Again about Irkutsk toponymy

Abstract

In Irkutsk, toponymy has been a purely theoretical science for a long time – names have been rarely given to new streets. However, street names reflect the history of the city, the memory of the people who inhabited it, the sights and ideological preferences. When we give names to the streets, we form a legacy for our descendants. Toponyms should be considered as a historical monument that records all the features of the city’s life, from the relief to occupations of residents, from important objects to memorable events. “Toponymic restoration” is not an attempt at “white revenge”. This is the connection of times, this is the face of our city, which should not for the thousandth time repeat the names of streets in any Russian settlement, which have no deep connection with the territory.

Keywords

• onomastics
• toponyms
• individuality
• toponymic restoration
• protest
• historical temperament