The Russian language is replete with many rules that regulate the correct use and spelling of words. But besides this, a literate person should be able to decline various words. This topic usually raises many questions and doubts not only among schoolchildren, but also among adults. It is especially difficult for most people to decline their own names, surnames, geographical names. We will talk about this today in our article.
Toponyms: what are they?
Declination of geographical names is subject to certain rules that you just need to know by heart. Otherwise, you will find a lot of curious cases that will characterize you from a not very good side in front of friends or colleagues.
Quite often, speaking about the declension of geographical names in Russian, weWe mean toponyms. This term refers to all geographic identifiers in general. This word came to us from the ancient Greek language, it was formed from two different words, meaning "place" and "name" in translation. Now in many information sources the word "toponyms" is used.
Where can I see the rules for declining toponyms?
Of course, in order to properly inflect geographical names, it is necessary not only to know the rule, but also to apply it to the place. After all, quite often even a person who considers himself literate doubts the spelling of a particular word. In this case, special dictionaries will help you, by which you can check the declension of geographical names. Rosenthal Ditmar Elyashevich, for example, created an excellent assistant for schoolchildren of all ages - the Dictionary of the Difficulties of the Russian Language. Adults who want to improve their literacy can also use this wonderful guide.
Types of toponyms
Before diving into the topic called "Declination of Place Names", it's worth finding out what toponyms are. After all, this significantly changes the rules for their declination. At the moment, the following types of toponyms are distinguished in Russian:
- Slavic - these include native Russian names or those that have long been mastered in the Russian language;
- compound - this type of toponyms usually consists of two words;
- namesrepublics;
- foreign language - similar names have their own categories, each of which has a separate declension rule.
Rules for declension of Slavic toponyms
The declension of geographical names with Slavic roots follows a simple rule: the name always agrees with the word applied to it. These words include:
- city;
- village;
- village;
- street, etc.
In these cases, the toponym is put in the declension of the defining word. For example, you will always say "in the city of Samara" and "in the city of Moscow". Please note that the defining word "city" almost always inflects the next toponym. This also applies to exceptions. These include the following cases:
- do not decline toponyms that have a different gender with a defining word (for example, it would be correct to say - on Lake Salekhard);
- Most often, plural toponyms are not subject to declension (for example, in the village of Topotishchi).
If we are talking about street names, then there are rules for declining geographical names. The feminine toponym always agrees with the defined word "street". In the same case, masculine gender names are not declined, and compound toponyms are subject to a similar rule. The following combinations can be cited as an example:
- along Cherry Orchards Street;
- on K altuk Street;
- to Melodichnaya Street.
Toponyms in the form of an adjective are most often declined: on the Yellow River, nearCape Verde etc.
Declination of place names ending in "o", "e"
Adult people for some reason quite often forget about this rule. Unfortunate mistakes happen even among famous TV presenters and journalists. To pass for a literate person, remember that Slavic neuter place names are not declined in Russian. It would be correct to say:
- in the city of Kemerovo;
- near the city of Grodno;
- in the village of Komarkovo.
Oddly enough, but this simple rule always causes a lot of difficulties. Although there is nothing complicated in it, the main thing is to remember the correct spelling.
Toponyms ending in "ov", "ev", "in", "yn": declension rules
The declension of geographical names with endings so common in Russian causes serious confusion. The fact is that the rules for declension of such toponyms have changed more than once over the past decades. Historically, geographical names with the endings "ov", "ev", "in", "yn" were always declined. For example, a house in Ostashkov or a dacha in Mogilev.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, there was a tendency not to inflect such geographical names. This was due to a series of hostilities, when, in order to avoid confusion in the reports, names were used only in the nominative case. The military strove to ensure that toponyms in maps and various orders wereare identical. Over time, this approach began to be considered the norm and even applied on television.
In recent years, journalism has begun to return to the original form of declension of geographical names. But using them in the nominative case is also considered normal and correct.
