PLACE-NAMES AND THE SCOTS LANGUAGE: THE MARCHES OF LEXICAL AND ONOMASTIC RESEARCH.

The article focuses on some of the ways in which the study of Scotland's place-names can inform understanding of the early vocabulary of the Scots and English languages. It also attempts to draw attention to some of the questions regarding the relationship between the Scots lexicon and onomasticon. The author hopes to illustrate the need for greater recognition of the Scottish toponymicon as a national resource for early linguistic history. It cites examples of influential reference works on English place-name vocabulary. It discusses the Germanic toponymicon of Southern Scotland.