The Wendish Research Exchange - Zschieschang, Christian: Onomastics and Sorbian Studies. Potentially Mutual Fields of Research.

Lětopis Abstract 2021 2: Christian Zschieschang: Onomastics and Sorbian Studies. Potentially Mutual Fields of Research.

Onomastics is a very broad, diverse area of research. It is not only a branch of linguistics, but it also offers numerous points of contact with historical, social and cultural studies. In the past, research into Sorbian names concentrated on diachronic studies, especially on place and personal names. In future, it will be necessary to broaden our attention to other questions, which are presented in the article. From these will flow potentially fruitful areas of knowledge for Sorbian studies. These are not only to be found in the “classical” thematic areas of diachronically organized etymological investigation. The focus is rather on areas of research, which concentrate on the present day, namely on the function of names in the most diverse areas of culture and society, on the communication of current onomastic knowledge to those interested outside an academic audience, and on the integration of onomastics into interdisciplinary contexts. The relevant areas of research are described, ordered thematically.