Nomination of «cherished» holidays in Russian regional dialects
Abstract
The article is aimed at analyzing the names of cherished holidays in Russian folk dialects, and describing the key features of the concept of «cherished holiday» in the dialect language picture of the world. The group of cherished holidays is clearly distinguished in the Russian national consciousness. This is expressed in the opposition zavetnyj prazdnik — postorónnij prazdnik, which reflects the opposition of ‘own’ and ‘alien’ By using the methods of semantic, word-formation, etymological and lexicographic analysis, the author identifies the motivating features that underlie the names of these holidays as well as their significance in the cultural context. The name of cherished holidays in the Russian vernacular reveals the key features of this concept. These include a functional aspect that reflects the reason for their occurrence (a covenant or vow to God or the saints), as well as the main ritual activities (church services, collective motifs, religious processions; collective meals and treats, feasts-sacrifices, with beer being an essential component, which was often brewed by rural communities). Additionally, the holidays have a communal nature, characterized by collective magic based on the spirit of togetherness. In cherished holidays we observe a combination of Christian and pagan traditions. The effective power of cherished holidays is based on pagan collective magic, on the one hand, and on Christian prayer, on the other.
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