Эмотивные глаголы в калмыцком героическом эпосе «Джангар»

Abstract

Introduction. In modern linguistics much attention is paid to the study of national/cultural features of functioning and semantics of emotive vocabulary. Still, Kalmyk emotive vocabulary has been no subject to any special research. Goals. The paper seeks to identify and classify lexicalsemantic groups of emotive verbs in texts of the Jangar epic, analyze functioning patterns of verbs denoting ‘basic’ emotions, namely: joy (Kalm. җирһх ‘be happy blissful’, байрлх ‘rejoice’), fear (әәх ‘be afraid, frightened, have a dread of, fear’, ичх ‘be ashamed, embarrassed’), and one verb of external (physical) manifestation of emotions (инәх ‘laugh’). Materials. The study analyzes emotive verbs traced in 28 Jangar texts recorded at different times (occasions) and either included in repertory cycles or once recited as separate songs. Results. The study reveals emotive verbs of the epic can be divided into six lexical and semantic groups. So, ‘verbs of negative emotional states’ are more frequently used than ‘verbs of positive emotional states’. The latter are represented by two verbs, the verb җирһх definitely dominates throughout narratives examined, reflecting the state of utmost happiness that consists in peace, tranquility and well-being of the blessed Bumba in general; the verb байрлх is used to denote the short-term emotional state of joy of a particular character. As for ‘verbs of negative emotional states’, the verb әәх prevails in frequency. And it is revealed that the emotion of fear may occur for a number of reasons as follows: fear of failure to execute an order of the Bogdo; fear of breaking an oath; fear of name shaming. The paper observes only scarce cases of the use of verbs naming emotions of sadness (энлх), embarrassment (эмәх), and vexation (һундх). The analyzed epic texts contain no emotive verbs that belong to semantic groups of fascination, love and hatred, worship or self-abasement.