Personal name policy: from theory to practice

ENThe objective of the dissertation is showing that personal names constitute a legitimate field of interest and a valuable pool of data for language policy (and planning), as well as proposing how the planning of personal names might constitute a special subfield of language planning in general. Personal name policies have been analysed in their various aspects: the decision-makers, their targets, the names as objects, motivation, objectives, methods, effects and implied assumptions. An attempt is also made to categorise language policies in the sphere of personal names cross- culturally; these policies have been derived mainly from the so-called Western cultural circle. To this end, numerous examples of specific policies, both past and present, from various states, have been invoked and characterised. First given names and surnames have been discussed separately, followed by name changes that may affects both of these categories. A separate chapter has been devoted to name laws in selected European states. Finally, an exemplary name policy – that of Lithuanising the written form of personal names of the Polish minority in Lithuania – is discussed as a case study.