Abstract
The article discusses the toponymy of Dagestan as a toponymic space, a toponymic system and a toponymic picture of the world. The research touches upon the main aspects of the study of Dagestan toponymy: linguo-geographical, linguo-cognitive, ethno-linguistic, etc. The work describes such concepts as toponymic personality, toponymic context. The toponymy of Dagestan is considered as a part of the general toponymic system of Russia, as its regional fragment, which has its own specificity, determined by geographic location, history of settlement and ethnographic state of the region. The principles of the nomination of toponymic objects of Dagestan, the peculiarities of the language representation of toponymic concepts are presented, the main cognitive models of the content of the toponymic concept “surrounding space” are revealed in the minds of the residents of Dagestan, which ensures preservation and continuity from generation to generation. The study analyzes the toponymic material of the Avar, Andean, Begtin, Dargha and Lezghin languages belonging to the Avar-Ando-Tsez, Laksk-Darginsk and Lezgin groups of the Dagestan languages. Practical linguistic material is presented by the toponyms and micro-toponyms collected by the authors in several districts of the Republic of Dagestan. The present stage of development of world science is characterized by the most intensive development of its areas and sections that occupy a border position i.e. combine the elements and methodology of several scientific areas at the junction of which they emerged. Such interdisciplinary area is toponymy, which was formed at the junction of geography, linguistics and history.
Keywords: Toponymic systemDagestanspacepicturecontext
Introduction
The toponymic space of Dagestan is reasoned by its geographical location, already reflected in the name of the region - Dagestan - “Country of Mountains”. By toponymic space, the authors mean the totality of toponyms on the territory of a certain region, used in a given language of a given people to name real, hypothetical and “fantastic” objects, or “the part of reality marked by proper names” (Shmelev, 2013, p. 76). Under the toponymic system, the authors consider “a set of toponyms of a certain territory bounded historically and geographically, in which their interconnection and interdependence and the general processes of their origin and word formation are manifested” (Vorobyova, 1983, p. 7), which is “a part of the naturally formed language systems with a long history with all the tendencies embedded in it” (Matveyev, 2006, p. 160).
Problem Statement
The toponymy of Dagestan is considered both as a certain toponymic space, and as a peculiar toposystem, and as a special toponymic picture of the world - “this is a toponymic system in its mental being” (Golev & Dmitrieva, 2008, p. 10). In the toponymic system of Dagestan, there are certain local systems of nominations that are regional in nature: oronyms, hydronyms and oikonyms. Continuing the study of the theory of the toponymic system, the authors develop the idea of the toponymic system at a new linguistic and methodological level. The scientific novelty of the research is reasoned by the combination of the presentation of mental and ontological being of toponymic system, the analysis of its functional properties and the systemic description of the onomastic vocabulary of a certain region.
Research Questions
The subject of research is the linguistic features of the toponyms of Dagestan in the areas inhabited by Avars, Andians, Bezhtins, Dargins and Lezgins. Regional toponyms in various research works are studied mainly from the point of view of the traditional approach, i.e. in the system of linguistic disciplines. The authors consider the subject of research from the point of view of the history of a toponym, its etymology, distribution area, lexico-semantic classification and structural and derivational characteristics - any proper name (toponym) - “is an onomastic sign reflecting the knowledge complex about proper name (linguistic and encyclopedic knowledge) and serving for the organization of onomastic knowledge in human mind” (Shcherbak, 2008, p. 15). The linguistic representation of onomastic knowledge is carried out using onomastic categories and is called “onomastic representation”, which means “transfer of onomastic knowledge in the form of concepts and language units” (Shcherbak, 2008, p. 22).
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to analyze, describe and prepare the material for the vocabulary representation of the toponymic system of Dagestan, presented on the example of the Avar, Andean, Begta, Dargin and Lezgin languages. In addition, the examples from toponymic legends presented in the study are an attempt to explain why a particular name appeared in a given expression (in research case, in proverbs and sayings). Folklore toponymy can be based both on the true principle of nomination, and on the folk etymological reading of a name - the very mechanism of its generation is important, which becomes a fact of the cultural connotation of a toponym as a folklore code of popular culture.
