Urbanonyms-periphrases of the city of Smolensk in the semantic field “war”

In modern domestic linguistics, there are many works dedicated to the study of the figurative meaning of the word. However, periphrases more functioning in oral speech are not sufficiently studied. Of particular interest are proper names that reflect the peculiarities of the worldview of people who are the creators of onyms. At present, the study of periphrastic urbanonyms is particularly relevant, as the study of their semantics makes it possible to better understand the specifics of the citizens’ language and their worldview. We consider the informal names of inner-city objects of Smolensk, which belong to the semantic field “war”, which is due to the strategic position of the hero city. We give the definition of periphrasis and the mechanism of its occurrence in oral communication. The material of the study, which are the unofficial Smolensk urbanonyms in the semantic field “war”, is thematically divided and also sorted, resulting in the allocation of periphrastic names. We analyze the peculiarities of urbanonyms-periphrases in terms of structure and semantics. New empirical material is introduced into the scientific circulation, which makes it possible to draw objective and reliable conclusions on the nature of the nomination of inner-city military and civilian objects and the attitude of the population towards military actions and military society. The material of the study can be used both in military education and in the optional course of onomastics in a civil university.