Misplaced Pages

#859140

46-445: The book consists of an introduction and nine core chapters in which Perono Cacciafoco and Cavallaro provide an exploration of toponymy , spanning from linguistic and etymological analyses to societal implications. Using diverse case studies from around the world, the volume develops a comprehensive exploration of place name research, covering historical and linguistic studies alongside contemporary naming practices. The authors demonstrate

92-408: A federal basis), subdivisions such as individual states or provinces will have individual boards. Individual geographic names boards include: toponym Toponymy , toponymics , or toponomastics is the study of toponyms ( proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names ), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for

138-460: A few. More recently many postcolonial countries revert to their own nomenclature for toponyms that have been named by colonial powers. Place names provide the most useful geographical reference system in the world. Consistency and accuracy are essential in referring to a place to prevent confusion in everyday business and recreation. A toponymist, through well-established local principles and procedures developed in cooperation and consultation with

184-509: A flying golden ram. The name, however, is probably derived from an older language, such as Pelasgian , which was unknown to those who explained its origin. In his Names on the Globe , George R. Stewart theorizes that Hellespont originally meant something like 'narrow Pontus' or 'entrance to Pontus', Pontus being an ancient name for the region around the Black Sea , and by extension, for

230-635: A more specific sense, the term toponymy refers to an inventory of toponyms, while the discipline researching such names is referred to as toponymics or toponomastics . Toponymy is a branch of onomastics , the study of proper names of all kinds. A person who studies toponymy is called toponymist . The term toponymy comes from Ancient Greek : τόπος / tópos , 'place', and ὄνομα / onoma , 'name'. The Oxford English Dictionary records toponymy (meaning "place name") first appearing in English in 1876. Since then, toponym has come to replace

276-399: A person's death for the use of a commemorative name. In the same vein, writers Pinchevski and Torgovnik (2002) consider the naming of streets as a political act in which holders of the legitimate monopoly to name aspire to engrave their ideological views in the social space. Similarly, the revisionist practice of renaming streets , as both the celebration of triumph and the repudiation of

322-425: A proper name of any geographical feature , and full scope of the term also includes proper names of all cosmographical features. In a more specific sense, the term toponymy refers to an inventory of toponyms, while the discipline researching such names is referred to as toponymics or toponomastics . Toponymy is a branch of onomastics , the study of proper names of all kinds. A person who studies toponymy

368-483: A study of Abui toponyms in southeast Indonesia. The sixth chapter delves into the enduring relationship between landscape and place names. The seventh chapter examines the interdisciplinary field of historical geography, illustrating its methods, applications in analyzing place names through archival sources, and its relevance in understanding the evolution of toponyms across different historical and contemporary contexts. The eighth chapter Synchronic Toponymy explores

414-399: A toponym, its specific language, its pronunciation, and its origins and meaning are all important facts to be recorded during name surveys. Scholars have found that toponyms provide valuable insight into the historical geography of a particular region. In 1954, F. M. Powicke said of place-name study that it "uses, enriches and tests the discoveries of archaeology and history and the rules of

460-658: A wide variety of formats, including hard-copy topographic maps as well as digital formats such as geographic information systems , Google Maps , or thesauri like the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names . In 2002, the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names acknowledged that while common, the practice of naming geographical places after living persons (toponymic commemoration) could be problematic. Therefore,

506-565: Is a process that can include restoring place names by Indigenous communities themselves. Frictions sometimes arise between countries because of toponymy, as illustrated by the Macedonia naming dispute in which Greece has claimed the name Macedonia , the Sea of Japan naming dispute between Japan and Korea , as well as the Persian Gulf naming dispute . On 20 September 1996 a note on

SECTION 10

#1732790615860

552-577: Is called toponymist . The term toponymy comes from Ancient Greek : τόπος / tópos , 'place', and ὄνομα / onoma , 'name'. The Oxford English Dictionary records toponymy (meaning "place name") first appearing in English in 1876. Since then, toponym has come to replace the term place-name in professional discourse among geographers . Toponyms can be divided in two principal groups: Various types of geographical toponyms (geonyms) include, in alphabetical order: Various types of cosmographical toponyms (cosmonyms) include: Probably

