Everyone knows: streets, houses, towns and villages, as well as various natural objects have names.However, not everyone knows that they are engaged in the study of such subjects as place names.It is a science that studies the place names with all their features.
subject of investigation in terms of the interests of this area of knowledge includes aspects such as the history of the emergence and transformation causes shifts, spelling, translation and pronunciation, the myths and legends associated with one or another "name".Toponymy seems secondary science only at first glance.Many of the historical data of the various peoples and tribes, originally inhabiting a particular area, it becomes clear after the study left their names.However, this process is reversible, some mysteries place names can not be understood without studying the history and culture associated with them and often defining features of the names of various objects.
Value
importance of place names and the objects of their study easy to understand, if we refer to the map.Without geographical names, they become useless.Without them, it is also very difficult to navigate the terrain, especially in unfamiliar.The phrase: "Reaching the gray house, turn left and walk five meters to the north" - many can cause confusion.And the street names are used to navigate almost everything.A world without place names (as denoted by the objects of this science) would be quite different, as well as without studying them.
This is illustrated clearly a historical legend.Heinrich Schliemann, one of the founders of the field of archeology, set out to find the ruins of ancient Troy, the city described by Homer, and thus to prove its existence.While searching for a suitable place to dig, he drew attention to the hill Hissarlik located in Turkey.Its name roughly translates as "the place of the ruins."This prompted archaeologists began their search here.As you know, Schliemann was right: under a thick layer of earth remains were found.
At the junction
Toponymy - the science that studies the place names on all sides.Of course, it uses the data for the different disciplines.Understanding the origin of the word, its semantic meaning for the indigenous population, and behind them the events occur as a result of the synthesis of the data history, geography and linguistics.If you go back to the example of Schliemann, all these aspects it perfectly shows.Historical "Help" and the data on the geographical location were taken archaeologist Homer and other sources.Translated name of the hill (the contribution of linguistics) has also played an important role in the search.
Many place names riddle can be explained by understanding general principles of name.Consider some of them.
simplest version
Historical toponymy knows a lot of cases, when the name of the area was used as a term for its geographical features.Similar examples on the map set.This archipelago of Palau in the Pacific ("Palau" is translated from the Micronesian means "island"), the South American and the Atacama Desert ("desert" translated from Indian).Often the name of the object is formed by attaching to such terms of the epithet.There are also plenty of examples: Serra in Portugal Dorada ("Gold Mountain"), the Parana River in India ("big river"), Mauna Kea in Hawaii ("White Mountain") and so on.
Some place names are transferred from one object to another.A common example of this - the names of cities and rivers.In many cases, it is difficult to understand what the object was a source of "name".Nairobi, Moscow, Lilongwe, La Plata - all at the same time the names of rivers and towns.
Mercurial
history and place names is full of examples where names have changed over time.Quite often it becomes the result of the arrival of new tribes in the area, conquerors or internally displaced persons.Human consciousness is arranged in such a way that all the unknown trying to make it more understandable for yourself.So it is with the foreign-language names.New residents are taking a geographical name, which is often encountered, and converted to his own way.For the ancient Greeks rethink Berber "Adrar", which means "mountain" in the Atlas (from the Greek "carrier").The new place-name organically entered the mythological system of antiquity.
happens that the name of the extended geographical object differently in different parts.It is not uncommon for the rivers.Similar place names riddle is easily explained: the main reason for changing the name of the river, as a rule, lies in the transformation of the nature of its flow.Bahr al Jabal ("River of Mountains") - the name of the Nile in the place where it breaks down loudly from the mountain tops in the Eastern Sudanese plain.
In addition, different peoples living on the banks of a river, give it its name.For the Nile Al Bahr is given to the Arabs, Coptic Earo, Cyprus and Tkutsiri - language bunaga and Bari respectively.
Memory
Toponymics last words are often faced with the wrong interpretation of certain names associated with the lack of specific knowledge in the field of etymology (origin).This process is similar to rethink the new settlers of foreign-language terms mentioned above.Vrazhsky Lane in Moscow, according to many, has witnessed some clashes with the enemy.The name is associated with the word "enemy".However, this assumption is incorrect, "vrazhsky" means "ovrazhisty."This is the meaning of this word bore up to the XVIII century.
lot and examples of place names tell historians about the past.The names often reflect the life and characteristics of the population.As it is possible to judge about the prevailing activity in a particular area or its accessories, such as the lands of princes and landlords.Sometimes designate areas related to the natural and climatic features that were typical for it some time ago.Mysteries of the place names often appear in the case when there is no information about the past and the place is difficult to compare the "name" and labeled them territory.
