Descriptive Analysis of Oromoo Personal Names and Naming Practices in Eastern Wollega Zone of Oromia National Regional State
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Date
2018-04
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This dissertation describes personal names and naming practices of Oromoo people in
Eastern Wollega of Oromia National Regional state. The study was carried out at
Naqamte Administrative town and Giddaa Ayyaanaa district in Eastern Wollega. The
study describes how children are named and explores the factors that influence childnaming
among the Oromoo people in the study area. It explains the connotations and
social realities that are reflected in their personal names and analyzes the roles personal
names play in construction of personal and social identity. In addition, it describes the
linguistic descriptions and causes and purposes of the new emerging trends in Oromoo
naming and name changing practices in the area.
To this effect, the research employed descriptive analysis research design in
qualitative methods to collect and analyze data. The data were collected through
interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis. The data were gathered from
ten parents and twelve key informants who are language experts, cultural and tourism
officers and more experienced elders in naming practices. Moreover, four individuals
who had changed their names were interviewed to investigate the reasons behind the
name changing and their feelings about their names: both the previous and the current
names. Two focus group discussions were held and documents from schools and Legal
Court Offices were used. The data collected through these instruments were analyzed and
interpreted qualitatively using Onomastic theory. The theory is used to glean the intended
and implied meaning(s) of various personal names.
The analysis of data indicated that fathers, mothers and close relatives such as
grandfathers and grandmothers played a significant role in deciding a name of a newly
born child. Unlike the past, naming children by traditional practices were forgotten and
the involvement of Ayyaantuus, who are the blessed persons of the society, was stopped.
As a result, naming becomes parents’ responsibility. Besides, the data reveal that factors
such as parents’ life experiences, the circumstances happening during pregnancy and
child birth and situations of life and living in the family and socio-political dynamics at
the country level determine the names to be given. Moreover, the day, time and condition
of birth, the family’s livelihood conditions, attitudes towards politics, social and cultural
issues, their wishes, hopes, beliefs, successes and challenges they come across and theirfuture aspirations and hopes are also factors that govern the naming practices of the
society.
Furthermore, naming trends of the people have been changed from a single word
names to coined phrase, clause and sentence form names. These happens to express the
revival of nationalism, self-discovery and parents’ political devotions and assertiveness in
different aspects of life such as social, cultural, political and identity issues. Depending
on the meanings personal names communicate in social, political, economic and cultural
issues, the current trend names express the people’s optimistic feelings. These names
depict that the people are hopeful about the future. They wish and need betterment in
politics and national issues in near future. Thus, for the Oromoo people of Eastern
Wollega, personal names are an occurrence of language use for specific purposes which
represent an important part of the people’s life.
Finally, the name changing practices are widely happening in the research areas
for different reasons. These reasons are for expression of individuals’ Oromummaa
(feelings of Oromoness) and Saboonummaa (being proud of their Oromummaa), to
search for their identity that they lost in the past system and feel comfort with their
indigenous names. The other reasons of name changing practices are to express their
identity and inspire generation in philosophical truth that lead to self-fulfillment and selfdescription
Description
Keywords
naming practices of Oromoo people