The Signifying Values of Additional and Substitute Names in Contemporary Romanian Celebrity Culture
The Signifying Values of Additional and Substitute Names in Contemporary Romanian Celebrity Culture

Summary/Abstract: Our inquiry into the prevailing signifying values (metaphorical, metonymic and ironic) of additional and substitute names for “celebrities”/”public figures” is meant to indicate their enforcement as social codes, used to communicate social identity and as public codes, known and shared by the members of the whole community (Cmeciu 2003:51-52). The way in which society establishes and imposes such codes is rendered through varied forms of bynames and nicknames, appended to or replacing the official ones and whose significance is shifting with their bearers and users. In approaching the topic of contemporary celebrity culture in Romania, we do not simply build on concepts such as fame, celebrity, stardom, fandom, cultural icon etc., as most cultural historians, anthropologists and analysts do, but underline the “string of antinomies” they are composed of: “public roles opposing private selves, artificial opposing natural, image opposing reality, ideal opposing typical, special opposing ordinary, hierarchy opposing equality” (Gamson, 1994:195), acceptance (supportive attitude) vs. rejection (subversive and undermining attitudes).

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