POMIĘDZY WSCHODEM A ZACHODEM: DZIEJE TOPONIMÓW ROSYJSKICH W JĘZYKU POLSKIM DO ROKU 1795
Between the East and the West: the history of Russian toponyms in the Polish language until 1795

Summary/Abstract: Names from the area of Ruthenian duchies, which were the origin of Russia, appeared in the consciousness of Polish people as early as in the Middle Ages. The names from Annales… by Dlugossius and from the treatise by Maciej of Miechow indicate the intermediary function of the Ukrainian or Belorussian language (in the relevant literature these are generally called Ruthenian, borderland – East Slavonic influence). The information on Eastern Europe provided in the work by Miechowita revolutionised the geographical awareness of European people and made their author the pioneer of exploring this part of the continent. The Ukrainian influence (which at times overlapped with the Czech influence) is visible also in the chronicle by Bielski, and the Bellorussian influence is evident in Kronika polska… by Stryjkowski. The work by Herberstein has become the primary source of knowledge on Russia since mid-16th century. The geography by Boter provides scarcely any new information. The historical events of the 17th century: Polish-Russian wars, intensive diplomatic contacts, declarations of armistices and eternal peaces have not changed the state of knowledge about Russia provided by historical and geographical works. The nomenclature established in the 16th century preserved its liveliness until the 18th century; it is present both in Świat… by Łubieński and Nowe Ateny… by Chmielowski. The modernisation of the Russian names in the history of the Polish language is either the result of familiarity with the original forms (Stryjkowski) or the application of new papers published in the West (Łubieński, Karpiński, Siarczyński).

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