Nimesiire ja selle käsitlus eesti toponomastikas
Name transfer and its interpretation in Estonian toponymy

Summary/Abstract: The article explores toponyms that originate from proprial names. The phenomenon in which an already existing name has been transferred to denote another place is called name transfer and the names that have originated from already existing names are called transferred names. Name transfer has not been a particular field of interest in Estonian onomastics so far. The article provides an overview of the relevant theories and perceptions related to the subject of name transfer and explains the conception applied to Estonian place names. The more frequent the use of a place name, the more likely it will be a source for new names. Secondary names are constructed from primary names (1) as annexes or metonymically transferred names (in the case of direct topographical contact); (2) as transferred names (somewhere farther away). Hence, a primary name is like a tree that distributes its seeds (transferred names) and offshoots (annexes). The shape of the tree is duplicated by the shadow next to it (metonymically transferred names). The latter rarely occur in Estonian, because the transfer of names is morphologically marked by the change of the basic case. Annexes often combine name clusters around the primary names. As annexes are well-localised (owing to the well-known primary name or name cluster), the development of annexes is an effective way to get new names. This is also the solution that is recommended by the Estonian Place Name Law and examples of names created by this method are provided in the article. Transferred names help to identify migration, whether internal or external, as well as to observe and analyse socio-onomastic phenomena (e.g. names motivated by commemorativeness, commercialization etc.). Today, when assigning new names, commerciality and branding play an important role. Developers prefer distinguished and commercially attractive place names, which sometimes leads to adopting names from other countries and foreign languages.

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