Names tell us something about

The way in which man names geographical objects (environmental entities) reflects how he thinks and lives and what his psychological disposition and subconscious mind produces in his daily contact with universal semantic domains like entities, events, abstract concepts and the relationships between these domains (Meiring 1993, click here to download article).

Different research approach

• Synchronous
• Diachronous

A synchronous research approach studies all names that were in use in a society at a specific time) see next page (#8), sea name categories. A diachronous approach looks at the development-changes in the use of names over time (see page 9, sea naming periods).