French influence on English place-names (ID:1135068)

Toponymy is an interdisciplinary field of linguistic research that is closely related to the history of different peoples who inhabited a certain area at different times. Toponyms occupy a special place in the lexical system of the English language. The problems of toponymy were dealt with at various times by such foreign scientists as E. Ekval, R. Coats, M. Gelling, O. Padel, R. Ramsay, A. Smith, G. Steward, V. Watson, and others [6]. The different layers of English place names reflect all the major historical migrations, conquests and settlements of the past, as well as the different languages spoken by successive waves of inhabitants, and the French influence on place names is negligible. Our study is relevant because this is an under-researched problem. The object of this study is the English place-names. The subject of the research is the French element represented in the modern English place-names. As the aim it was set to study the impact of the French language on the modern English toponymic as a result of a long and complex process. To achieve this aim, the objectives are solved: - to explore the concept of toponymy and its meaning; - to find out the historical context of the Norman conquest of 1066 and its impact on England; - to determine the influence of the French language on English toponymy; - to characterize borrowed vocabulary from the Norman French language; - to identify Norman French elements; - to find out phonological changes due to French influence on English pronunciation in geographical names; - to describe the dynamics of the Norman government; - to determine the influence of the Norman-French heritage on the English identity and cultural heritage. The coursework consists of an introduction, three chapters, conclusions and a list of references used. The total volume of work 26 pages, of which – 21 pages of the main text.