Original scientific paper

The Coastal Toponyms of the Island of Šolta

Marina Marasović Alujević ; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Split
Katarina Lozić Knezović ; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Split

Abstract

The authors have listed and etymologically analyzed the coastal
toponyms of the Dalmatian island of Šolta as the result of their field
research, interviewing the local population and studying the old land
registries and nautical charts. Besides the contrastive methods, the
results have been analyzed and processed by descriptive methods. By
detailed terrain observation, 291 toponyms have been gathered, among
which the most numerous are the names of the bays. The research
also includes the toponyms which have never been studied in the
toponomastics of the Adriatic coast (i.e. Sȁskinja < lat. saxum – stone,
Grmẽj < lat. grumum – pile, Rȗdula < ven. rotola – species of seaurchin,
Polȅbrnjak < Cro. Rebro – rib, Špirũn < ven. sperone – rostrum
of the ship, Jorjȁ < Cro. orah – walnut, Obinũš < Cro. bjelušina –
(inula verbasifolia), Pȍd Mastrȋnke < Cro. mastrinka – the tree of wild
olive, Prãjci < Dalm. plagia – hillside on the coast < Gr. plágios – kos
– sloping, Zȁ Zmajȉnac < Cro. zmajur – species of snake < PS *zmьjь,
Žoržȋne < Ital. Giorgio, Dõnje Vȋne < OS vinъnъ). For some names
mentioned in the previous bibliography new etymological solution has
been offered (i.e. Balkũn < Lat. balco – pile; Šipȍva < Lat. siphonata –
draining, Pȅlegrin < Lat. St. Pelegrinus). According to their origin, the
toponyms have been classified into the Romance ones, which include
the pre-Slavic and Dalmatoromance (i.e. Kašjũn, Komĩn, Piškȇra,
Stomȏrska), Venetian and Italian toponyms (i.e. Kažȅla/e, Lantȇrna,
Šȅšula, Špirũn) and those Slavic formed in the period of the arrival
of the first Croatian population to the island, as well as those more
recent which are the result of the migrations of the new population (i.e.
Dragobrȁća, Kȁlebova Stĩna, Pripȁlišće, Zašćĩtak). The multi-word
toponyms of the combined origin have also been studied (i.e. Glãva
Sȁskinje, Kȍzjak Gȃrma, Širȍka Pȗnta, Tovȃrja Škȋna). In the semantic
classification, the toponyms are grouped in 9 categories: the names
formed according to the geographic terms (i.e. Gȕka, Jȁma, Mãla Lȋda,
Spȉle), their appearance and metaphors (i.e. Bȉskup Rȃt, Gõrnja Gȑlica,
Lȋvka, Motȉka), according to the characteristics of soil (i.e. Gnjilȉna,
Kȁmik, Mãla Stinjȉva, Savȕra), according to their features (i.e. Crvȅni
Rȇd, Grȉžavi Ratȁc, Hrȉpavica, Pȍd zȁ Plãču), names of plants (i.e.
Grȁbova Gȃrma, Koromȁšina Mãla i Vȅla, Mȁslinica, Vȅla Trãvna),
names of animals (i.e. Kȁlebova Stĩna, Mãla Golubȉnja Gȃrma, Pȗnta
Govȅdica, Vránjac), activities (i.e. Bȁnje, Cetĩnska Pasȉka, Nȁ Kãbel,
Piškȇra), historically conditioned names (i.e. Fabrȉca, Pogȁniška
Glãva, Stračȋnska, Tatȉnja Mãla) and antroponyms (i.e. Bȗdva,
Lestȉmerova, Mȉjaluka, Vȁla Marȋnčarāta). In the etymologic analysis,
the toponyms are according to their characteristics divided into: islands (7) (i.e. Grmẽj, Kȁmik, Rȗdula, Stȉpanska), reefs (5) (i.e. Kȁlebova
Stĩna, Mãli i Vȅli Škojĩc, Mãli i Vȅli Oplȍvac), shallows/sandbanks (14)
(i.e. Ispovidnȉca, Minadȗra, Pȑdikoza, Ždrȋlo), bays (128) (i.e. Bȅgove
Smȍkve, Dešenjã, Medvȉdova, Pogȁnica), promontories (66) (i.e. Bȃd,
Dõnja i Gõrnja Gȑlica, Rãžanj, Sipȕja), caves (10) (i.e. Gȃrma pȍd
Crjȅne Stȋne, Hȉb, Hrȉpavica, Mãla i Vȅla Golubȉnja Gȃrma) and sea
tracts (61) (i.e. Cŕno, Čelȉnac, Katrȋda, Savȕra). The authors conclude
that the majority of toponyms on the island of Šolta are of Slavic origin,
but numerous old Romance toponyms, which have been exposed to
the Romance-Slavic linguistic symbiosis, have survived as well. All
toponyms are accentuated according to the pronunciation of the local
population, with five accents and pre-stress and post-stress length
preserved. The authors also discuss the possible origin of the name of
the island of Šolta, supplementing the previous theories by connecting
the toponym with the pre-historic name solta meaning island.

Keywords

onomastics; coastal toponyms; island of Šolta; etymology

Hrčak ID:

86361

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/86361

Publication date:

15.10.2011.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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