Petra Jesenská
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8655-2671 
Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica

Jaromír Krško
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3015-4521 
Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica

https://doi.org/10.4467/K7501.45/22.23.18059

The paper analyses historical and political changes in the linguistic landscape (hereafter LL) using as exemplification the names of streets in Banská Bystrica (hereafter BB) which reflected significant social and political changes that took place in the course of the 20th century. This viewpoint covers a synchronous approach; however, diachrony will be examined too. The LL is documented by means of changes in BB urbanonyms and by means of analysis of historical photographs depicting particular historical periods. Urbanonyms represent a significant part of LL, and compared to other elements, react the most significantly to examined historical and political changes. The dominant political establishment ideologically influences inhabitants, and this is also done by means of official urbanonyms known in LL as top-down signs. Diachronic urbanonymy of BB centre covers naming changes of several streets in the years 1525–2019.

Keywords linguistic landscape, urbanonym, social and political changes