THE ROLE OF METAPHOR IN PROPER NOMINATION

Abstract

The article examines metaphor as one of the means of enriching the composition of proper units. The mechanism of its action is revealed. It is shown that the principles, means and methods of derivation of names at the level of appellatives and onyms differ from each other and that this difference caused the different manifestation of metaphor among appellative and proper units. The specificity of metaphorical onimization is traced through the disclosure of the peculiarities of the appearance of oronyms, microtoponyms, hydronyms, oikonyms. It has been confirmed that as a result of the use of the metaphor, the oronyms Bogachka, Konik, Sidlo, etc. appeared; microtoponyms of Kotsiuba, Lopata, Khvist, etc.; hydronyms Blukaylo, Kozhushny, Molochna, etc. It was found that among the names of the settlements there are those that appeared as a result of figurative reinterpretation of appellations - Paradise, Raihorodok, Vesele, Shchastya, etc. At the same time, it is emphasized on the different nature of participation of metaphor in the processes of creation of these oikonyms, as well as on the lack of formation of a consolidated position among their researchers regarding of their (processes) interpretation. If we can talk about the onymic metaphor of the second level of derivation during the appearance of the oikonym Rai (appellative → metaphorized name of a microobject → oikonym), then during the creation of the oikonym Raihorodok etc. the onymic metaphor was used already at the first level (appellative → metaphorized name of the settlement). Renamed settlements or names of settlements founded mainly in the 20th century are motivated by adjectives or abstract nouns, metaphorical apriori. Their bases were lexemes that were supposed to testify to the valuable features of the settlement from the point of view of their nominators: the material plan; in relation to those emotions, feelings, mostly positive, that caused; concepts with which they were associated; special properties attributed to them; figurative characteristics (in the context of shape, size, location, etc.) that are actualized.