparative dictionary of ornithonyms served as the material for scientific analysis. The examined bird names are categorized in accordance with the following feature-forming components: phononyms, morphonyms, bionyms, phagonyms, ergonyms, toponyms and eponyms. Bird names with lost motivat-edness that restore two or more motives of nomination are referred to as symbolic ornithonyms. Due to the fact that specific epithets are initially oriented to species identification and discrimination they are less susceptible to deetymologization. Quantitative domination of epithets containing mor-phonyms and bionyms is good evidence of the importance of bird appearance (plumage, color and physical characteristics), its habitat and environmental condition for species identification in the field. The degree of symbolization as a result of deetymologization among generic names is rather high because they originate from folk bird names formed in ancient time, thus their motives of nomination are lost now. Quantitative domination of generic names containing phononyms and morphonyms proves the fact that people singled out birds with most noticeable features (voice and plumage color) and gave them corresponding names. Deetymologization of generic names is closely connected with their remo-tivation as a result of which the lost motive of nomination is replaced by a renewed one that becomes more transparent to a modern birdwatcher. The variety of Russian and French generic names is marked, which increases their informative power in comparison with more formalized English species names. The majority of French ornithonyms coincide with Latin scientific bird names, which is determined by Latin roots of the French language and active borrowing of Latin names; sometimes English ornithonyms demonstrate their Latin origin due to French borrowings. Formalization of scientific bird names leading to generalization of essential features necessary for species identification goes together with detailed elaboration of individual peculiarities that form this or that motive of nomination. As a result, one and the same representative of avifauna in various languages is characterized by a different set of features. The variety of motives of nomination revealed for one and the same ornithonym in different cultures depends on extralinguistic factors. Taken in combination scientific bird names of different languages are able to create a synthesized bird "ecoportrait".

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