598-412: Is probably derived from an older language, such as Pelasgian , which was unknown to those who explained its origin. In his Names on the Globe , George R. Stewart theorizes that Hellespont originally meant something like 'narrow Pontus' or 'entrance to Pontus', Pontus being an ancient name for the region around the Black Sea , and by extension, for the sea itself. Especially in the 19th century,

644-477: The Persian Gulf naming dispute . On 20 September 1996 a note on the internet reflected a query by a Canadian surfer, who said as follows: 'One producer of maps labeled the water body "Persian Gulf" on a 1977 map of Iran, and then "Arabian Gulf", also in 1977, in a map which focused on the Gulf States . I would gather that this is an indication of the "politics of maps", but I would be interested to know if this

690-484: The United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names acknowledged that while common, the practice of naming geographical places after living persons (toponymic commemoration) could be problematic. Therefore, the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names recommends that it be avoided and that national authorities should set their own guidelines as to the time required after

736-531: The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN), applies the science of toponymy to establish officially recognized geographical names. A toponymist relies not only on maps and local histories, but interviews with local residents to determine names with established local usage. The exact application of a toponym, its specific language, its pronunciation, and its origins and meaning are all important facts to be recorded during name surveys. Scholars have found that toponyms provide valuable insight into

782-443: The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names recommends that it be avoided and that national authorities should set their own guidelines as to the time required after a person's death for the use of a commemorative name. In the same vein, writers Pinchevski and Torgovnik (2002) consider the naming of streets as a political act in which holders of the legitimate monopoly to name aspire to engrave their ideological views in

828-553: The dissolution of the Soviet Union . After 1830, in the wake of the Greek War of Independence and the establishment of an independent Greek state, Turkish, Slavic and Italian place names were Hellenized, as an effort of "toponymic cleansing." This nationalization of place names can also manifest itself in a postcolonial context. In Canada, there have been initiatives in recent years " to restore traditional names to reflect

874-479: The philologists ." Toponyms not only illustrate ethnic settlement patterns, but they can also help identify discrete periods of immigration. Toponymists are responsible for the active preservation of their region's culture through its toponymy. They typically ensure the ongoing development of a geographical names database and associated publications, for recording and disseminating authoritative hard-copy and digital toponymic data. This data may be disseminated in

920-460: The Indigenous culture wherever possible ". Indigenous mapping is a process that can include restoring place names by Indigenous communities themselves. Frictions sometimes arise between countries because of toponymy, as illustrated by the Macedonia naming dispute in which Greece has claimed the name Macedonia , the Sea of Japan naming dispute between Japan and Korea , as well as

966-413: The age of exploration, a lot of toponyms got a different name because of national pride. Thus the famous German cartographer Petermann thought that the naming of newly discovered physical features was one of the privileges of a map-editor, especially as he was fed up with forever encountering toponyms like 'Victoria', 'Wellington', 'Smith', 'Jones', etc. He writes: "While constructing the new map to specify

SECTION 20

#1732790615860

1012-412: The basis for their etiological legends. The process of folk etymology usually took over, whereby a false meaning was extracted from a name based on its structure or sounds. Thus, for example, the toponym of Hellespont was explained by Greek poets as being named after Helle , daughter of Athamas , who drowned there as she crossed it with her brother Phrixus on a flying golden ram. The name, however,

1058-514: The book is a commendable attempt to fill the gap in academic textbooks on toponymy and is insightful and enjoyable for all readers. Remus Creţan wrote: This book brings together ideas that conceptualise the practices of place naming. Grounded in a multidisciplinary fashion – from sociolinguistics to geography – this volume is innovative as it examines place names according to their relations with histories, cultures, and societies in order to understand their historical and linguistic origins as well as

1104-423: The book, Swedish linguist Staffan Nyström judged it as a comprehensive and impressive work. He praised its breadth, richness in content, and its coverage of ancient and modern place names from various regions worldwide. Nyström highlighted the book's success in exploring place names from diverse angles, considering linguistic, societal, and historical perspectives. He noted the authors' adeptness at connecting names to

