THE ORIGIN OF POTAMONIMY THE EASTERN PART OF THE UPPER DNIEPER
The paper substantiates the need to use information both historical and geographical and linguistic to establish the origin of the potamonyms of the upper Dnieper basin. Natural and cultural features of the upper Dnieper are described. The priority role of the names of small rivers in the study of the origin of toponyms of large regions to exclude clearly erroneous options is justified. Fixing in the names of small rivers key aspects of life and priority objects of the economy is considered as evidence of selectivity of emphasis in the perception of the landscape by local residents. The examples of the origin of the potamonyms, taking into account the peculiarities of nature, population and economy of the upper Dnieper basin in different intervals of historical time, are described. The cases of inconsistency with some common interpretations of the origin of the names of the rivers features of the landscape and specialisation of environmental management. The prospects of etymological search in the upper Dnieper basin are outlined