Uma análise descritiva da classificação toponímica em municípios da mesorregião norte maranhense-microrregião dos Lençóis Maranhenses

Abstract

Abstract: Toponymy is a field of study that seeks to understand the processes involved in naming places, highlighting the relationships among language, culture, history, and geographical space. Within this context, the present study focuses on the toponymic classification of the municipalities located in the Northern Maranhão Mesoregion, with emphasis on the Lençóis Maranhenses Microregion. The objective is to carry out a comparative analysis of the municipalities' toponyms, identifying the predominant taxonomic categories and the semantic motivations underlying their denominations. The research is grounded in the studies of Maria Vicentina de Paula do Amaral Dick, particularly her taxonomic proposal for the classification of Brazilian toponyms, as well as in the contributions of scholars who approach Toponymy as an interdisciplinary field concerned with the relationships among language, memory, identity, and territory. Methodologically, this is a qualitative, descriptive, comparative, and documentary study based on bibliographic research and on the analysis of the official names of the municipalities belonging to the Lençóis Maranhenses Microregion. The toponyms were classified according to Dick's taxonomic categories, allowing the identification of the predominant motivations for their formation. The results indicate that the naming of these municipalities is strongly influenced by natural elements, especially hydrographic, botanical, zoological, and geomorphological features, as well as by historical and cultural factors. It is concluded that the analyzed toponyms preserve aspects of collective memory and regional identity, constituting important linguistic and cultural records that reveal the close relationship between communities and the geographical space they inhabit.