Archive
2012 year, issue 5 read »
«Narodoznavchi Zoshyty» 2014 year, issue 4 read »
«Narodoznavchi Zoshyty» 2017 year, issue 2 read »
The Ethnology Notebooks. 2021. #5 (161). P. 1033– DOI... read »

« 2026. # 1 (187)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2026. № 1 (187), 248—257

UDK 94(477.43)”14/19″:811.161.2’373.21

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

The date the article was first submitted to the publication 15.12.2025

The date the article was accepted for publication after review 13.01.2026

The date of publication (publication)

ORIGIN OF THE TOPONYM «KOTSYUBYNCHIKI» (TERNOPIL REGION): A COMPREHENSIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY

MELNYCHUK Anastasia

  • ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9930-1652
  • Senior Lecturer, Department of Digital Visual Art;
  • Art Critic, Local Cultural Heritage Researcher,
  • National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture,
  • 20 Voznesensky Uzviz St., Kyiv, 04053, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: a.melnychuk@naoma.edu

Abstract. Introduction. The toponyms of Western Ukraine preserve multi-layered linguistic, cultural and historical information that reflects long-term intercultural contacts. The village name Kotsyubynchiki (Ternopil region, Ukraine) is notable for its complex etymological structure shaped by Iranian, Turkic, Slavic and Polish influences.

Problem Statement. Despite the availability of scattered archival, archaeological and linguistic data, the origin of the toponym Kotsyubynchiki has not yet been systematically reconstructed using a multidisciplinary approach. Previous studies refer to partial linguistic interpretations without correlating them with cultural, archaeological and cartographic evidence.

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to reconstruct the genesis of the toponym Kotsyubynchiki by combining archaeological materials, written sources of the 15th—19th centuries, historical maps and comparative linguistic analysis.

Methods. The research applies archaeological analysis (excavation reports and publications on the Iron Age), historical-source analysis (Terebovlia court records, Polish administrative documents, Slownik geograficzny, etc.), cartographic analysis (Beauplan, Jablonowski, Josephine land survey), morphological and comparative-etymological methods based on Slavic, Iranian and Turkic lexical models.

Results. The study reconstructs a multi-stage evolution of the toponym: 1) possible Iranian and Turkic lexical substratum (kōč / kūča / kциe); 2) formation of the Slavic anthroponym Kochuba / Kotsyuba; 3) transformation into the settlement name Kotsyubyntsi in the 15th century; 4) emergence of the derivative form Kotsyubynchiki in the 16th century within the Polish administrative tradition. The results demonstrate the multicultural nature of Podillia’s toponyms and correlate linguistic transformations with archaeological and historical processes.

Conclusion. The toponym Kotsyubynchiki represents a multilayered cultural phenomenon that integrates Iranian, Turkic and Slavic linguistic components, later fixed in Polish and Soviet-Ukrainian administrative practice. The research confirms the continuity of settlement on this territory from the Iron Age and provides a comprehensive model for studying regional toponyms through interdisciplinary methods.

Keywords: Kotsyubynchiki; toponyms; anthroponyms; Po-dillia; Iranian substratum; Turkic substratum; Slavic languages; historical maps; archaeological heritage; etymology.

