EVALUATION OF SETTLEMENT NAMES IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHICAL IN KAHTA DISTRICT

Abstract

The purpose of this research, whichdeals with settlement names within Kâhta district boundaries, is to examine the relationship between settlement names and geographical location in terms of geographical principles. In this research,revealing the old and new names from the past, determining what settlement names mean and stressing the geographical elements that affect the meaning of these names is studied.In the research field, in addition to Kâhta, 2 towns, 96 villages, and 98 districts connected to these villages, a total of 196 settlements have been identified. The settlements (%40) in the research field take their names from the Human characteristics of the environment. Except these settlements, the rate of settlement takes their names from Natural characteristics is %33 and these takes from Economical activities is %14. The other settlement names have a rate of %13. Among the settlements that take their names from Natural characteristics, topography is the highest rate (%43). When the settlements takes their names from Human characteristics are examined with the subtitles, the highest rate (%47) belongs to the settlements that takes their names from big families and tribes. When examined in terms of systematic sorting of geographical sciences, among the settlements take their names from Economical activities, Agricultural activities based names have the biggest rate (%61). The number of settlements named the other settlement names are 25. 14 of these (%56) are in the group that has a meaning while 11 of these (%44) are in the group that meaning of which is still unknown.