Names of prominent trees – case studies from the Francophone and Hispanophone language areas

Abstract

This study explores a class of names which has been neglected in onomastic research so far: proper names for trees in French- and Spanish-speaking regions. The analysis is based on a corpus compiled using an online database of prominent trees, characterized by exceptional age, height, shape, or circumference. The aim is to investigate both the structural features of dendronyms and the motivations for naming. The results reveal that a significant number of these names are generic proper names such as Chêne des Sorcières (‘Witch’s Oak’). However, anthropomorphizations like El Abuelo (‘The Grandfather’) can also be observed. The naming motivations are diverse; in addition to intrinsic attributes such as the tree’s age or location, commemorative aspects can also play a central role (e. g. Chêne Napoléon ‘Napoleon Oak’)