FLORIDA CENTRAL CITY SIZE AND TOPONYMIC DEPENDENCY

Abstract

The analysis of place names continues to intrigue those whose task it is to explain human use of space, and toponymic investigations are evident in the   geographic literature. A sample of recent articles illustrates this. David Sopher (1978) claims "an old tradition" in his analysis of the "cosmic structuring of space" from a toponymic point of view. Guest and Lee (1983) examine the acceptance factor of locality names which had no political or municipal recognition. The influence of politics on recent place-names changes is evident in analyses of nations as far apart as Iran and Vanuatu (Rodman and Rodman 1985; Lewis 1982). Less recently, customary usage of both generic and specific names has been investigated by Zelinsky (1976) with regard to cemeteries, and also by Zelinsky (1962) with regard to landforms, towns, stores, and streets. Further J each issue of Canadian Geographic magazine includes a column on Canadian place names and their origins.