Place-name changes in different periods with different effects: some examples from the Emilia area

The subject of the present work consists of some considerations about the place-name changes in various backgrounds and periods in Emilia. The choice of the region originates from the direct knowledge of its landscape history and dynamics by the author, who may therefore compare place names with geo-morphological, political, social, economic and cultural events. Only this basic culture, with the acquaintance of local dialects, allows identifying the origin of place names and the cause of their changes. Place names were selected as connected with the traces of Roman land surveying along the via Emilia, where a specific place name has lost its original meaning after a long time and has been turned by people into another place name with a more recognisable meaning. Another particular case is the Cimone mount’s (northern Appennine) name that went through many changes in the course of time with different meanings connected with evolving custom of the local populations. The third example was found out from recent events and consists in a vain attempt of transforming an urban place name. It is found that when place-names changes originate naturally from a choice made by the people, the change is commonly acknowledged, whereas imposed changes have proved generally unsuccessful.