Finnish Language Influence on Border Karelian Toponymy

Abstract

The article provides a detailed analysis of toponymic facts determined by the Finnish language influence on the border Karelian dialects. On the basis of toponymic data, the author reveals a number of phonetic, morpho-phonetic and lexical features of the Karelian dialects in question brought by the Finnish language. According to the author’s theory, the greater part of the border Karelian “finnicized” toponyms is due to the Savonian migrants’ legacy, Savonians speaking an East Finnish dialect, but the article also considers other sources of the Finnish influence.

Keywords

• Finno-Ugric languages
• Balto-Fennic languages
• Karelian language
• Karelian dialects
• Ladoga Karelia
• border Karelia
• toponymy
• Karelian toponymy
• Finno-Karelian language contacts