Connotative meanings of ergonyms: analysis of linguistic and cultural connotations of restaurant names in St. Petersburg

The article presents a linguocultural analysis of the connotative meanings of ergonyms in St. Petersburg, particularly the names of restaurants and cafes. The subject of the study is the connotative meanings of ergonyms in St. Petersburg. The object consists of 800 names of restaurants and cafes in the city of St. Petersburg, selected through a continuous sampling method from open internet sources. The purpose of the study is to identify the connotative meanings in the names of restaurants in St. Petersburg from the perspective of linguoculturology. The research is aimed at analyzing how ergonyms reflect the cultural, historical, and social aspects of the city, as well as their role in shaping identities in the context of globalization. The material for the study consisted of the names of 800 restaurants and cafes in St. Petersburg, collected from internet resources. The following methods were applied: descriptive method, continuous sampling method for collecting ergonyms, classificatory analysis to highlight 5 categories of connotative meanings, quantitative counts, and linguocultural interpretation of the connotative meanings of ergonyms. The scientific novelty lies in the systematic analysis of the connotative meanings of ergonyms as a key element of the linguistic picture of the city of St. Petersburg, revealing the connection between nomination, cultural memory, and contemporary sociocultural processes. For the first time, a detailed interpretation of the connotative meanings of ergonyms in St. Petersburg was conducted across five categories. The results showed that the largest category was "Globalization and Intercultural Synthesis" (289 instances), reflecting the adaptation of borrowed elements to the local culture. The category "Gastronomic Pragmatics and Specificity" (183 instances) minimizes cognitive load. The categories "Historical and Cultural References," "Contemporary Cultural Trends and Social Identity," and "Natural Images and Regional Features" are represented in similar numbers (119, 116, and 93 instances respectively). The study confirms that the ergonyms of St. Petersburg shape the "linguistic map" of the city, activating historical, cultural, natural, and gastronomic aspects.

ergonym, commercial names, restaurant names, connotative meanings, Connotation, cultural connotations, urbanonymy, linguocultural analysis, Linguoculturology, Saint Petersburg