СУФИКСИ -ИНА И -ИЦА КАО ОПОЗИТИ У ГЕОГРАФСКОЈ ТЕРМИНОЛОГИЈИ И ТОПОНИМИЈИ (Категоријални приступ)
THE SUFFIXES -INA AND -ICA AS OPPOSITES IN GEOGRAPHICAL TERMINOLOGY AND TOPONYMY (Categorial Approach)

Summary/Abstract: The suffixes -ina and -ica are the most common suffixes in geographical terminology and toponymy. They are almost equally involved in the structure of formations with opaque and transparent motivations, which is interpreted as a sign of an ancient origin and the fact that their original values have been well preserved in concepts denoting ‘a part of space’. Relying on the logical linguistic method, the paper seeks to demonstrate that, in the sphere of denomination, these suffixes form two polarized subcategories of words-concepts, i.e. they denote two types of quantitative objects. The formations containing -ica represent entities of d e f i n i t e dimensions (in one or two dimensions) and extent (‘river’, ‘road’, ‘the direction of observation’,‘parts of a landscape within easily conceivable limits’: ponornica, ulica, Belica; nizbrdica, ornica, Gnjilavica, Rajkovica), whereas the formations including -ina denote entities of i n d e f i n i t e dimensions and boundaries (‘multidimensional extent without perceptible or easily conceivable boundaries’: dolina, planina, Proćepina, Posavina, Hercegovina). These differences explain why -ina is more frequent in geographical terminology, whereas -ica is somewhat more common in toponymy. In the conclusion, the author suggests that distinction between the “one-dimensional” and the “multi-dimensional” may be universal in character.

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