Anthroponymy of the Bialystok region in the Research of Professor Michal Sajewicz

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the contribution of Michal Sajewicz to the development of research on the contemporary and historical anthroponymy of the Bialystok region. The researcher is a well-known and respected linguist, scientifically associated with the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. The Slavist published a monograph and 28 scientific articles on anthroponymy. This study shows that the Professor's interests focus on the following categories of personal names: first names, surnames, nicknames and marytonyms, from the area of the present Hajnówka district in the Podlasie voivodeship. On the basis of analysis of the Linguist's research achievements, it can be concluded that the subjects of his detailed onomastic investigations are: 1) first names of Kleszczele and surrounding villages residents in the 16th-18th centuries, 2) first names of graduates of the Secondary School with the Belarusian Language of Teaching in Hajnówka from the 50's to the 90's of the 20th century, 3) patronymics surnames with a formant -uk in the Hajnówka district 4 ) nicknames of Lewkowo Stare and the surrounding area residents, and 5) names of wives in the Belarusian dialects of the vicinity of Narewka. In his linguistic research, Michal Sajewicz also addresses issues related to history, sociology and religious diversity of the Polish-East Slavic language borderland. Their results were published in the monograph and 28 scientific articles. This text also attempts to show to what extent the historical, geographic, ethnic, religious, cultural and sociological conditions were reflected in the research on the Polish-East Slavic language borderland conducted by the Slavist. The review of Michal Sajewicz’s research achievements presented here allows us to state that he made a significant contribution to research on the anthroponymy of the Bialystok region.