TOPONYMIC LEXIS AND METHODS OF ITS LINGUISTIC STUDY

Abstract

Methods of the toponyms research - etymological, historical and formant - are analyzed diachronically and synchronically with the main emphasis on English tradition both linguistic and lexicographic. Ttraditional linguistics has several basic methods which are used in the study of toponyms: etymological, historical, formant, typological. Two of them, which can be considered as complementary, are etymological and historical, allow us to trace the genesis of toponyms, to identify the connection between toponyms and other layers of vocabulary. Historical method, in addition, provides an opportunity to gather information about the cultural and historical background behind the toponymic vocabulary. Format method is directed at the study of toponyms as elements of the lexical system, characterized by a certain structure, which constituent parts are differentiated by a number of specific features. Typological method serves as a means of studying for the toponyms complexity as a structured system. Etymological and historical methods for the study of place names remain relevant, which are explained not only by their importance for linguistic studies, but also by their relevance to other fields of science, such as history, ethnography, geography and cultural studies. The conducted research showed that the methods used in linguistics for toponymic vocabulary, especially in their complexity, give sufficiently complete information about the etymology of this lexicon category, including the structure and semantics. Thus, the study showed that the methods used in linguistics for studying toponymic vocabulary, especially in their totality, provided fairly complete information both about the etymology of this vocabulary category, and about structure and semantics.