The Place of Toponymy in the System of Sciences and the Methodological Foundations of its
Interdisciplinary Integration
Gulbeniz Mehdiyeva
Abstract. The article analyzes the position of toponymy within the system of sciences and its integrated relationship with linguistics, history, and geography. The study substantiates the inadequacy of examining toponymy within the framework of a single discipline and emphasizes the necessity of studying it as an independent branch of science based on a comprehensive methodological approach that addresses both spatial distribution and linguistic evolution. Although some researchers consider toponymy to be an integral part of geography, another group of scholars defends its investigation strictly within linguistics, arguing that geographical names are fundamentally linguistic units. Taking Azerbaijani toponyms as a case study, the paper explores the origin, semantics, morphological structure, and historical evolution of geographical names across different cultural eras. In particular, it explains the role of derivational suffixes in the formation of toponyms and demonstrates that their productivity level can be identified precisely through historical-linguistic methods. The study draws upon the theoretical frameworks of scholars such as V.A. Nikonov, A.V. Marakuyev, V.A. Zhuchkevich, E.M. Murzayev, and B. Šmilauer, illuminating the historical and ethnolinguistic significance of geographical names based on local toponyms and examples fro m The History of the Caucasian Albanians to offer a broader perspective on regional heritage.
Keywords: toponymy, place names, geographical names, historical linguistics, onomastics, morphological structure, Azerbaijani toponymy