The functionality of class-numerical indicators in suffixes of adjectives of the Dargin languages

This article examines the class-numerical indicators functioning in the suffixes of adjectives of the Dargin languages that belong to the Nakh-Daghestanian language family. The relevance of this topic lies in the fact that these languages have rich morphological system; however, many grammatical categories are yet to be studied. The goal of this work is to determine the etymology of suffix indicator -ch-b (-v,- p), which forms the adjectives and contains an Aslaut changing class indicator. For achieving the set goal, the article employs comparative-historical analysis and descriptive method; for collecting verbal material of various idioms – the methods of field linguistics. The novelty consists in the fact that this attributivizer is analyzed from the comparative-historical perspective in the Dargin studies for the first time. It is established that the morpheme under review is formed from the short form of the adverb of place chedi (ch-) “upwards”. In  the Dargin languages, it functions in form of the essive comprised by affixing class indicators to the lative form. With evolution of the language, this morpheme has been grammaticalized. The acquired results can be applied in preparing comparative-historical grammar of the Dargin languages, teaching the course of the Dargin literary language, as well as in typological research.

The systems of demonstrative pronouns and derivative adverbs in the Dargin languages

This article is examines the demonstrative pronouns and derivative adverbs in a number of the Dargin languages and dialects. The Dargin languages have a rich deictic system that helps the native speakers to navigate in the severe conditions of mountain terrain, and found its reflection in pronouns and spatial adverbs. Recent changes observed in the traditional way of life of highlanders, along with the migration processes, lead to extinction of this layer of lexicon. The problem of early documentation and research of locative adverbs retains its relevance. The goal of this article lies in comparative analysis of the systems of demonstrative pronouns and spatial adverbs in different Dargin idioms. For achieving the set goal, the article employs descriptive methods and methods of field linguistics. This article is first to conduct the comparative analysis of locative adverbial form, which defines its scientific novelty. As a result, description is given to the deictic systems of pronouns and adverbs in the Akushin, Urakhin, Kajtak, Sanzhin and Itsari idioms. It is established that most Dargin idioms feature two forms of demonstrative pronouns, which differ depending on the visibility or vastness of the object. Various affixes allow forming spatial adverbs that can function in one of the local cases – lative, directive, essive, or elative. The obtained results can be valuable in preparing comparative-historical grammar of the Dargin languages.

For what reason does Raskolnikov laugh?

This article analyzes the resources of application of computer technologies for the purpose of visualization of the text semantic field “laughter”. The concept of “laughter” holds a special place in the works of F. M. Dostoevsky, as well as in one of the central semantic fields in the text semantic space of the novel “Crime and Punishment”. Examination of the semantic field within the space of a particular literary text allows determining the peculiarities of the authorial thesaurus within the structure of his linguistic identity. The subject of this article is the concept of “laughter” as the core of the corresponding text semantic field; determination of saturation of the text with the words belonging to a certain semantic field. Despite the fact that multiple questions related to the theory of semantic field are well studied, the scholars take interests in studying the linguistic material, denoted in field linguistics, namely development of the techniques for visualization of the semantic  network through creating cloud tags, semantic text markup, synoptic patterns, rendering, etc. The article offers one of the techniques – visualization based on construction of a plot using a specifically developed computer software. The graphic image illustrates the distribution of units of the semantic field “laughter” in the novel, which enables new interpretations of the content of Dostoevsky’s novel.

Toponyms as a Gateway to Society

Abui is a Papuan language spoken in Alor Island, South-East Indonesia. Although there are rich studies on the Abui language and its structure, research on Abui toponymy, which aids the understanding of language, culture, and society, deserves greater attention. This paper analyzes features of Abui society through Abui toponyms collected using Field Linguistics and Language Documentation methods. It finds that, because place names communicate valuable information on peoples and territories, Abui toponyms reflect the agrarian lifestyle of Abui speakers and, more broadly, the close relationship that the people have with their landscape. Furthermore, Abui toponyms express positive traits in the Abui culture like kinship ties and bravery. Notwithstanding, like other pre-literate and indigenous societies, oral stories are commonly used to explain how places are named. This paper augments the existing Abui toponymic studies on the connection between names and the places they name and provides a deeper understanding of the Abui language, culture, and society.

