Main principles and methods of population center naming in the old settlement territory

Authors:

Pages: 64-74

Abstract:

This paper attempts to establish the main principles and methods of naming populated places in the old settlement territory. Within the Ukraine the old settlement territory includes Western Podolia (WP) — southwestern part of present Ternopil region. We formulate four main principles of settlement naming from proper names: 1. The settlement name reflects the name of a person or a group of persons. 2.The settlement name reflects the connection between the settlement and the neighboring (rarely, remote) geographic places. 3.The settlement name reflects individual properties of the settlement itself. 4. The settlement name reflects economic, social, or policical factors, artificial names or names-dedications to specific persons or events of the Soviet period. Every naming principle is realized through specific naming methods. As a result of analysing settlement names in WP we have determined that over 66% of the names of populated places of the region have arisen following the first naming principle, that is the roots of the oikonyms reflect either direct or indirect influence of the human factor. The second and third methods are responsible for, respectively, 16% and 11% of populated place names, and the fourth method is used in just over 5% of the names in WP.

Keywords:

oikonym, West Podolia, naming principle, naming method

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