Old Polish Names of Units of Area in Polish Toponymy

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of toponyms derived from Old Polish units of land measurement, such as łan, morga, and włóka. The aim of the study is to present their origins and formal-semantic structure, as well as to indicate their cultural-historical functions in the context of agricultural economy and settlement. These names document historical measurement systems, methods of land parceling, and the organization of rural space, serving as relics of former agrarian terminology. The diachronic and typological-structural analysis is based on lexical material from the Dictionary of Old Polish and toponymic data from the onomasticon Place Names of Poland. The mechanisms by which measurement terminology penetrated the naming system, as well as the regional variation of the examined names, are discussed. Attention is drawn to the conservative character of toponymy, which facilitates the preservation of traces of former agrarian systems. The analyzed toponyms constitute a valuable source for reconstructing the historical socio-economic landscape. They are also an element of local cultural memory, retaining an identificatory function despite the disappearance of the units of measurement. The article emphasizes their significance for onomastic, historical, and ethnolinguistic research.