CAUSATIVE CONSTRUCTION IN ASAHAN MALAY LANGUAGE: MORPHOLOGICAL CAUSATIVE ANALYSIS

This study attempts to describe morphological causative in Asahan Malay Language (AML). This research employed qualitative approach. This study followed the steps of data collection and data analysis. The data of this research were obtained through field linguistics method which covered direct elicitation, recording, and elicitation checking. The classified data were clarified with the native speakers of this language to improve the reliability of the data. From the analysis, it can be concluded that morphological causative construction in AML implies that the meaning of cause and effect. It is indicated by the use of suffix –kan and -i. In addition, causative markers of –kan and –i in AML can be attached to verbs, adjectives, nouns, and numerals.

Phraseological units as means of expressing the emotivity in the Tatar language

Systematization and description of the arsenal of linguistic means of expressing emotions represent one of the major tasks for linguistics that returns nowadays to the theory of Wilhelm von Humboldt, which in the early XIXth century appealed to study the language in close connection with individual speakers. A logical interest of the researchers to the processes of manifestation of emotions in the language has resulted in the formation of a new scientific field – linguistics of emotions aimed at the emotional environment of the language. In the Tatar language human emotions are verbalized mostly by the phraseological units representing various mental states of a person, one’s inner world. Studying means of expressing emotive vocabulary illustrated by the phraseological units provides an opportunity to present the whole complex of means of the language and the speech, as well as contribute to understanding the mentality and psychology of a Tatar language person. This article covers the Tatar phraseological units expressing negative connotation. The theme group “anger” represents the object of research. The authors have studied the emotional and appraisal semantics of the given group of phraseological units and attempted the revealing the specificity of the way of thinking and the worldview of the Tatar people. The analysis revealed that the phraseological units of the studied group are characterized by a great diversity of lexical, semantic, emotional and appraisal aspects. The emotional and appraisal volume of the phraseological units varies depending on the emotional state of the speaker and on his attitude to the addressee. Cultural and connotative semantics of the phraseological units is closely connected to the Tatar people’s worldview which has formed and has been enriched throughout the life experience.

Construction with adverbial participle clauses in the Kadar language

This article is dedicated to examination of polypredicative constructions formed by means of adverbial participle clause in one of the non-written languages of Dargin group – the Kadar language. The goal of this work is to describe the preterite adverbial participles used in formation of circumstantial subordinate clauses, study the problems of co-reference, and establish the key factors that affect the reduction of the co-referential element or its substitution with demonstrative pronoun. Main attention is turned to determination of grammatically correct constructions with adverbial participle clauses with co-referential element. The article employs the methods of synchronic description and field linguistics. The research material was accumulated during the 2019 expedition to Kadar rural localities of Karamakhi and Chankurbe of Buynaksky District of the Republic of Dagestan. The novelty consists in the fact that this work is first to examine the problems of co-reference in constructions with adverbial participle clauses, identification of factors that affect the reduction or substitution of co-referential element,  as well as determination of all grammatically correct sentences with adverbial participle clause that function in polypredicative constructions of the Kadar language. For solution of this problem, the author created the tables that considered the semantic role of predicate actants of superordinate and subordinate parts, position of subordinate part in relation to superordinate part, and the proximity of subordinate part to co-referential element in superordinate part in the compound sentence. As a result, the author establishes the positions with most and least grammatically correct constructions. The presented materials can be used in studying this type of compound sentences in other Dargin and Dagestanian languages.

Accomplished works and facts

There are different traditions that focus on ‘capturing’ endangered languages such as field linguistics and documentary linguistics. They position themselves somewhat differently to the language or practices they aim to represent, their user community(/ies), and the nature of the enterprise. Focusing on aspects such as research goals, methods, outcomes, and agents, this chapter examines the similarities and differences between these traditions to uncover their ideological underpinnings based on an assessment of (classic) training manuals or guides. Despite critical voices and changes in these traditions, both remain preoccupied with amassing data to feed Northern scientific activities, notions such as objectivity, representativeness, replicability, and, among other things, asymmetries between speakers’ and researchers’ interests are not resolved. Change has not fundamentally transformed the research paradigm on endangered languages, freeing it from its colonial origins, because there is a reluctance among linguists to embrace reflexivity as part of their research process.