REFERENCES

  • Bandrivskyi, V.M. (2004). Archaeological excavations of the «Rozbyta Mohyla» site (Podillia): Cultural finds of the Scythian period (Pp. 45—48). Ternopil [in Ukra-inian].
  • Bandrivskyi, V. (2008). Burials of the 6th—5th centuries BC discovered in Ternopil region. Gazeta.ua. Retrieved from: https://gazeta.ua/articles/life/_pohovannya-viindashvi-stolit-do-ne-znajshli-na-ternopilschini/248552 [in Ukrainian].
  • Beyer, K. (1859). Photographic album of the exhibition of antiquities and art monuments. Warszawa [in Polish].
  • Janusz, B. (1918). Prehistoric monuments of Eastern Galicia. Lwow [in Polish].
  • Krushelnytska, L.I. (1985). Interrelations of the population of Prykarpattia and Volyn according to archaeological materials. Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Bandrivskyi, M. (2009). The sanctuary of Ares in Kotsiubynchky: New materials on the religious practices of the Scythian period (Pp. 113—126). Lviv [in Ukrainian].
  • Saag, L., Utevska, O., & Zadnikov, S. (2025). North Pontic crossroads… Science Advances. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr0695
  • (2025, October 20). Florida Center for Instructional Technology. Maps ETC. Retrieved from: https://etc.usf.edu/maps
  • (2025). AntiqueMapsAndPrints.com. Historical maps collection. Retrieved from: https://www.antiquemapsandprints.com
  • Vasmer, M. (1986). Russian etymological dictionary (Vol. 1). Heidelberg [in German].
  • Jakobson, R. (1962). Selected writings (Vol. I: Phonological studies). The Hague.
  • Adventure, Iran. (2025). Kooch (Nomadic migration). Retrieved from: https://www.adventureiran.com/kooch/
  • Asatrian, G.S. (2010). Etymological dictionary of Persian. Leiden.
  • Shakibi, G. (2007). A concise etymologic dictionary of the Persian language. Tehran.
  • (2025). Glosbe. ko‘cha. Retrieved from: https://glosbe.com/uz/en/ko%27cha.
  • (2025). IndifferentLanguages.com. Comparison of Uzbek «ko‘-cha». Retrieved from: https://www.indifferentlanguages.com/translate/uzbek-english/ko%27cha
  • (2025). Glosbe. Uyghur-English Dictionary. Retrieved from: https://glosbe.com/ug/en/%D9%83%DB%-87%-DA%86%DB%95
  • (2020). Qazaq tilinin tusindirme sozdigi. Kazakh explanatory dictionary. Nur-Sultan. Retrieved from: https://sozdikqor.kz/ [in Kazakh].
  • (2025). Glosbe. Kazakh-English Dictionary. Retrieved from: https://glosbe.com/kk/en/%D0%BA%D3%A9%-D1%88%D0%B5
  • (2025). Glosbe. «goc». Retrieved from: https://glosbe.com/tr/ku/g%C3%B6%C3%A7
  • Nisanyan, S. (2025). Nisanyan Dictionary. Retrieved from: https://nisanyansozluk.com/kelime/k%C3%B6%-C5%9Fe [in Turkish]
  • Clauson, G. (1972). An etymological dictionary of pre-thirteenth-century Turkish (Pp. 713—714). Oxford.
  • Beauplan, G.L. V. de. (1648). General delineation of the desert plains. Gdansk [in French].
  • Jablonowski, A. (1889). Map of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of 1564. Warszawa [in Polish].
  • Klisiewicz, A. (2010). Place names of Ternopil region. Krakow. Retrieved from: https://rep.up.krakow.pl/ [in Polish].
  • Syrotiuk, O., & Uniiat, V. (2014). Ternopil region: History of towns and villages (Vol. 2). Ternopil [in Ukrainian].
  • Czapla, A. (2024). The image of the former Husiatyn County in the light of place names. Slavia Orientalis (Pp. 191—209) [in Polish].
  • Syrotiuk, O., & Uniiat, V. (2014). Ternopil region: History of towns and villages (Vol. 3). Ternopil [in Ukrainian].
  • (2025). The Instytute of regional studios im. Dyvakova NANU. Books on the history of settlements of Ternopil region. Retrieved from: https://irp.te.ua/knygy-z-istoriyi-naselenyh-punktiv-ternopilshhyny/ [in Ukrainian].
  • (1973). Istoryko-terytorialnyi slovnyk URSR. Historical-territorial dictionary of the Ukrainian SSR. Kyiv: URE [in Ukrainian].
  • Turk Duniasi Ansiklopedisi Vakfi. (n. d.). Ottoman Empire. Retrieved from: https://turkdunyasiansiklopedisi.gov.tr/detay/7367/Osmanli-Devleti [in Turkish].
Our authors
Olena Nykorak. Senior Researcher, Doctor of Arts read »
Yaroslav Taras. Head of Department, Professor, Doctor... read »
Ulana Movna. Senior Research Fellow, Ph.D. in History. read »
Stepan Pavluk. Prof., full member of NAS of Ukraine,... read »
Daily bread baking of ukrainians in the south-western ethnographical region at the late XIX to early XXI cc.
The paper has dealt with analytic study in prescriptions, signs, customs, methods, ways of selection, procurement and some peculiarities in usage of subsidiary means — water, firewood and leaves in bread baking. The final aim of the mentioned actions had been (and still is) selection of the means and ingredients fit, by their characteristics, for the backing of bread. The paper has demonstrated dependence of bread backing subsi­diary means criteria from the folk nutritional standards and world outlook stereotypes as well as from regional social and economic, natural and geographical factors and peculiarities of material culture.
Read »

Wax candle as ukrainian Christmas and epiphany ritualistic text
For the first time in native ethnology the article has brought some results of special study in sign functionality of a wax candle under the context of Ukrainian Christmas and Epiphany ritualistic text (ritualism of Christmas Eve, New Year, Epiphany Eve and Feast of Epiphany). The study has stated extremely high semiotic position of a wax candle as projection of Sun, mediator between the spheres of sacral and prophane elements, symbolic analogue of human existence, apotropy, cultural symbol re-establishing borders of acculturated space.
Read »

On bessarabian and moldavian ukrainians in the studies of historical ethnography
The article has thrown some light upon a sum of scientific findings got during XIX to XXI cc. in historio-ethnographic studies of Bessarabia and Moldavian Ukrainians. In the pre­sent paper has been given author’s answer to the problem of lacking progress as for the numerous themes concerning Ukrainians. State and achievements of the research-works in Ukrainians’ material and spiritual culture by the scientists of Moldavia and Ukraine through the years of independence has been exposed.
Read »

On field exploration of russian and belarusian ethnologists and etnolinguists in Ukrainian Polisia 1945—1980s
In the study based on a wide range of literary materials have been comprehensively characterised field research in Polisia of Ukraine, performed by Russian and Belarusian ethnologists during 1945—1980s as well as Moscow ethnolinguists and other researchers from ethnologic centres of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in the course of realization of Ethnolinguistic Atlas of Polisia program. Particular attention has been paid to geography, methods, themes and research results of scientific projects.
Read »