A Linguistic, Cultural And Psychological Analysis Of Website Names

The study of names which refer to websites is not only a new perspective in the field of applied linguistics,but is a comprehensive research subject involving history,cultural studies,sociology,psychology,economic management as well as many other research fields. This study is not only important to the field of linguistics, but has significance for the fields of cultural studies and psychology as well.At present, the study of names which refer to websites is being carried out mainly in the fields of economics and computers, but there is almost no research being done in the field of linguistics. The main thrust of this paper is the analysis of an existing issue from a different field. Using the domain names listed on the Alexa top 1000 list of names referring to websites as the subject of its research, this paper will attempt to apply the methods of statistical analysis and comparative research, in addition to employing methodology from the fields of modern linguistics, cultural studies, psychology, sociology and aesthetics in an in-depth analysis of these names from the perspective of linguistics, culture and psychology.This paper is divided into six chapters.The first chapter is an introduction. It lists domain names, the names which refer to these websites and the connections between the two. It also contains an introduction to the current research into names which refer to websites as well as the significance of this research study and the methods used in this paper.The second chapter is concerned with the structural features of the listed names which refer to websites, specifically their phonetic, lexical, grammatical, orthographical and rhetorical features. The syllables of website names vary widely within a limited range. There also exists a clearly recognizable"ideal structure"to these names. Their phonetic structure possesses an aesthetically pleasing cadence and lilt.The lexicon of names referring to websites is very rich, showing a great degree of freedom. There is no shortage of names made up of Chinese characters mixed with English words and numbers. A complete name referring to a website may include up to four parts: that referring to the location, that referring to the field with which it is concerned, that which differentiates it from other entities in the same field, and that which is used in generic reference. Rhetorical features are found mainly in the section of the name dealing with that which differentiates it from other entities in the same field. The rhetoric devices used in names which refer to websites include metaphor, double entendre, irony, reference and so on.The third chapter analyzes the cultural and psychological features of names which refer to websites. Culture, art, social custom, exotic culture and other factors have all left an indelible mark on names which refer to websites; these names are a comprehensive representation of social psychology, such as the commercial psychology, aesthetic psychology and cultural psychology.The fourth chapter analyzes the function and value of names which refer to websites. Informational and aesthetic value are the main social value.The fifth chapter is concerned with reflection on names which refer to websites on a deeper level. Being a new phenomenon, there are currently some problems regarding names which refer to websites which require close administrative, legal and social attention and monitoring as well as action to be regulated properly. At the same time legal protection for existing names which refer to websites must be improved.The sixth chapter is a summary of the entire paper and propose the prospects.