Noun nominandum
Nomen nominandum ( Latin for "[still] to be named name") is a Latin phrase that is used today in the sense of "The name is to be inserted here". In references, in organizational matters and similar contexts (events, positions, etc.) it refers to a person who is not yet known, who is to be named later or who is intentionally not named.
The phrase in its current form goes back to a folk etymological misreading of the ancient abbreviation N. N. (N. n.) . The original description of the abbreviation comes from the ancient Roman form process in which it represented a fictitious name of the defendant and was Numerius Negidius or Numerius negidius . In addition, there is also nomen nescio (“I don't know the name”) as an interpretation of the abbreviation .
Conceptual origin and history
One of the basic principles of ancient Roman law , which also plays a decisive role in today's jurisprudence, consisted in judging the law without regard to the person. The court should deal with the legal situation between the parties in an abstract and principled way and not be influenced by attitudes towards specific people. The contending parties were therefore referred to and addressed with commonly used fictional names instead of their proper names. These fictitious names were regularly used in inquiries to the superior authority or to legal scholars and in the corresponding information and regulations.
In the Roman form process , Numerius Negidius is the always used fictitious name for the defendant, which corresponds to the German term “der Defendant”. It is a play on words based on the legal position of the defendant based on a lawsuit for damages (from numerare "count, pay" and negare "deny [something], refuse"), and means something like "the one who refuses to pay ”.
In the same way, the plaintiff was given the fictional name Aulus Agerius . Aulus is a given name and Agerius is based on the verb agere ("do, operate, apply"); because causam agere ("set the disputed proceedings in motion") had to be the responsibility of the plaintiff himself.
The judge or the third party affected by the dispute or the third party concerned was referred to in the legal formulas with the fictitious name Titius or Lucius Titius (then usually abbreviated as L. Titius ) resp. with the feminine form Titia .
In the court records, the fictitious names were often given in an abbreviated form. So from Numerius Negidius (Numerius negidius) the spelling N. N. (N. n.) Emerged .
Among the new interpretations, the noun nominandum (“the name is to be mentioned here”) has prevailed the most, followed by the noun notum (“the name is known”, add: but will not be announced). Another pronouncement of the abbreviation N. N. (N. n.) Is noun nescio for "I don't know the name".
Contemporary use
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The abbreviation N. N. is used in texts and announcements as a placeholder for personal names that are not yet known at the time of going to press or are (still) withheld. This applies to texts that are only used as templates, as well as printed works and other publications with an announcement character.
The abbreviation in this sense is used as follows:
- In everyday academic life when announcing courses that are to be held by a future job holder, even if this has already been determined but has not yet been appointed or hired. This takes into account the requirements and subtleties of personnel law processes and related sensitivities.
- On the occasion of sporting events when registering participants, if it is not yet clear which athlete (a team or a club or association) is taking part in a competition, e.g. B. since this has yet to be determined through elimination or selection. In the course of the event, this placeholder usually has to be replaced by the real name of the athlete - in keeping with the abbreviation.
- In the legal system, in particular in civil procedure law, in the pleadings of the parties to the legal dispute as a placeholder for the name of a witness who has not yet been named and therefore has to be named. This asserts the involvement of a witness whose identity is not yet known or is not yet to be revealed.
- In organizational charts of companies and authorities for currently vacant (planned) positions. This corresponds to the designation vacant or open in English-language organization charts.
- When publishing chess games, sometimes instead of the name of one of the players involved, if his name is not (no longer) known, for example in a public simultaneous game or in historical games.
Placeholder names
In order to create sample documents as faithfully as possible, fictitious names are often used, such as
Related topics
- Anonymity - an overview of similar terms
- ID - used in the music industry, designation of an untitled and / or unfinished piece of music
- Auct. de praen.
Remarks
- ↑ He was named with the formula "Titius iudex esto" ( Titius is said to be the judge ).
