THE ORIGINS AND USE OF THE TOPONYM GREAT ADZHALYK ESTUARY (BLACK SEA)

Abstract

Problem Statement and Purpose. For the purposes of cartography and hydrography, geographical names of most estuaries in the northwestern part of the Black Sea have been standardized by the 1930s. Since that time, the geographical name used to mark this body of water on maps has been “Great Adzhalyk Estuary”. However, most literary sources use the toponym “Dofinivka Estuary” to describe it. The purpose of this article is to establish, based on literary and cartographic sources, the origins and specifics of application of the toponym “Great Adzhalyk Estuary” to ensure its unambiguous use for scientific and practical purposes.Data & Methods. Scanned copies of maps published in 1792-2006 have been studied. Materials with illegible nomenclature, small scale or distorted image affecting the accuracy of map or properties of cartographic imaging have been discarded. Visual analysis of maps was employed as the most commonplace research technique. Available literary sources published in 1801-2017 have also been analyzed. Special attention was given to articles devoted to the study of the estuary’s nature and to reference publications.Results. Formation of the geographical name “Great Adzhalyk Estuary” took place in several phases: 1) adoption of foreign forms of Turkish origin and those brought by Greek and Bulgarian settlers; 2) development of the national nomenclature by preserving a part of the name, changing and transliterating it into the contemporary form. The effect on the toponym of the area’s development history is also worth noting: 1) the name of the river emptying into the estuary: Great Adzhalyk – hence Great Adzhalyk Estuary – was used for studies conducted from the mainland; 2) the naming of geographical objects according to the name of the port or the nearby human settlement used in marine practice: Dofinivka (Adzhalovo) – hence Dofinivka Estuary.The contemporary phase is characterized by standardization of geographical names. The toponyms used on cartographic materials are being harmonized with literary sources.