Toponymic Landscape of Shadrinsk in Aspect of Regional and Local Identity: A Sociolinguistic Study

Abstract

This article addresses the issue of representing regional and local identity in urban toponymy. Based on a sociological interpretation of the phenomenon of territorial identity in an urban environment, the authors aim to identify how residents perceive the toponymic / urbanonymic landscape as a translator of local distinctiveness. The study was conducted in the Zaural city of Shadrinsk, founded in the 17th century. The research method involved a targeted survey of residents on the Internet, followed by socio- and linguocultural interpretation of the data obtained. The results of the study allowed for the identification of stable key characteristics in the established image of Shadrinsk among its residents. A discrepancy was found between the need to update the urbanonymic landscape by emphasizing its unique features and the insufficient efforts in this direction. Data was collected on preferred nominative themes for potential names, and new urbanonyms were proposed that could best support the city’s key characteristics and enhance the representation of its regional and local identity.