Microtoponymy of the Smolensk Region: Geographical Aspect

Aim. To study geographical aspects (features of reflection in the names of small territorial objects of the geographical environment) of the toponymization process at the regional level. To develop a geographical approach to the allocation of boundaries of microtoponymy (using the example of geographical names of the Smolensk region).

Methodology. The main content of the study includes the analysis of the toponymic material of the Smolensk region. In 2014–2021, microtoponyms were collected on the territory of individual municipalities of the Smolensk region, which were identified as the key research areas. Through the methods of the analytical method, the classification of microtoponyms was carried out, as well as differentiation and etymological analysis. The statistical method was used to determine the names frequency and calculate the proportion of microtoponym classes. In the course of comparative analysis at the qualitative level, the correlation was carried out between the levels of toponymization and the classification of geomorphological objects, the criteria of microtoponyms were determined.

Results. The study established that the nomination at the local level reflects the positivity of toponyms and has a pronounced dependence on the geographical environment. The list of nominated objects in the Smolensk region is determined by the features of the landscape, its consumer and aesthetic qualities. The nomination process involves small territorial objects distributed in accordance with the physical and geographical conditions of the region, which have a certain uniqueness and corresponding requirements of the economic structure of the population. Microagroonyms and microdrimonyms are the most numerous in the region. The specific properties of microtoponyms determine the criteria for their allocation: geographical (scale, status of an object determine its belonging to a certain tier of toponymy), historical (function for a short historical period, being constantly updated and characterized by their relative youth), social (have a narrow area of use, are characteristic only of the local residents speech and are not recorded in official documents), genetic (their origin is associated with the modern ethnic layer of vocabulary). The author proposes and develops a geographical approach to defining the boundaries of microtoponymy.

Research implications. The results of the study contribute to the development of the issue of regional toponymy. Identification of criteria for microtoponyms, development of geographical aspects of the problem of differentiation of levels (tiers) toponymies can be used to form new toponymic universals. The accumulated factual material contributes to the enlargement and enrichment of the Dictionary of Microtoponyms of the Smolensk Region.

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