Industrial area exonymy as illustrated with the regions of Ostrava and Karviná (Czech Republic) Cover Image

Exonymie průmyslové oblasti – na příkladu Ostravska a Karvinska (Česká republika)
Industrial area exonymy as illustrated with the regions of Ostrava and Karviná (Czech Republic)

Author(s): Jaroslav David, Lucie Nováková
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: AV ČR - Akademie věd České republiky - Ústav pro jazyk český
Keywords: place name; exonym; Ostrava region; Karviná region; industrial area; Mexico

Summary/Abstract: The text is focused on the toponymy of the industrial area of the Ostrava and Karviná regions (the Czech Republic); the research being centred on (the local) exonyms. Exonyms were used for naming coal-miners’ colonies and districts, or newly built housing estates. The oldest layer of exonyms-based toponymy originated at the beginning of the post-1850 industrial development (Amerika, Mexiko, Nový York), whereas the youngest one is represented by the post-WWII place names (Balaton, Donbas, Korea, Stalingrad). Later, exonyms have stopped forming the base for new place names, cf. sporadic names, such as Bronks, Dalas and Fukušima. The reason is the develop¬ment of global communication, a rapid information flow, and tourism; names of places abroad have been losing their unique status. This fact is also evidenced by a nearly zero knowledge of the place names origin. Their spatial distribution reflects coal mines and heavy industry areas in the regions – the exonymic place names are spread con-centrically in the Ostrava area, whereas they are spread evenly in the Karviná one.

  • Issue Year: LIX/2018
  • Issue No: 59
  • Page Range: 32-41
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Czech