Materials for the Explanatory Dictionary of the Kalmyk heroic epic Jangar: The case of the lexeme һal

Abstract

This research is a continuation of the works in which the materials of the Explanatory Dictionary of the Kalmyk heroic epic Jangar are tested. The research relevance is caused by necessity of a detailed study of the keywords dictionary and introduction into linguistic circulation of the interpretations previously uncommitted values, and the necessity of research of the national identity of the core cultural concepts in the language picture of the world, for example, one of the basic concepts – concept һal ‘fire’ in the framework of the epic text. The academic novelty of the work is the first attempt of a comprehensive definitional analysis of the a polysemantic lexeme һal and research of the one of the most important nature concepts of the Kalmyk linguistic culture – the concept һal ‘fire’ in the texts of the epic Jangar.

Purpose of the work: 1) definitional analysis of polysemantic lexemes һal included in the Explanatory Dictionary and test entries with a header word һal; 2) lexical-semantic field of the concept һal ‘fire’ on the material of epic texts.

Consideration of the functioning of the lexeme һal on the basis of texts of different time records of the Kalmyk heroic epic Jangar revealed that the texts of the epic recorded the expansion of the main meaning of the lexeme һal (fire) to the other meanings (flame, spark, hearth, fire; in combinations: ulan һal ‘fire’, һal үd ‘noon’).

Thus, there were revealed the meanings of the lexeme hal that were not previously included in the Kalmyk-Russian dictionary of 1977 edition, which is currently the only academic bilingual lexicographic source on the Kalmyk language.

An analysis of the texts of the epic showed that the lexical-semantic field of the concept һal ‘fire’ consists of eleven groups which indicate the various features of the combustion processes; the epic contains fragments confirming the existence of the Kalmyks ancestors cult of fire and hearth. The use of the concept of һal ‘fire’ is revealed both in the positive (home heating and cooking) and negative aspects (impact, destruction by fire). The epic presents a mythological and religious understanding of fire; it is typical to use lexemes related to the lexical and semantic field concept һal ‘fire’, in fixed expressions, comparisons, and proverbs.

In further research, it is proposed to consider the language expression of the concept of hal ‘fire’ in the epics of other Mongolian languages in a comparative aspect and study it in comparison with the other main primary religion – usn ‘water’.

Acknowledgements: The reported study was funded by government subsidy – project name “Oral and Written Heritage of Mongolic Peoples of Russia, Mongolia and China: Cross-Border Traditions and Interactions” (state reg. No. АААА-А19-119011490036-1).

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