Folia onomastica Croatica, No. 3, 1994.
Original scientific paper
On differences between toponyms with the suffix -aj, -aja and appellatives with etymological suffixes -(j)aj, -(j)aja
Dunja Brozović-Rončević
Abstract
This article explains the formative differences between toponyms with the suffix -aj, -aja and appellatives with etymological suffixes -(j)aj, -(j)aja. Tomo Maretic equalizes
the suffixes -aj, -jaj in appellatives and toponyms, while Petar Skok lists four reasons in favor of their distinction. According to Skok appellatives ending with -aj, -jaj are
essentially deverbatives, abstract nouns from which as a rule toponyms are not derived. In contrast, toponyms ending with -aj, are formed from adjective stems, such as Belaj, Belej, Bilaj - ‘foggy’ > Maglaj, *kosrm>- maybe < kosa ‘hair’ > Kosmaj). At the same time toponyms derived from adjectives are formed only with suffixes -aj, and never -jaj as in the case of deverbatives. The only exception is Obljaj <*obl~b which may have been formed from the verb obliti and not from adjective obh>. As final proof in favor of the difference Skok indicates that in the case of toponyms
formed from adjectival stems with the suffix -aj, the female form ending in -aja is very
common, such as Krivaja, Ctnaja, Blagaja, Golaja, Suhaja, Suvaja. However Skok does not give suficient importance to the prosodic element. It should be emphasized that toponyms ending in -aj/-aja always have short rising stress on the first syllable (in male and female forms), and deverbative abstract appellatives ending in -aj, -jaj have short falling stress on the first syllable and length on the suffix. Toponyms formed from adjectival stems ending in -aj, -aja are not suffixal formations, but the ending -aj, -aja forms part of the adjective itself, specifically uncontracted definite form of the adjective. Vowels a, e, o before j in toponyms such as Belej, Bilaj, Prvoj represent, as Skok indicates, reflex of the Old-Croatian sva 3 according to regular reflex of that phoneme in specific regions of Croatia. Additional examples in this article only confirm Skok's theses concerning the difference between toponyms with contracted endings and appellatives with etymological suffixes -aj, -jaj and -aja, -jaja.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
158501
URI
Publication date:
10.5.1994.
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