Definition and Examples of Eponyms in English

Definition and Examples of Eponyms in English An eponym is a word that is derived from the proper name of a real or mythical person or place. Adjectives: eponymic and eponymous. Over time, the name of a well-known person (such as Machiavelli,  Italian Renaissance  author of The Prince) may come to stand for an attribute associated with that person (in Machiavellis case, cunning and duplicity). Etymology: from the Greek, named after   Pronunciation: EP-i-nim Examples and Observations We are well-armed for battle in a Machiavellian world of reputation manipulation, and one of our most important weapons is the delusion that we are noncombatants.(Jonathan Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom. Basic Books, 2006)Jeff: You probably just Britta’d the test results.Britta: No, I doublewait! Are people using my name to mean ‘make a small mistake’?Jeff: Yes.(Joel McHale and Gillian Jacobs in Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps. Community, October 27, 2011)[Alton] Brown can fill an entire episode on popcorn, teaching you how to MacGyver a nifty, cheap popper (hint: a stainless-steel bowl and some perforated foil).(Entertainment Weekly, August 14, 2009)The crowd parted reluctantly, and [Lance Armstrong] glided off, Batmanning through the crowd toward the start line.(Daniel Coyle, Lance Armstrongs War. HarperCollins, 2005)Lily: Dont Ted-out about it.Ted: Did you just use my name as a verb?Barney: Oh, yeah, we do that behi nd your back. Ted-out: to overthink. Also, see Ted-up. Ted-up: to overthink with disastrous consequences. For example, Billy Tedded-up when heTed: All right, I get it!(Matchmaker. How I Met Your Mother, 2005) Americans now nibble their way through two billion popsicles a year; their favorite flavor is a Jaggeresque red cherry.(Oliver Thring, Consider Ice Lollies. The Guardian, July 27, 2010)Sandwich: named after John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718–1792), a British politician.Cardigan: a knitted garment, such as a sweater or jacket, that opens down the front. Named after the Seventh Earl of Cardigan, James Thomas Brudenell (1797–1868), a British army officer.Andy Bernard: I really schruted it.Michael Scott: What?Andy Bernard: Schruted it. Its just this thing that people say around your office all the time. Like, when you screw something up in a really irreversible way, you schruted it. I dont know where it comes from though. Do you think it comes from Dwight Schrute?Michael Scott: I dont know. Who knows how words are formed.(Traveling Salesmen, The Office, Jan. 11, 2007)Lets not Rumsfeld Afghanistan.(Senator Lindsey Graham, quoted in Time magazine, Aug. 24, 2009)S axophone: named after Belgian instrument maker  Adolphe Sax. Other eponyms in English include boycott, braille, camellia, chauvinist, dahlia, diesel, dunce, gardenia, gerrymander, guillotine, hooligan, leotard, lynch, magnolia, ohm, pasteurize, poinsettia, praline, quixotic, ritzy, sequoia, shrapnel, silhouette, volt, watt, and zeppelin.​ Achieving Wordhood As a word,  eponymous is a bit anonymous itself. Its moment in the sun came with the release of REM’s album Eponymous, a subtle dig at musicians who name records after themselves, such as Peter Gabriel, whose first four albums are all entitled, Peter Gabriel. In short, an eponym is anything that’s ever been named after anybody. . . .But a name only crosses into true wordhood once it is no longer used as a reference. When we speak of hectoring wives and philandering husbands, it is without a picture of valiant Hector or lover-boy Philander popping into our minds, the way a bespectacled Viennese man with a pipe does when we say Freudian slip.(John Bemelmans Marciano, Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words. Bloomsbury, 2009) Eponyms and Allusions An eponym is similar to an allusion, referring to a specific famous person to link his or her attributes with someone else. Using an eponym well can be something of a balancing act; if the person is too obscure, no one will understand your reference, but if its too well known, it may come across as a clichà ©.(Brendan McGuigan, Rhetorical Devices: A Handbook and Activities for Student Writers. Prestwick House, 2007) Skutniks When CNNs Jeff Greenfield assured the crowd, I havent planted a Skutnik here, I stopped him: I had heard of a Sputnik, the Russian word for the first Soviet satellite, but what was a Skutnik?Greenfield directed me to his book Oh, Waiter! One Order of Crow! about the media failure on election night: A Skutnik is a human prop, used by a speaker to make a political point. The name comes from Lenny Skutnik, a young man who heroically saved lives after the Air Florida plane crash in Washington in 1982 and who was introduced by President Reagan during his State of the Union speech.The introduction of heroes became a staple in presidential addresses to joint sessions of Congress. In 1995, the columnist William F. Buckley was one of the first to use the name as an eponym: President Clinton was awash with Skutniks.(William Safire, On Language. The New York Times, July 8, 2001) The Lighter Side of Eponyms First the doctor told me the good news: I was going to have a disease named after me.(Steve Martin)

Practice in Using Adjectives Formed From Nouns Verbs

Practice in Using Adjectives Formed From Nouns Verbs This sentence-completion exercise will give you practice in using adjectives that have been formed from nouns and verbs. Instructions: Many adjectives are formed from nouns and verbs. The adjective hungry, for example, comes from hunger, which may be either a noun or a verb. For each pair of sentences below, complete the second sentence with the adjective form of the italicized noun or verb in the first sentence. When youre done, compare your answers with those below. This birdhouse is made of wood. My grandfather used to make _____ birdhouses.I dont desire fortune or fame. Not all rich and _____ people are happy.I dont desire fortune or fame. If you have good friends, you are a _____ person.I rely on my iPad for recipes while cooking. My iPad is a _____ and durable gadget.I have a deep passion for running. I am _____ about all forms of exercise.Lucy studies for at least three hours every night. She is the most _____ person in her class.The poison in this rare mushroom can cause serious kidney damage. Fortunately, most mushrooms arent _____.It takes skill and determination to be a professional race-car driver. Though I have the determination, I am not yet a _____ driver.Everyone enjoyed the concert last night. All in all, it was an _____ evening.The teacher had to raise his voice to be heard above the noise in the classroom. Its hard to get any work done in a _____ classroom.Uncle Ernie causes trouble for my family during the holidays. I have many _____ relatives. My father is accustomed to facing danger. Firefighting is a _____ profession.My friends laughed and joked and talked all during the meal. Joey was the most _____ one of all.Everyone at work obeys the bosss orders. They are remarkably _____ people.My nephew is always causing mischief. Hes a _____ little boy. Here are the correct answers (in bold) to the exercise on page one:  Practice in Using Adjectives Formed From Nouns and Verbs. My grandfather used to make  wooden  birdhouses.Not all rich and  famous  people are happy.If you have good friends, you are a  fortunate  person.My iPad is a  reliable  and durable gadget.I am  passionate  about all forms of exercise.She is the most  studious  person in her class.Fortunately, most mushrooms arent  poisonous.Though I have the determination, I am not yet a  skillful  driver.All in all, it was an  enjoyable  evening.Its hard to get any work done in a  noisy  classroom.Uncle Ernie causes  trouble  for my family during the holidays. I have many  troublesome  relatives.Firefighting is a  dangerous  profession.Joey was the most  talkative  one of all.They are remarkably  obedient  people.Hes a  mischievous  little boy.