Možnosti studia toponym ve vztahu ke krajině, prostoru a identitě

Place names have been systematically studied by various disciplines, including linguistics, history, geography, and anthropology. Most of these studies have, however, focused on the historical value of place names in documenting language change, the spread of human settlement, distribution of geomorphological objects and the evolution of legal practices in times past. Surprisingly little attention has been paid to contemporary place-naming practi-ces and the role they play in structuring social relations and reproducing social identities. After reviewing the principal linguistic, geographical and anthropological approaches to place names we propose a multidisciplinary approach which should help us better under-stand the importance and significance of place names in the perception and construction of every-day landscapes.