American place names as the reflection of American mentality
Abstract
The paper is aimed at revealing the American mentality through toponyms. The object of the research are the names of towns and states of the USA with the exception of those of Indian origin. The following questions in the light of cognitive linguistics are analysed: carrying of the names from the native land, the repetitions of one and the same toponym, toponyms based on anthroponyms, toponyms based on common nouns, compound toponyms with atypical construction, abbreviations of place names, unofficial place names, etc. The analysis has revealed the following features of the American mentality: egocentrism of mind, individualism, leadership, superiority, imperial world-and-self-perception, enterprise, love for risk and challenge, independence, breaking of stereotypes, a positive view of the country, dynamism, mobility, devotion to law and truth, lack of hierarchy and official relations in communication, an informal style of interrelation.
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References
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