For many years, scholars Sabieva E. V. and Kakimova M. E. at the Institute of Language and Literature of the non-profit joint-stock company “M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University” have been engaged in research in the field of onomastics within a regional context. At present, the main focus of their work is directed towards interdisciplinary research in this field, taking into account the ethnocultural characteristics of the region. Their research is devoted to the investigation of the toponymic landscape of the border territories of Northern Kazakhstan. The scholars have developed an extensive database of toponymic materials, which enables them to trace the historical settlement areas of the Kazakh population in the border regions through the prism of place names. They also propose a multilevel model that integrates linguistic, socio-psychological, and cultural approaches in order to identify migrants’ historical memory, ethnic perception, and language behavior.
In addition, they collect the place names of their region and trace them on the basis of analyzing their development over time. The results of the study demonstrate that place names are not only the elements of the linguistic worldview but also the essential components of cultural and historical heritage. Quantitative analysis of these objects has allowed the scientists to identify characteristic features of each North Kazakhstan Region district and to determine their cultural-historical and ethnographic significance.
Sabieva E.V. and Kakimova M.E. consider that the obtained toponymic data may serve as a new informational basis for the study of cultural heritage and for the teaching process in conducting some academic disciplines in this particular research field. The methodological guidelines that have been developed are aimed at the socio-cultural adaptation of young people, constituting a significant outcome for applied sociology, the field of education, and linguodidactics.
Their research also extends to the toponymic landscape of the border regions of Northern Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, revealing a distinctive ethno-linguistic picture shaped by centuries of migration and intercultural contact. To identify geographical names, the scholars employ methods of linguistic attribution, inventorying, and systematization, as well as historical-comparative and descriptive analytical approaches.
The results obtained by Sabieva E. V. and Kakimova M. E. have been published in highly indexed international journals, including:
1. ASSESSMENT OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF USING SACRED SITES AND THE NATURAL AND RECREATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THE NORTH KAZAKHSTAN REGION FOR THE FORMATION OF TOURIST ROUTES// GEOJOURNAL OF TOURISM AND GEOSITES, vol. 54, pp. 821–830, 2024.
2. Local Features of the Turkic Toponymic Vocabulary in the Language Landscape of the Northern Kazakhstan // Xlinguae, Vol. 18, Issue 2, April 2025. https://doi.org/10.18355/XL.2025.18.02.09
3. Ethnolanguage Picture of the Toponymic Landscape of the Border Area of the North Kazakhstan Region and the Russian Federation// RUDN Journal of Language Theory, Semiotics and Semantics, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 1191–1214. https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-2299-2024-15-4-1191-1214
Over the past two years, scholars have also published two monographs and three teaching-methodological manuals, prepared and issued the following collections: “Physical-Geographical Maps on the Toponymy of the North Kazakhstan Region”, “Collection of Sources on the Historical Toponymy of Northern Kazakhstan and Southern Siberia”, and “Regional Toponymic Dictionary of the North Kazakhstan Region”.
The results of their research are regularly shared with international onomasticians at global dialogue platforms. Sabieva E.V and Kakimova M.E. have participated in the 28th International Congress of Onomastic Sciences under the auspices of the International Council of Onomastic Sciences (ICOS) (Helsinki, Finland), the 5th International Scientific Aleksandras Vanagas’ Conference “Language and Culture Dialogue in 21st Century Onomastics” (Vilnius, Lithuania), and the Pedagogical Forum (Bursa, Turkey). Additionally, they completed an international scientific internship in the field of “Ethnocultural and Linguodidactic Features of Toponymic Nomination” at Bursa Uludağ University, Turkey.
Scholars Sabieva E. V. and Kakimova M. E. are permanent members of the International Council of Onomastic Sciences (ICOS) and continue to conduct their research in line with current trends in the field of onomastic studies.
The 5th International Scientific Aleksandras Vanagas’ Conference “Language and Culture Dialogue in 21st Century Onomastics” (Vilnius, Lithuania),
“Ethnocultural and Linguodidactic Features of Toponymic Nomination” at Bursa Uludağ University, Turkey.
The 28th International Congress of Onomastic Sciences under the auspices of the International Council of Onomastic Sciences (ICOS) (Helsinki, Finland).