Ethnology and Ethnography: the Use of Names by Micronesians

Riesenberg, Saul H. (December 1959). "Ethnology and Ethnography: the Use of Names by Micronesians". American Anthropologist. 61 (6): 1136–1137. doi:10.1525/aa.1959.61.6.02a00520. ISSN 1548-1433 0002-7294, 1548-1433 .

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Abstract: “Ethnology and Ethnography: the Use of Names by Micronesians” discusses the cultural practice of naming among Micronesian communities. This work is part of the Anthropological Working Papers Series and consists of six articles focusing on different regions: Yap, Palau, Truk (Chuuk), Ponape (Pohnpei), the Marshalls, and the Marianas. These studies aim to address issues with official records due to native practices lacking family names, leading to confusion in schools, hospitals, and employment records. Three articles were authored by John de Young, Frank Mahony, and Robert McKnight, and the other three by Micronesian natives working as “Assistant Anthropologists” with practical training under former district anthropologists.

The articles cover various aspects of naming, including procedures and ceremonies, name derivations, causes for name changes, sex differences, joking names, nicknames, taboos, titles, clan names, kinship terms, and modern influences. Among these, Robert McKnight’s study on Palau is noted for its deep analysis of the relationship between names and social organization.

Extra details:

MAG: 1864204185
OpenAlex: W1864204185
CorpusID: 162118137