Oikonymy of Eastern Kazakhstan (Districts of Altai, Glubokoye, and Katonkaragay)

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The article examines the oikonymy of East Kazakhstan, a region that has historically served as a hub for significant ethnocultural interactions, contacts, and conflicts. The study aims to identify the composition and systemic connections within the oikonymy of this region, focusing on the toponymic material from three administrative districts: Altai, Glubokoye, and Katonkaragay. The research draws on both contemporary and historical lists of settlements — published and archived — primarily concentrating on the names of non-urban settlements, which constitute the bulk of the region's toponymy. The oikonymy in the area under investigation is multilingual, featuring oikonyms of both Kazakh and Russian origin. Kazakh oikonymy is linked to the region’s historical nomadic, patronymic, socio-economic structure, while the emergence of Russian toponyms corresponds with various waves of migration into the region. These include oikonyms related to the initial migration wave in the 18th century, as well as those linked to subsequent migrations of Slavs during the late 19th and throughout the 20th centuries. It is crucial to distinguish whether the oikonyms belong to the earlier settlers (first wave) or later arrivals (second wave). To achieve this, the study employs chronological methods that, through a comparison of the modern characteristics of toponyms, help establish the time of their integration into the system. The authors conclude that the region’s oikonymic system reflects two opposing trends: the unification of oikonymy and geographical terminology on the one hand, and the preservation of traditional diversity on the other.