CÂTEVA OBSERVAȚII DESPRE STRĂINI ȘI VENETICI ÎN ONOMASTICA ROMÂNEASCĂ*

Abstract

The terms străin ‘foreigner’ and venetic ‘non-local’ have developed from common
nouns, used to designate categories of people, to individualized proper nouns. This evolution
followed the usual pattern: from a nickname to a by-name and, subsequently, to a patronym.
Nowadays, the surnames Străinu and Veneticu are extremely infrequent among Romanian
patronyms and toponyms. However, they represent a relevant part of both our general and
our onomastic history, as witnesses of economic, social and cultural changes. Although their
evolution as proper nouns has not been spectacular, these words reflect a significant historical
reality, which is worth analysing and understanding. For this very reason, this paper aims at
exploring and explaining them in detail.