Onimization of the appellative янтарь in the onomasticon of the Kaliningrad Region

The study was carried out in the culturological aspect and is aimed at identifying the onomastic specifics of the appellative onyms Янтарь in the onomastic space of the Kaliningrad Region, which is known as the Amber Region due to about 90% of the world’s amber reserves concentration. The empirical base of the study consisted of 104 Янтарь onyms, extracted by a continuous sampling method from electronic directories of regional topographical objects, the state register of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs of the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation, internet publications, as well as recorded during field research. The material was studied using general scientific methods (analysis, comparison, generalization, observation), elements of linguistic-cultural and sociolinguistic methods, a descriptive method, quantitative calculations, and a questionnaire, whose respondents were students of Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University. It is shown that the onymization of the appellative янтарь is a sustainable onym formation process in the Kaliningrad Region’s onomasticon resulting in creation of onyms related not only to the amber industry, but also to a wide range of objects that are not connected with mining, processing, sale, and popularization of amber. It was found that the “amber” cluster actualizes the namesake emporonyms, which are formed by the direct method of nomination and are characterized by a direct connection with the referent, absolute motivation, and informativeness, while the “non-amber” cluster includes homonymous onyms of various onomastic categories represented by ergonyms (including emporonyms and trapezonyms), gemeronyms, poreonyms, single oikodomonym and felisonym, which are formed by the symbolic method of nomination and are characterized by irrelevance to the referent, lack of motivation, and non-informativeness in case of nomenclature indicator absence. Onym Янтарь in the onomasticon of the Kaliningrad Region turns to be a productive image name-symbol, the specific features of which are the variety and multi-scale nature of referents (consisting in the ability of onym Янтарь to name both significant regional-forming objects and small business objects), dynamic functioning, onomastic activity, and non-closed onomastic potential.

onym, appellative, appellative onymization, regional identity, onomastic activity, onomastic potential