Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.22210/jezik.2026.73.11
Croatian Settlement Names Motivated by the Appellative Orah (and its Variants)
Anđela Frančić
Abstract
The introductory part of the paper provides a brief overview of settlement names motivated
by plant-related terms, the terminological issues concerning this group of settlement
names, and the presence of the walnut in Slavic mythology and the Biblical text.
The central part of the paper begins with an overview of the historical attestations of
Croatian settlement names motivated by the appellative orah (and its variants) and continues
with an analysis of settlement names of this motivation that currently designate independent
settlements in Croatia. Special attention is given to the phonological and derivational features
of these settlement names, as well as their spatial distribution. Furthermore, the settlement
name Oriovac is examined within the context of the discussed Croatian settlement names.
The concluding part of the paper highlights the importance of preserving dialectal
elements within settlement names, as they serve as evidence of the extent of individual
dialects within the Croatian dialectal landscape and as guardians of the early attestation of
a particular lexeme.
Keywords: Croatian
Keywords
Croatian settlement name system; the appellative orah (walnut); Oriovac; onomastics; dialectal features
Hrčak ID:
353052
URI
Publication date:
1.3.2026.
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