The main purpose of the simultaneous study of toponyms of a given region is to determine the organization of different toponyms of the same territory and to establish a toponymic system.
Research Methods
During the study of research topic, the main is the descriptive method apart from general scientific research methods. The geographical method of toponymic research is based on the use of popular geographical terms.
The cartographic method is used to establish patterns of placement of toponymic phenomena, the dynamics of their development over time, spatial connections and dependencies, both between individual toponymic facts and between them and various social and natural realities reflected on maps. The full description and analysis of toponymic facts cannot be carried out without the use of historical research methods. Toponyms reflect the attitude of a person to nature, which has developed over a long historical period. However, the main methods of this research are linguistic ones: etymological, formant and word-formation method and semantic analysis of toponyms (Tagirov & Khalilov, 2018).
Findings
The traditional structural approach focused primarily on the identification of relations within the topological system, while the cognitive approach addresses the linguistic consciousness of native speakers, the toponymic picture of the world, which has a territorial character and regional characteristics, which are considered as regional mentality, i.e. biologically, historically and socially conditioned system of stereotypes functioning in Dagestan. The language representation of toponymic concepts in the Dagestan languages is carried out due to a large set of language means (Otsomieva-Tagirov, 2007). First of all, with the help of a capital letter, which is the distinguishing code mark for a proper name and common noun, or appellate:
Avar.
Lezg.
In the toponymic system of Dagestan, there are semantic relations characteristic of other toposystems, but having their own lexical specificity:
1) lexico-semantic models (for example, reflecting flora and fauna):
Avar.
cham.
lezg.
2) Countable-numeric series:
avar.
cham.
lezg.
Antonymic pairs of compound toponyms are presented:
1) in spatial-quantitative oppositions: avar.
cham.
2) time oppositions within the system:
avar.
lezg.
A special aspect of the study of the Dagestan toponymic system is its functioning in oral and written speech. Toponymic picture of the world of Dagestan finds expression in the so-called “cultural semantics” of toponyms - in motivation: in various connotations and verification of names, in local folklore, i.e. “mental education, the content of which is experienced knowledge of a toponymic reality relevant to a specific linguocultural community” (Bykanova, 2001, p. 48). The language representation of toponymic concepts in the Dagestan languages is carried out due to the motivational meaning of the toponym, which:
1) Reflects cultural realities or situations:
avar.
lezg.
2) Contains the cultural version of any properties of the object itself, attributed to it:
avar.
lezg. Шалбуздагъда жив хьайиала, Муьшкуьрда кьеж жеда «If there is snow on Shalbuzdag, Mushkur will have moisture», Ахцегьа туькIуьрай манияр Чепени чкIана « Songs written in Akhtakh are also known in Jaba», КIвалин хабар гъвеч1идавай, хуьруьн хабар делидавай «About the news in the house - from the baby, and about the news in the village - from the fool».
From the examples it is clear that among these nominations there is a vocabulary of local speech, creating a dialectal color.
The connotative level of toponymic semantics has a special ethnocultural value:
Hydrothematics, outstanding events and the names of the heroes of this period form a special layer of the toponymic system - folklore toponymy, or folklore re-motivation of the toponym, the so-called toponymic legends. The concept of a person as a form of mental being of the toponymic system, which implements concepts, the conceptual framework of which is associated with the events of the Caucasian War under the leadership of Imam Shamil. Understanding the toponymic system as a toponymic picture of the world leads to the emergence of such a concept as a toponymic personality, orienting itself in geographic space with the help of reference signs that show their perception, understanding and interpretation from the position of the addressee, certain toponymic associations included in the consciousness of the toponymic personality in so-called toponymic context (Golev & Dmitrieva, 2008).
Oriented to the system of language, onomastic concepts are represented at the following levels: formal (grammatical and word-formation) and semantic.
1. Formal onimization occurs when:
1.1. Through the word-forming toponymic suffix - locative affixes: avar.
cham.
bezht.
lezg.
1.2. By number: avar.
Lezg.
