Phonetic Variants of the Ancient Toponymic Stem *Ylä- ‘Upper’ and Their Genesis in the Hydronymy of Karelia

Abstract

The paper explores modifications of the ancient proto-Finnic toponymic stem *Ylä- ‘top, upper,’ attested in the hydronymy of Karelia and adjacent regions. The analysis aims to reveal its phonetic variants and their sources. It is observed that in hydronyms the stem is used both independently and in conjunction with some formants. The latter, originating from derivational suffixes and grammatical markers, have a strong tradition of usage evidenced by a number of discovered toponyms with markers having specific protolanguage features. For instance, toponyms like Ilinž/järv (-nžV < Proto-Saami *-ńće), Ylini/järvi (Finnic -ini), Yliz/järvi (Finnic -ize) showcase different stages of the development of diminutive / attributive suffix. The so-called superlative suffix, derived from the protolanguage superlative marker *-maηće/*-mäηće, along with its Saami and Finnic modifications, is attested in lake names such as Il’mozero, Ilemenza, Il’maž, Il’meza, Elimozero, El’mus, Ylimäine, Ylimäis/järvi etc. on the territory of Karelia and adjacent areas. It is proposed that the same logic applies to the origins of the Novgorod placename Ilmen. To underpin the attempted “upper” toponymic stems reconstruction, the study brings them in line with other place names derived from the stems with spatial semantics, formed with similar formant-types (e.g. lake Pelonč, Pil’masozero, Kukimasozero, Tarazmane). A certain areal distribution of naming patterns, apparently marking different ethno-linguistic groups, is also identified. Specifically, the pattern El’muz ~ Elimys known in the Central Karelia and west adjacent areas of Eastern Finland reflects the Late Proto-Saami linguistic condition. The pattern Ileksa, given its tight range between the lakes Lachа, Vozhe, Beloye, and Onega, as well as its phonetic appearance, may be an ancestry of an earlier language condition, associated with the Late Kargopol archaeological culture. The said culture’s areal quite accurately repeats the outlines of the toponymic range of Ileksa and some other toponymic patterns having a common Finnic-Saami and, in some cases, ancient western Uralic sources.

Keywords

• Finnic languages
• Saami languages
• substrate toponymy
• etymology
• toponymic formants
• toponymic stems
• Karelia