Baltic Layer in the Hydronymy of the Dnieper River Region

Abstract

The research aims to identify the Baltic language heritage in the hydronymy of the Dnieper region. In particular, it dwells on the reconstruction of the Baltic lexical stratum, the existence of which is not at odds with the historical and archaeological data for the areas under analysis. The research has resulted in the reconstruction of 50 lexemes that are believed to be part of the vocabulary of the Old Balts. Such a conclusion is substantiated by the etymology of the reviewed water names, explained by the vocabulary of the East and West Baltic languages. Lexical reconstruction is possible due to compliance with some conditions of the etymological procedure: 1) highlighting the stages of Baltic hydronymy Slavization with the description of the phonetic and morphological processes, which accompanied the adaptation; 2) separating Slavonic derivational extension as a mean of adaptation of Baltic words in a foreign language environment; 3) determination of the relationship between the reconstructed “Dnieper” Baltisms and the archaic vocabulary of the East and West Baltic languages. Compliance with these conditions resulted in (a) the singling out of several types of parallels linking Old Baltic hydronyms in the Dnieper area with the toponymy of the different Baltic Languages; (b) the assumption of possible Proto-Lithuanian affiliation of the most numerous group of Baltic lexical relics.