Abstract: the article “On the origin of toponyms «Shat» and «Shet-kala»” is devoted to the study of geographical names and etymology of the toponyms «Shat» and its forms of existence. It is known that the toponymy as a factor in the study of the past and present of our region attracts particular interest to linguists, historians, literary scholars and local historians. Relevance of the research lies in the fact that the collected material in one work will be of great value in the study of the history of the North Caucasus. The object of study served as toponym «Shat» as the name of Mount Elbrus, mentioned in Lermontov’s poem “Dispute”. The information given in the article will help to enrich the knowledge of toponymy as the science of geographical names, adjust the materials on toponymy «Shat» and identify their characteristics. The study used a method to description, search, analysis and comparison of the studied materials. The study of the origin of toponyms, their attachment to the language, the language identification of the contained elements allows you to do a language (and through it also ethnic) identity.

Keywords: toponym, poem, geographical terms, the historical literature, component, informant, hydronym, streamflow separation, gorge, dialect, literary language