1150-703: The detailed topographical portrayal and after consulting with and authorization of messr. Theodor von Heuglin and count Karl Graf von Waldburg-Zeil I have entered 118 names in the map: partly they are the names derived from celebrities of arctic explorations and discoveries, arctic travellers anyway as well as excellent friends, patrons, and participants of different nationalities in the newest northpolar expeditions, partly eminent German travellers in Africa, Australia, America ...". Toponyms may have different names through time, due to changes and developments in languages, political developments and border adjustments to name but

1196-399: The establishment of an independent Greek state, Turkish, Slavic and Italian place names were Hellenized, as an effort of "toponymic cleansing." This nationalization of place names can also manifest itself in a postcolonial context. In Canada, there have been initiatives in recent years " to restore traditional names to reflect the Indigenous culture wherever possible ". Indigenous mapping

1242-608: The evolution of naming practices over time and examines the socio-political influences on place naming. Case studies from diverse regions and chronological contexts offer concrete examples of the book's theoretical discussions. The introductory chapter defines and presents the basics of toponymy and toponomastics. The second chapter Language Change explores how toponyms, despite their status as linguistic fossils, are subject to both internal and external forces of language change, and demonstrates their crucial role in deciphering ancient writing systems like Linear B and potentially unlocking

1288-531: The first toponymists were the storytellers and poets who explained the origin of specific place names as part of their tales; sometimes place-names served as the basis for their etiological legends. The process of folk etymology usually took over, whereby a false meaning was extracted from a name based on its structure or sounds. Thus, for example, the toponym of Hellespont was explained by Greek poets as being named after Helle , daughter of Athamas , who drowned there as she crossed it with her brother Phrixus on

1334-469: The historical geography of a particular region. In 1954, F. M. Powicke said of place-name study that it "uses, enriches and tests the discoveries of archaeology and history and the rules of the philologists ." Toponyms not only illustrate ethnic settlement patterns, but they can also help identify discrete periods of immigration. Toponymists are responsible for the active preservation of their region's culture through its toponymy. They typically ensure

1380-466: The internet reflected a query by a Canadian surfer, who said as follows: 'One producer of maps labeled the water body "Persian Gulf" on a 1977 map of Iran, and then "Arabian Gulf", also in 1977, in a map which focused on the Gulf States . I would gather that this is an indication of the "politics of maps", but I would be interested to know if this was done to avoid upsetting users of the Iran map and users of

1426-462: The map showing Arab Gulf States'. This symbolizes a further aspect of the topic, namely the spilling over of the problem from the purely political to the economic sphere. A geographic names board is an official body established by a government to decide on official names for geographical areas and features. Most countries have such a body, which is commonly (but not always) known under this name. Also, in some countries (especially those organised on

Place Names - Misplaced Pages Continue

1472-626: The most useful geographical reference system in the world. Consistency and accuracy are essential in referring to a place to prevent confusion in everyday business and recreation. A toponymist, through well-established local principles and procedures developed in cooperation and consultation with the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN), applies the science of toponymy to establish officially recognized geographical names. A toponymist relies not only on maps and local histories, but interviews with local residents to determine names with established local usage. The exact application of

1518-414: The new map to specify the detailed topographical portrayal and after consulting with and authorization of messr. Theodor von Heuglin and count Karl Graf von Waldburg-Zeil I have entered 118 names in the map: partly they are the names derived from celebrities of arctic explorations and discoveries, arctic travellers anyway as well as excellent friends, patrons, and participants of different nationalities in

1564-417: The newest northpolar expeditions, partly eminent German travellers in Africa, Australia, America ...". Toponyms may have different names through time, due to changes and developments in languages, political developments and border adjustments to name but a few. More recently many postcolonial countries revert to their own nomenclature for toponyms that have been named by colonial powers. Place names provide

