What is an example of an eponym? “Thanks to his Machiavellian antics, Joe got a promotion that he didn’t earn.” In this sentence, the word ‘Machiavellian’ is a reference to the Italian author, Machiavelli. That’s an eponym. What is an eponym? It’s a word that comes from the proper name of a person or place. Eponyms words can be based on both real and fictional people and places.
Some common eponyms are very well known. Others will only be familiar to people who understand the cultural reference. For example, if you say ‘I thought I was sunk when my tool broke, but I totally Macgyver-ed a fix.’, not everyone would understand that. They would have to be familiar with the television show ‘Macgyver’ featuring a character who could build and fix nearly anything from random items he would find, all while saving the world. Other eponyms examples enjoy more notoriety. For example, most adults living in the United States are familiar with the term ‘Obamacare’. However, it isn’t guaranteed that anyone outside of the states would understand that.
Eponyms are frequently created because of the close association between the person or place and the word. Many diseases are named eponymously for the people who discovered them.
There is one other form of Eponym. These are words that are initially brand names but now are used to reference entire categories of things. One of the most popular eponyms is a band-aid. While band-aid is the name brand that makes adhesive bandages, most people use the term to refer to any adhesive bandage, regardless of who makes it. Jello is another example.
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As you might imagine, eponyms can cause a real challenge to translators and localization professionals. Like slang or idioms, certified translators must be sure that they translate words so that their meaning is retained. In some cases, it’s easiest just to keep the word in its original form, in its original language. In other cases, the word must be translated, then explained. Sometimes, it’s best to find a suitable substitution in the target language, that is a close match. That requires understanding both meaning and intent.
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Now that we’ve explained what eponyms are, here is the promised eponym list. We think these examples stand out as the most interesting.
1. America
The word America is named after Italian Map maker, Amerigo Vespucci.
2. Caesar Salad
Restaurateur Caesar Cardini created the salad that now bears his name.
3. Boycott
This word is named for an Irish land agent, Captain Charles C. Boycott.
4. Fahrenheit
Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit is the physicist for whom this temperature measurement is named.
5. Zipper
The word zipper started as a branded name. BF Goodrich put this fastener on a pair of boots they sold and called it a zipper. The name stuck, and now the word is used to universally describe this type of fastener.
6. Cardigan
This is named after the 7th Earl of Cardigan. He led troops who wore this garment into battle.
7. Sandwich
While some of the backstories may be lore, it is true that the word sandwich is named for the Earl of Sandwich.
8. Nicotine
Jean Nicot sent powdered tobacco leaves and seeds back to France when he visited Portugal as an ambassador.
9. Diesel
This field, used in trucks and other equipment is named after Rudolph Diesel.
10. Reaganomics
This term is used to describe the economic philosophy of 80s United States president Ronald Reagan. It is used to describe a system where the wealthiest receive tax breaks and fewer regulations. This is then supposed to benefit the entire population.
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If you’re a fan of word origins, eponyms can be quite interesting. In terms of translation, they are a bit of a challenge. That is why it is better to hire an online translation agency for complicated tasks. What do you think? Do you have a favorite eponym?
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There are several languages that have been created from movies or works of literature. There’s Klingon from the Star Trek franchise. The movie Avatar brought us Na’vi. There’s also Dothraki from Game of Thrones. Let’s not forget Elvish, Nadsat, and Lapine.
How do you say restroom in French? What’s the Japanese word for grape? If you’re a translator or just speak more than one language you probably answer questions like these frequently. The answers, by the way, are salle de repos and グレープ (gurēpu). You may also be aware that there are words that simply don’t translate well out of or into certain languages. This is even true for English. Keep reading to learn what some of these words are.
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