SLAWISCHES IN DEN SIEDLUNGSNAMEN DER STEIERMARK. GEDANKEN ZUR KONTAKTONOMASTIK

The study is inspired by the lexicon of toponyms in Styria (see Lochner von Hüttenbach, F., 2015). The lexicon exemplifies the pre-German layer of Slavic toponyms, and their adoption into German. The study examines the data through the theory and methodology of contact onomastics, especially related to Slavic-German area. Inter-language adoption of names always involves a confrontation of naming and proprial systems. The naming potential/choices as well as the dialects of the adopting languages must be taken into consideration, alongside motivational aspects. The areal distribution also plays a very important role here (it considerably contributes to the research of pre-Slavic topolexemes and structures of proper names, as well as the geographical delimitation of the Slavic settlements and showing areas of Slavic-German contact). The findings are presented in the form of comments, models, tables, lists of proper names, and on maps.