Compound Slavic toponyms
The declension of geographical names consisting of several words is subject to a certain rule. If we are talking about a complex toponym, then its first part is always declined, regardless of the presence or absence of a defining word. Examples include the following names:
- in Rostov-on-Don;
- in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, etc.
There is one exception to this rule - the name of the city Gus-Khrustalny. The first part of this compound toponym should not decline.
Great confusion is caused by names in which the first part is in the middle gender. According to the rules of the Russian language, it should be subject to mandatory declension, but in recent years there has been a growing tendency for this part to remain unchanged. Therefore, for example, both versions of spelling will be correct: in Orekhovo-Zuev and in Orekhovo-Zuev.
How to decline toponyms - names of republics?
When you don't know how to spell the name of a republic, then remember the rule we'll talk about now. Names ending with "ia" and"her" must agree with the word "republic". For example, "in the Republic of Korea" or "from the Republic of Macedonia". But this rule also has its pitfalls, as, indeed, in many rules of the Russian language.
Official documents exclude the possibility of declension of such names, although journalism applies the usual rule of the Russian language to them. The exception also applies to the Federal Republic of Germany. By agreement between our countries, it was decided not to decline this name.
In all other cases, the name does not agree with the word "republic" and remains in the nominative case.
Foreign toponyms
It is rather difficult for a Russian person to cope with foreign geographical names. It's easier to remember which ones don't bow. So, the list of place names that are not subject to declension includes:
- Finnish names;
- Georgian and Abkhazian (excluding resort names);
- French place names ending in "a";
- compound Italian, Portuguese and Spanish place names;
- administrative-territorial units.
You can decline only names that end in "a" and mastered in Russian. For example, in Verona and from Ankara. French names can be declined only if they have acquired the ending "a" in Russian sounding.
If foreign geographical names end in "e", "s","and", "o", then they are indeclinable. There are many examples of this rule:
- in Tokyo;
- from Mexico City;
- to Santiago.
The exception is the names that in Russian have a plural formed from a foreign word. For example, it is correct to write "in the Himalayas".
Declination of names and surnames
Many believe that the declension of place names and proper names have common rules. This is not entirely true. Of course, the rules have a lot in common, but in fact they are not identical.
Most often, the correct declension of names and surnames, geographical names raises a lot of questions in the spring-summer period, when graduates graduate from school and receive certificates. The incorrect spelling of toponyms and proper names in diplomas is quite common. Knowing the rules of the Russian language will help to avoid these unpleasant moments. Let's look at the main points of the rule.
Declination of standard surnames
It's quite easy to decline standard surnames - they become the right form intuitively. But in the case when the surname was borrowed from a foreign language and ends in "ov", "in", then in the instrumental case it will have the ending "om". For example, the surname Green in the instrumental case would sound like Green.
Often questions arise with the declension of female surnames with the ending "ina". In this case, it all depends on the nominative case of the masculinesurnames. For example, we have Andrey Zhemchuzhina. The surname of his wife Yulia will be declined as a common noun. For example, the things of Yulia Zhemchuzhina. If the husband's name is Andrei Zhemchuzhin, then in this case we will talk about the things of Yulia Zhemchuzhina.
Non-standard surnames: how to decline?
Previously, it was believed that the declension of a surname is primarily influenced by the sex of a person. But in fact, the ending of the surname is the predominant factor here. It is on him that everything depends in the first place.
Do not decline last names ending in:
- "e";
- "and";
- "o";
- "y";
- "s";
- "eh";
- "yu";
- "th";
- "their".
Male surnames ending in a consonant decline. If the surname ends in "I" and this is also preceded by a vowel, then the surname must be declined. In a similar case with the ending "a" the surname is indeclinable.
Of course, the Russian language is not so simple. But if you remember a few of the rules we have listed, you will never blush because of the incorrect spelling of place names and proper names.
