N. N. Glukhova (Yoshkar-Ola, Russia). Types of space in Mari verbal charms

The object of the research is the Mari verbal charms; the subject is their lexical level. The aim of this article is to reveal, describe and classify types of space constituting a system of spatial images and symbols. The significance of the verbal charms as a source of information is beyond doubt and lies in the fact that verbal magic formulas are original, statistically undoubted material that has been created and used for centuries on the territories inhabited by the ethnic group.
The methodological basis of the research includes the use of a number of provisions of the theory of system analysis (text is a systemic, a hierarchically structured unit, consisting of a number of elements), which is supplemented by the use of factor (types of space) and statistical types of analysis. They are combined with linguistic methods of semantic research: method of vocabulary analysis, componential and contextual analysis.
Imaginary and real actions necessary to achieve the goals of verbal formulas occur in the space-time continuum. In the folklore reflection of reality, the space is used as a background for the events. It is characterized by geographical and climatic features. The article identifies and analyzes the elements of the terrain and geographical objects defined by the term “types of space”. The algorithm of the research includes a number of following steps. First, the lexical composition of 428 texts from various sources is analyzed. Then, using the definitional and component types of analysis, individual lexemes are defined, denoting the types of space. After this step, the frequency of their use is calculated. The ranking of factors contributes to the allocation of four groups of space types, combining eighteen items. The obtained results make it possible to determine the symbols and archetypes of the space of the Mari folklore genres.
The most common types of space in the analyzed texts consist of 55,7 % of geographical objects and are marked by the following lexemes: ponds and their parts, housing, earth, sky. They have symbolic meanings containing Mari ethnic religious and mythological view of the universe.

Acknowledgments: The article is prepared within the research project No. 18-412-120005р_а finded by the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research.

Key words: Mari verbal charms; folklore genre; space types; physical space; ethnic space perception; semantic analysis; factor and statistical types of analysis; symbol.

For citation: Glukhova NN. Types of space in Mari verbal charms. Finno-ugorskii mir = Finno-Ugric World. 2018; 4: 34–46. (In Russian)