SCOTT@orcl_11g> CREATE TABLE places_1
  2    (eng_name  VARCHAR2 (30))
  3  /

Table created.

SCOTT@orcl_11g> INSERT ALL
  2  INTO places_1 VALUES ('sumwhere')
  3  INTO places_1 VALUES ('nowhere')
  4  SELECT * FROM DUAL
  5  /

2 rows created.

SCOTT@orcl_11g> CREATE INDEX places_1_eng_name_idx
  2  ON places_1 (eng_name)
  3  INDEXTYPE IS CTXSYS.CTXCAT
  4  /

Index created.

SCOTT@orcl_11g> SELECT * FROM places_1
  2  WHERE  CATSEARCH (ENG_NAME, '?somewhere', null) > 0
  3  /

no rows selected

SCOTT@orcl_11g> SELECT * FROM places_1
  2  WHERE  CATSEARCH
  3  	     (ENG_NAME,
  4  	      '<query>
  5  		 <textquery grammar="CONTEXT">?somewhere</textquery>
  6  	       </query>',
  7  	      null) > 0
  8  /

ENG_NAME
------------------------------
sumwhere

SCOTT@orcl_11g>