French Literature Reviews - 2026
The Act of Naming (Linguistics)
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics
Review in Acta Fabula: A Realistic Linguistics, by Benoît Louyest.
The Act of Naming
A Dynamics Between Language and Discourse
Presses Sorbonne Nouvelle
21 € ISBN 978-2-87854-374-2
Publisher's blurb:
While the act of naming may seem entirely commonplace, this apparent simplicity should not obscure the complexity of the process. Caught between the dynamics of linguistic practices and the constraints of discursive formations, between experiencing the world and constructing discursive objects, the act of naming is both fleeting and rich in memory. One way to grasp the complexity and originality of the act of naming is to bring together diverse approaches, such as discourse analysis, praxematics, indexical semantics, and referential semantics. Enriched by this cross-disciplinary perspective, the papers collected in this volume approach the issue of naming from multiple angles: reference, orthonymy, and the construction of meaning and objects. From a theoretical standpoint, the debate centers particularly around the notions of nomination, denomination, and designation.
This collection is addressed to anyone interested in the relationship between language and the world. Corpus-based analyses—drawing on the press, psychosocial surveys, archival writings, trend catalogs, and more—place the linguistic issue of naming at the heart of everyday practices, inviting readers, whether specialists or not, to question the apparent simplicity of the act of naming within their immediate environment.
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The coordinators, Georgeta CISLARU, Olivia GUÉRIN, Katia MORIM, Émilie NÉE, Thierry PAGNIER, and Marie VÉNIARD, are members of Doctoral School 268 "Language and Languages: Description, Theorization, Transmission" at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University Paris 3 and conduct their research within the Linguistic Systems, Enunciation, and Discursivity team (EA 2290).
Table of Contents:
Preface
A Discursive Approach to Naming/Denomination, S. Branca-Rosoff
Introduction
Naming and Point of View: The Deictic Component of Lexical Categorizations, P. Siblot
Forms of Naming in Elicited Situations
Denomination Issues and Denominative Relations: The Example of Aphasia, T. M. Tran
Denominations and Semantic Representations of Train Journeys, G. Delepaut, D. Dubois, M. Mzali, and S. Guerrand
Denominative Practices and Political and Commercial Stakes
Meaning-Making in the Prototypical Proper Name and Its Brand- and Product-Name Counterparts, B. Laurent and M. Rangel Vivente
Naming Color: Uses and Prospective Practices in Cosmetics, C. Caumon
Street Re-naming Practices in Vitrolles, J. Gonac'h
Naming Social Objects
Insecurity, or the Manufacture of a Consensus Object in the Daily Newspaper Le Monde, É. Née
What Discursive Object(s) Conceal(s) Behind the Denomination *the veil*?, L. Calabrese
The Intermittent Discursive Object: Construction of a Semantic Form and Evolution of Topoi in a Press Corpus, J. Longhi
Metalinguistic Reformulation and Re-categorization of the Referent: From Civilizing Progress to Development, F. Dufour
Counterpoint
What Do We Call a Place?, R. Huyghe
Afterword
"Denomination" in Discourse: A Metalinguistic Field, S. Reboul-Touré
The volume gathers contributions that examine the complex relationship between linguistic practices and discursive formations through various theoretical and empirical lenses. By bringing together perspectives such as discourse analysis, praxematics, indexical semantics, and referential semantics, the collection addresses issues of reference, orthonymy, and the construction of meaning and objects. The papers draw on a diverse corpus including the press, psychosocial surveys, archival writings, and trend catalogs to investigate how names function in everyday contexts. From a theoretical standpoint, the discussions center around the notions of nomination, denomination, and designation, highlighting the interplay between experiencing the world and constructing discursive objects.
Rooted in contemporary linguistic research conducted at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University, the book reflects ongoing scholarly discussions surrounding semantics, enunciation, and discursivity. The coordinated contributions examine how naming operates across different communicative situations, ranging from political and commercial stakes to media representations and social objects. Readers interested in the relationship between language and the world may find the volume relevant to their inquiries into lexical categorization and nominal practices.