E. A. Aybabina Institute of Language, Literature and History, Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, Russian Federation, ajbabina.evgenya@yandex.ru
O. I. Nekrasova Institute of Language, Literature and History, Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, Russian Federation, lesik3108@yandex.ru
ABSTRACT
Introduction: the article presents the results of the semantic-motivational analysis of lexical units nominating a healer and a sorcerer in the Komi-Zyryan language, in comparison with lexical equivalents in Russian folk dialects.
Objective: to research in the onomasiological aspect the names of the circle of persons with sacred knowledge in the Komi language.
Research materials: nominative units recorded in published and handwritten dictionaries of the Komi-Zyryan language and a number of other Finno-Ugric languages, in scientific papers on Komi mythology, as well as data from folklore collections and etymological dictionaries.
Results and novelty of the research: in the article, the first study of the names of people with supernatural abilities from the point of view of semantic and word-formation structure has been conducted. A total of 69 names (with phonetic and word-formation variants) have been analyzed, including both original lexical units and borrowed from Russian folk dialects. In quantitative terms, the group of original names significantly predominates. The available material does not allow us to assert that the Komi language has a clear differentiation of the images of a healer and a sorcerer, since a significant part of the names can designate both key figures among people with supernatural abilities. Most of the names indicate the magical practices used by the and their possession of special knowledge and skills.
Key words: Komi-Zyryan language, dialectisms, principles of nomination, sacred knowledge, healer, sorcerer
Acknowledgments: the publication was prepared as part of the implementation of the state task of the Federal Research Center of the Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the state registration number of the project is FUUU-2021- 0008 “Permian languages in the linguocultural space of the European North and the Urals”.
For citation: Aybabina E. A., Nekrasova O. I. «“Skillful” and “knowledgeable” in every house»: about the names of healers and sorcerers in the Komi language // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2025; 15 (4/63): 618–627.