1.3. Syntactically:
1.3.1. By one lexeme:
cham.
bezht.
lazg.
1.3.2. Through the phraseological unit: avar.
cham.
bezht.
lezg.
2. Semantic onimization is represented as:
1.1 Simple (direct value of appeal). The round shape is reflected in the following nominations:
lezg.
1.2. Metaphoric:
1.3. Metonymic:
lezg.
The important property of toponymic concepts is the formation on their basis of the toponymic category - “the union of proper names on the basis of a common concept (name concept)” (Shcherbak, 2008). Toponymic concepts that form the regional toponymic conceptual sphere are represented by dialect features of linguistic units (Rubleva, 2013).
The Dagestan languages (and dialects) contain a multitude of popular geographic terms that often become the basis for toponomination, which are included in the toponymic system of the region. Selectivity depends on the dialectical connections between language units.
It is believed that the more abstract the idea of reality (avar.
cham.
lezg.
The main cognitive models of the content of the toponymic concept “surrounding space” in the minds of Dagestanis are as follows (by degree of frequency):
1) «a person» – the name or surname of the owner, first settler or member of his family: avar.
cham.
bezht.
darg.
lezg.
2) «water», «landscape», «relief»: avar.
bezht.
darg.
lezg.
3) «Fauna», «flora»: avar.
cham.
bezht.
darg.
lezg.
4) «geographical realities»: avar.
cham.
bezht.
darg.
lezg.
5) «religious realities»: avar.
bezht.
darg.
6) «oppositivity»: avar.
cham.
darg.
lezg.
7) «occupation, social characteristics of residents»: avar.
cham.
bezht.
darg.
In the structure of toponymic categories, cognitive models are distinguished. They reflect the the ideas of inhabitants about the habitat, represented by the denotative attributes of an object: a variety of reality phenomena (things, actions, relationships, properties, processes, etc.) For example, ideas about motive or stagnant water allow highlighting various characteristics of the concept “water” in the corresponding toponyms:
avar.
cham.
lezg.
The study shows that the formation of the toponyms of Dagestan is based on the interaction of the concepts “a person”, “flora”, “fauna”, “landscape”, “water”, “number” and others. The ideas of residents about space and time are reflected in the following prevailing conceptual characteristics: primary / secondary in the models “big / small”, “new / old”, “upper/ lower”, etc.
These cognitive models are nationwide and are typical of any region, although they have local characteristics.
Conclusion
The prerequisites of the formation of regional toponyms lay the concepts that are represented in a particular region. At the same time, toponymic concepts and their cognitive models in the form of personal ideas about the surrounding world are fixed in the language through the meanings of specific onomastic units. The analysis of the toponymic material of the Avar, Andean, Bezhta, Dargha and Lezghin languages demonstrates regional features:
1) The destruction (due to renaming) of the old toponymic system, which is naturally developed, and the formation of a new, artificial to some extent, and the restructuring of semantic relations within this system.
These are secondary micro-toponyms:
As it can be seen, the original toponym is
2) The rethinking of the internal form of toponyms in the consciousness of a toponymic personality;
3) Different functioning of the toponymic system depending on the situation of communication, age, etc.
A linguistic-culturological study of local multicultural topospace, as well as macro-toponymy in general is a promising scientific direction. The factual material involved in the field of research can be used in linguistic works related to the study of the kinship of Dagestan languages, as well as in lexicographical practice in the creation of special toponymic dictionaries.
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Cite this article as:
Alieva, Z., Ganieva, F., Temirbulatova, S., Khalilov, M., & Otsomieva-Tagirova*, Z. (2019). Toponymic System Of Dagestan: Aspects And Prospects Of Research. In D. Karim-Sultanovich Bataev, S. Aidievich Gapurov, A. Dogievich Osmaev, V. Khumaidovich Akaev, L. Musaevna Idigova, M. Rukmanovich Ovhadov, A. Ruslanovich Salgiriev, & M. Muslamovna Betilmerzaeva (Eds.), Social and Cultural Transformations in the Context of Modern Globalism, vol 76. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences (pp. 2570-2578). Future Academy. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2019.12.04.345