Panel  on Toponymy

List of papers:

COSIMO PALAGIANO: The place names of migrants

Abstract:  During the great migration from Italy to other countries in 80’s of 19th century, some groups of migrants called the new cities with the names of their cities of origin. In this paper the reasons of their choice are discussed. Can we define these new names as exonyms ?

PETER JORDAN: Up to where is a place name an endonym? A view on name/feature relations

Abstract: For the endonym/exonym divide it is essential, whether or inhowfar a community refers to a feature as part of its place. Endonyms are names used by a community for features regarded to be “their own”. This divide is particularly delicate with transboundary features in the sense of geographical features extending across community boundaries or into areas beyond any sovereignty. Where is, e.g., the line drawn between “one’s own” and “the other” on seas? Do people living on one side or in a part of a higher and larger mountain range feel emotionally attached to the whole feature? This is just to mention a selection out of many cases. And which are exactly the consequences for the endonym/exonym divide in all these cases? Up to where has a place name the status of an endonym? From which line on switches the same name to exonym status? The paper will try to find answers to these questions.

LAURA CASSI: Old and new geographies to study the place names

Abstract: One century ago, geography was studying the place names especially to find its own terminology. Today, in the belief that the self-recognition processes do play a not secondary role in local development processes, the geographical approach in the toponymic study is especially useful for awakening the sense of belonging to places.

FRANCESCO ZAN: Place names in the midst of crowdsourcing, collaborative mapping and advertising  on virtual globes

Abstract:  Crowdsourcing, collaborative mapping and advertising on virtual globes are all dependent on high level of interactivity of on-line users. What future for place names appearing and disappearing so fast in digital maps? What relationship links place names and advertising on digital maps? What is the impact of interactivity on our virtual spatial perception?

VINCENZO AVERSANO-SILVIA SINISCALCHI: The place names of the maps of Aragona and their function of “excellence” in the Kingdom of Naples: a comparison with the European maps through some “samples”

Abstract: The place names of the “topographic maps” of Aragona of the Kingdom of Naples had an important function in the territory’s planning. Through comparison among these place names with “toponymic champions” of the European cartography, Europe comes out defeat.