Bakula V. B., Koreneva A. V. A Comparative Analysis of Pomor and Sámi Paremiological Units with a Zoonymic Component (In Russ.)

Posted on 25.09.2026 by editor

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Original article

https://doi.org/10.15507/2076-2577.26183.362-375
https://elibrary.ru/caltrk
УДК / UDC 398.1(1-924.16):81’373

A Comparative Analysis of Pomor and Sámi Paremiological Units with a Zoonymic Component

V. B. Bakula, A. V. Koreneva
Murmansk Arctic University, Murmansk, Russian Federation, https://ror.org/01pytr632

Abstract

Introduction. Contemporary folklore studies pay close attention to the oral traditions of individual Russian regions, with particular scholarly interest directed toward territories geographically distant from the cultural centre, where the Russian language and folklore closely interact with the languages and traditions of neighbouring peoples. The key issue lies in the preservation and transformation of folklore traditions under conditions of long-term interethnic interaction between the Pomors and the Sámi. The aim of this study is to identify common and distinctive features within the folklore of the Kola North shaped by the diverse cultural traditions of the region’s neighbouring ethnic groups, namely the Tersk Pomors and the Kola Sámi, through a comparative analysis of paremias containing zoonymic elements.

Materials and Methods. The research material comprised Sámi and Pomor proverbs and sayings containing a zoonymic component, documented in the collections and dictionaries compiled by I. S. Merkuryev and N. D. Kushkov, as well as in the Sámi–Russian Dictionary edited by R. D. Kuruch and in the publication by E. I. Mechkina. The study employed the following methods: the continuous sampling method, which was used to select examples for analysis from the relevant collections and dictionaries; quantitative analysis of the data to determine the frequency of linguistic units; and comparative analysis of linguistic phenomena across different languages in order to identify their specific features and differences.

Results and Discussion. Despite the shared geographical, socio-political, and economic conditions in which these neighbouring northern peoples have lived, Sámi and Pomor paremias reveal distinct national characteristics shaped by their traditional livelihoods (reindeer herding among the Sámi and domestic animal husbandry among the Pomors). At the same time, both peoples have traditionally engaged in fishing, which has contributed to the formation of their collective identities, distinctive worldviews, and the mental associations of speakers belonging to different linguistic and cultural communities.

Conclusion. The study conducted expands the theoretical aspects of phraseological research in the context of the interaction between two unrelated cultures coexisting within the same region. Its practical significance lies in the potential application of the findings in the teaching and study of the folklore, languages, and cultures of the Kola region, as well as in the fields of intercultural communication and translation. The prospects for further research include developing a thematic classification of Sámi and Pomor paroemias and carrying out a comparative analysis of the value systems of neighbouring peoples.

Keywords: paremias, zoonymic component, The Terek Pomors, The Kola Sami, Kola North

Funding: This research was supported financially by the Russian Science Foundation as part of Project No. 25-28-20241, “Murman as a Historical and Literary Phenomenon of the Arctic” (https://rscf.ru/project/25-28-20241/), and by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Murmansk Region under Agreement No. 30-2025-000856 dated 18 April 2025.

Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

For citation: Bakula V.B., Koreneva A.V. A Comparative Analysis of Pomor and Sámi Paremiological Units with a Zoonymic Component. Finno–Ugric World. 2026;18(3):362‒375. https://doi.org/10.15507/2076-2577.26183.362-375

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Information about the authors:

Victoria B. Bakula, Dr.Sci. (Philol.), Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Philology, Intercultural Communications and Journalism, Murmansk Arctic University (15 Kapitana Egorova St., Murmansk 183038, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4038-7946, SPIN-code: 5922-8048, museum-vs@yandex.ru

Anastasia V. Koreneva, Dr.Sci. (Ped.), Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Philology, Intercultural Communications and Journalism, Murmansk Arctic University (15 Kapitana Egorova St., Murmansk 183038, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4901-4927, SPIN-code: 4774-6929, korenevaanast@mail.ru

Authors’ contribution:

V. B. Bakula – ideas; formulation or evolution of overarching research goals and aims; preparation and creation of the published work, specifically writing the initial draft (including substantive translation); verification of the reproducibility of the research results within the framework of the objectives of the research.

A. V. Koreneva – ideas; formulation or evolution of overarching research goals and aims; preparation and creation of the published work, specifically writing the initial draft (including substantive translation); verification of the reproducibility of the research results within the framework of the objectives of the research.

All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Submitted 30.04.2026; revised 16.06.2026; accepted 22.06.2026.

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