1610-404: The old regime is another issue of toponymy. Also, in the context of Slavic nationalism , the name of Saint Petersburg was changed to the more Slavic sounding Petrograd from 1914 to 1924, then to Leningrad following the death of Vladimir Lenin and back to Saint-Peterburg in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union . After 1830, in the wake of the Greek War of Independence and

1656-422: The ongoing development of a geographical names database and associated publications, for recording and disseminating authoritative hard-copy and digital toponymic data. This data may be disseminated in a wide variety of formats, including hard-copy topographic maps as well as digital formats such as geographic information systems , Google Maps , or thesauri like the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names . In 2002,

1702-451: The role they play in people's everyday lives. Toponymy Toponymy , toponymics , or toponomastics is the study of toponyms ( proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names ), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of any geographical feature , and full scope of the term also includes proper names of all cosmographical features. In

1748-441: The sea itself. Especially in the 19th century, the age of exploration, a lot of toponyms got a different name because of national pride. Thus the famous German cartographer Petermann thought that the naming of newly discovered physical features was one of the privileges of a map-editor, especially as he was fed up with forever encountering toponyms like 'Victoria', 'Wellington', 'Smith', 'Jones', etc. He writes: "While constructing

1794-653: The secrets of undeciphered scripts such as Linear A. The third chapter is a guide to historical toponomastics, examining linguistic and extra-linguistic analyses. The fourth chapter Toponymy and the Historical-Linguistic Reconstruction of Proto-Languages explores the methods and challenges faced by toponymists in reconstructing ancient linguistic roots. The fifth chapter explores diachronic toponymy, examining how oral traditions and linguistic analysis can help reconstruct place names in communities without written records, demonstrated through

1840-494: The shift from historical approaches to synchronic toponymy. The ninth chapter studies the intricate sociopolitical dynamics surrounding the use of place names. The tenth chapter explores the multifaceted relationship between toponymy and cartography, highlighting the essential role of place names on maps, their historical and ideological significance, and the intriguing phenomenon of phantom place names which reflect human desires and perceptions throughout history. In his review of

1886-404: The significance of place names in understanding societal and environmental contexts. Through the ten chapters, various methodologies and approaches are presented, from historical toponomastics and diachronic toponymy to landscape archaeology. The book navigates through the complexities of categorizing and analyzing place names, emphasizing their role as "linguistic fossils". The book also delves into

Place Names - Misplaced Pages Continue

1932-440: The social space. Similarly, the revisionist practice of renaming streets , as both the celebration of triumph and the repudiation of the old regime is another issue of toponymy. Also, in the context of Slavic nationalism , the name of Saint Petersburg was changed to the more Slavic sounding Petrograd from 1914 to 1924, then to Leningrad following the death of Vladimir Lenin and back to Saint-Peterburg in 1991 following

1978-474: The societies and environments where they originate, emphasizing the influence of aesthetics, ideologies, and power dynamics. Nyström found the book's discussion of place names as products of shifting human emotions and ambitions particularly insightful. Sergei Basik said the work is a ground-breaking college textbook in toponymy and lauded its thematic range spanning from linguistic investigations to discussions on naming practices and decolonization. Basik commended

2024-441: The term place-name in professional discourse among geographers . Toponyms can be divided in two principal groups: Various types of geographical toponyms (geonyms) include, in alphabetical order: Various types of cosmographical toponyms (cosmonyms) include: Probably the first toponymists were the storytellers and poets who explained the origin of specific place names as part of their tales; sometimes place-names served as

2070-403: The wide variety of empirical case studies from around the world, particularly highlighting the insightful examples collected during toponymic fieldwork in the context of language documentation. He also appreciated the inclusion of a meticulously crafted glossary, although he acknowledged minor shortcomings such as technical typos and geographical misapprehensions. Despite these, Basik concluded that

2116-404: Was done to avoid upsetting users of the Iran map and users of the map showing Arab Gulf States'. This symbolizes a further aspect of the topic, namely the spilling over of the problem from the purely political to the economic sphere. A geographic names board is an official body established by a government to decide on official names for geographical areas and features. Most countries have such

#859140