Remarks on so-called object fixation of toponyms

Abstract

The paper focuses on so-called object fixation of toponyms, that is, how users perceive the toponym in real space, or more precisely, in their mental reflection of real space. In the first part of the paper, the authors discriminate between individual object fixation of a particular user, and a core of object fixation as the intersection of these individual localizations. As the authors point out, a kind of social and spatial information is encoded in the individual toponyms as a necessary part of their proprial content. In the second part of the paper, the authors discuss the problem of fixation changes (either quantitative, or qualitative ones), and their difference from transonymization. The third part is aimed at research in the core of object fixation by geographic information system tools and methods. From the authors' experience ensue two necessary requirements for such kind of research, and these are a) sufficient number of respondents who have at least a basic ability for spatial orientation, and b) the researched toponyms should be part of a toponymic centre (i.e. known to most of respondents).

Keywords

• geographic information system
• object fixation
• toponym
• toponymic object
• transonymization