EMPAAKO “PRAISE NAMES”: AN HISTORICAL, SOCIOLINGUISTIC, AND PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS
This paper traces the origin of empaako “praise names” and explicates their sociolinguistic and pragmatic significance. The 14th (or 15th) century was marked by both political change in the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom of Uganda and the genesis of an important sociolinguistic phenomenon: the introduction of empaako, an idiosyncratic type of personal name in Runyoro-Rutooro (a language spoken in Uganda) used to show intimacy, endearment, and respect. The use of empaako emerged following...