Editing Toponymy (section)

== Toponomastics ==

A toponymist, through well-established local principles and procedures developed in cooperation and consultation with the [[United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names]] (UNGEGN), applies the science of toponymy to establish officially recognized geographical names. A toponymist relies not only on maps and local histories, but interviews with local residents to determine names with established local usage. The exact application of a toponym, its specific language, its pronunciation, and its origins and meaning are all important facts to be recorded during name surveys.

Scholars have found that toponyms provide valuable insight into the historical geography of a particular region. In 1954, [[F. M. Powicke]] said of place-name study that it "uses, enriches and tests the discoveries of archaeology and history and the rules of the [[Philology|philologists]]."<ref>[[F. M. Powicke|Powicke, F. M.]] 1954. "Armstrong, Mawer, Stenton and Dickins 'The Place-Names of Cumberland' (1950–53)" (book review). ''[[The English Historical Review]]'' 69<!-- nice -->. p. 312.</ref>

Toponyms not only illustrate ethnic settlement patterns, but they can also help identify discrete periods of immigration.<ref>{{cite journal | last = McDavid | first = R.I. | year = 1958 | title = Linguistic Geographic and Toponymic Research | journal = Names | volume = 6 | issue = 2 | pages = 65–73 | doi = 10.1179/nam.1958.6.2.65 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last = Kaups | first = M. | year = 1966 | title = Finnish Place Names in Minnesota: A Study in Cultural Transfer | journal = The Geographical Review| issue = 3 | pages = 377–397 | doi = 10.2307/212463 | volume = 56 | publisher = Geographical Review, Vol. 56, No. 3 | jstor = 212463 | bibcode = 1966GeoRv..56..377K }}</ref>

Toponymists are responsible for the active preservation of their region's culture through its toponymy.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} They typically ensure the ongoing development of a geographical names database and associated publications, for recording and disseminating authoritative hard-copy and digital toponymic data. This data may be disseminated in a wide variety of formats, including hard-copy topographic maps as well as digital formats such as [[geographic information system]]s, [[Google Maps]], or thesauri like the [[Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names]].<ref name="Toponymy"/>