O sposobach tworzenia nazw miejscowości w świetle etymologii ludowej

The paper discusses the ways in which Polish place names were created, in the light of their folk etymologies. The author uses the example of selected morphological reinterpretations of place names from various regions of Poland. By comparing folk-etymologized place names, and the words and expression that they indicate as bases for derivation, the paper shows that, in fact, folk etymology divides Polish toponyms into similar structural categories as scientific etymology: the primary, the secondary, and the compound. Very few re-etymologized place names do not fit into any of these types. In details, however, pseudoetymologies differ from the results of onomastic research with regard to the methods of creation of place names. Among other differences, the former tend to prefer certain structural types, especially compounds, and display a greater degree of tolerance for phonetic differences.