French anthroponyms in the appellative function

Anthroponyms are the most common group of words serving in the appellative function. An appeal in a communication act, as a rule, expresses not just appeal to the addressee, but also the speaker’s attitude. The proper name denotes one particular person or object in each specific speech situation. The proper names fulfill some functions in the language which are various at different levels. Thus, their main function at the linguistic level is nominative while at the speech level they have three functions: communicative, appellative and expressive, and at the onomastic level they distinguish delimitative (distinctively-excretory) and descriptive functions. Surnames are hereditary and unchangeable unlike personal names which can be changed according to social conditions and the so-called fashion that dominates the society. The sociality of French surnames is largely determined by their etymological and structural characteristics. The nickname is one of the bright means of expressing the relationship of the person with the communicants and his evaluation by other persons. The choice of forms of address is socially determined.