“What do you know about my name?” (Anthroponyms functioning in Chinese-American transcultural literature)

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of anthroponyms as a means of creativity in transcultural literature. The analyzed material was taken from “The Bonesetter’s Daughter” novel written by a contemporary Chinese American writer Amy Tan. The author of the article comes to a conclusion that anthroponyms can be a very effective and bright means of creativity, a kind of intersection of cultures, reflecting an author’s individuality. The norms and traditions of such different languages and cultures are so tightly interwoven and create an absolutely new transcultural narration. In this connection it is absolutely impossible to consider anthroponyms just a mere means of nomination, lacking any cultural connotation and value for the reader. Thus, anthroponyms create not only the nominative function but also the aesthetic function as well as the function of ethnic coloring.