The giving of personal names in spoken languages and signed languages — a comparison

This study utilises data from two Deaf communities to investigate the principles operant in the giving of personal names and to demonstrate similarities and differences as compared with those operant in spoken-language communities. Descriptive principles which operate are the physical features of the person to be named, his or her behaviour and mannerisms, associations evoked by him or her, translation of the meaning of the written name, and naming after someone else. In addition to the descriptive principles, the incorporation of the handshape of alphabetical signs is a second important principle in the giving of personal names.

Ho nkilwe se fumanweng dihlopheng tse pedi tsa botsebe tutu, melao e sebediswang ho reha batho mabitso e ya hlahlojwa mme diphapang le ho tshwana ha yona thehong ya mabitso puong e buuwang ka molomo di ya bontshwa. Melao ya tlhaloso e sebetsang ke tjhebahalo ya sefahleho le mmele tsa motho ya rehwang lebitso, boitshwaro kapa tlwaelo tsa hae, menahano e tliswang ke ha ho buuwa ka yena, phetolelo ya lebitso le ngotsweng, le phetisetso ya lebitso. Hape kantle ho melao ya tlhaloso, ho kenyeletswa ha sebopeho sa matshwao a alfabete ke mokgwa wa bobedi wa bohlokwa o laolang ho rehwa mabitso.