About toponyms with “Quèn” in Vietnam

Abstract

This article examines Vietnamese toponyms containing the element Quèn through an interdisciplinary lens. The collected linguistic, historical, archaeological, and geographical sources suggest that interpreting the meaning and tracing the origin of the toponym Quèn presents considerable complexity. The article further proposes that this toponym be investigated from the perspective of language contact, identifying this approach as a promising direction for future research toward formulating a hypothesis about its origin.