Study On The Geographical Name Of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture

The study on toponymy, so far, is confined to geography, history, folklore, human culture and so on. But the author believes that it is also needed study the deep meaning of toponymy from the perspective of linguistics. Because the place names are symbolic systems in forms of language, are the crystallization of various culture such as linguistic, history, geography and folk custom, and reveal the culture of a certain area in a certain historical period with a medium of language.The place names, a part of the vocabulary, are recorded in the language with words and have their own voice and meaning. In addition to the form of language, the place names contain a strong sense of culture and show the different aspects of human society. Therefore, toponymy is the combination of language and culture, and it is the important key to the study of language and culture. In the system of toponymy, every place name has its own structure and feature, showing a strong sense of culture. The place names have a close connection with the local natural environment, people’s life and their thinking and mentality. Therefore, we could know the local history and culture with the study of toponymy.Studying on Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture as a specific area, we discussed several important issues on toponymy and elaborated from the following four parts:the structural features and nomenclature of place names of Yanbian; the classification of lexical type of place names of Yanbian; the relationship between the place names and the culture of Yabian; the evolutionary status and features of place names of Yanbian.Firstly, we made a comprehensive summarization of the history and the present situation of place names in China, South Korea and North Korea. Secondly, on the basis of the original studies of leading scholars, we analyzed, with the object of 4350 place names in Gazetteer of 8 countries and cities in Yanbian, the language phenomenon of these place names and researched the regional culture, natural culture, economic culture, political culture, spirit culture and material culture from the perspective of cultural linguistics and sociolinguistics. We also analyzed the syllables and the creation of words of the place names of Yanbian, classified the composite words of place names, and described five naming rules and classified the lexical types from six perspectives. Finally, we discussed the evolutionary status and features of place names of Yanbian, the origin and changes of transplanted place names.This study has an important practical significance. It will not only provide fundamental basis for management of place names, geographic name plan, propaganda and protection of the culture of place names in Yanbian in the future, it will also be a great discovery of regional place names. The study on regional place names is an important part of toponymy, but it is rare to find the research on this area and it is rarer to find the research on local place names, therefore, the author believes this study has a great learning value.