Functions of female and male names in tombstone inscriptions in 19th-century Polish Catholic cemeteries in Podolia

Abstract

The aim of the article is to analyze male and female names in tombstone inscriptions from the historic Catholic cemeteries of Podolia from the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. The names on the tombstones fulfill the following functions: they help to distinguish the sex of the deceased person from other people buried in the cemetery. In addition, names convey emotions towards the deceased, indicate family relationships and broader cultural aspects. The cultural function of an inscription, whose exponents are names, can be understood as an ancestral function, national memory, belonging to society, and also a patriotic function. The article also highlights the forms of names and their origin.