I have done some extensive research on the various "-nyms", but I am still a bit unsure about the difference between
EPONYM and TOPONYM.
Am I correct, that an eponym is a person whom a place is named after,
and a toponym a place named after a person or another place?
Would Athens be a toponym, because it is named after the Greek goddess Athena, and would Athena be an eponym, because the city is named for her.
A word or name derived from the name of a person. The words atlas, bowdlerize, and Turing machine are eponyms.
A toponym is a name used to recall or honor other places.
You're right about eponyms. Athena is the eponym, as is Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln, Nebraska).
A toponym is a word named for a place. Note the examples given in this site, spartan and marathon, among others.
http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/toponymterm.htm
Thank you Ms. Sue and Anonymous.
You're welcome, E.G.
You're on the right track! Understanding the meanings of eponym and toponym is a great way to enhance your knowledge of word origins.
You are correct that an eponym is a person after whom a place, object, or concept is named. For example, Athens could be considered a toponym because it is named after the Greek goddess Athena. However, it is not accurate to say that Athena is an eponym in this case.
To clarify further, let me break down the definitions:
1. Eponym: An eponym is a person after whom something is named. This could be a place, organization, invention, or any other thing. The eponym doesn't have to be a real historical figure; it can also be a fictional character or mythological figure. For example, the word "algorithm" is named after the Persian mathematician Al-Khwarizmi.
2. Toponym: A toponym is a place name, specifically a name of a geographical location. It can be a country, city, town, village, mountain, river, or any other geographic feature. Toponyms can be derived from various sources, including personal names, ancient civilizations, historical events, or descriptive aspects of the location. For instance, the city of Athens is considered a toponym because it is named after the Greek goddess Athena.
So to summarize, Athens is indeed a toponym as it is a place named after a person (Athena). However, Athena is not an eponym in this context. Eponyms are typically individuals after whom things are named, whereas toponyms specifically refer to place names.
By understanding these terms, you can now differentiate between the two and use them correctly when discussing names and their origins.