地名志或地名研究(Toponymy)属于历史语言学范畴。历史语言学家就是研究地名来源的。美国内务部曾汇集了一批能干的语言学家,成立了专门机构,对美国的地名来源进行研究,给以准确的解释。在美国的地名中,一半以上始源于印第安语。其余的始源于欧洲,如纪念皇帝皇后,或某一特殊地 Toponymy belongs to the category of historical linguistics. Historical linguists are the source of the study of place names. The U.S. Department of the Interior has brought together a group of competent linguists and set up a specialized agency to study the source of geographical names in the United States and give an accurate explanation. More than half of American place names originate in Indian. The rest originated in Europe, such as commemorating the emperor’s emperor, or a special place