ethnonym

linguistics

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July 22, 2026

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An ethnonym is a name used to refer to an ethnic group, tribe, or people. The term is derived from the Greek word "ethnos," meaning nation or people. For example, "Koryak" is an ethnonym created by Russians to refer to a specific ethnic group known for reindeer herding. The study of such names and their relation to language falls under ethnolinguistics. The formation and development of ethnic groups themselves is known as ethnogenesis. The English language, for instance, has a rich vocabulary with words borrowed from numerous languages, including those that function as ethnonyms.12345

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demonym
Demonyms differ from ethnonyms by focusing on place rather than ethnicity. As a result, while a Kazakh refers to a person belonging to an ethnic group, the demonym Kazakhstani refers to a citizen of the country. The same occurs, for instance, with Croat, an ethnonym, and Croatian, a…
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Demonyms differ from ethnonyms by focusing on place rather than ethnicity. As a result, while a Kazakh refers to a person belonging to an ethnic group, the demonym Kazakhstani refers to a citizen of the country. The same occurs, for instance, with Croat, an ethnonym, and Croatian, a…
Read More