Anthroponimical Motivation in Animal Names (on the material of Slavic Linguistic Atlas); original title: Антропонимическая мотивация в названиях животных (на материале «Общеславянского лингвистического атласа») [Antroponimčeskaja motivacija v nazvanijax

Abstract

The materials of Slavic Linguistic Atlas lexical and word-formation series enable to research not only the vocabulary of the Slavic languages and their semantic and word-formation phenomena but also motivational models of nomination. Their consideration in the frames of one thematic group with the usage of linguistic geography methods enables to make conclusions on the inner form of some words whose origin is disputable. For instance, the first volume of the atlas Animal World includes significant number of animal names derived from human names. Their analysis has resulted in some etymological versions concerning the Slovene word martȋnček ‘lizard’ and Ukrainian ра́влик, ла́врик ‘snail’. The first one, as well as Chroat. martinak, martinčec ‘cliff lizard’, is offered to derive from cognate names of insects and worms who live in grape vines and bunches: cf. Slov. martȋnec ‘grape worm’, martinec ‘caterpillar of grape tortrix’, martíncelj ‘grape vine worm’, хорв. martinac ‘grape tortrix’. They in their turn may be the derivatives of the name Martin as it is known that on St. Martin’s Day (November 11) viticulturists and vintners are celebrated. So we can make a careful assumption that the fauna representatives were named after him. As for the relation of the meanings ‘worm’, ‘insect (its larva)’ and ‘lizard’, it is proved by language material. Namely, Slavic Linguistic Atlas includes numerous examples of the meanings ‘lizard’ and ‘worm’ combination in one word. Concerning Ukr. ра́влик, ла́врик ‘snail’, arguments for the relation with the name Лавр are given. In particular, there is a regular coincidence of snail and ladybird names: cf. ‘ladybird’ – (petr)-ik-ъ (Belarus.), (ivan)-ьč-ik-ъ, (van)-ьk-a (Rus.), (lavrjen)-ъk-ъ (Pol.); ‘snail’ – (petr)-ik-ъ (Ukr.), (ivan)-ьč-ik-ъ (Ukr., Rus.), (ivan)- ьk-a (Ukr.), (lavr)-ik-ъ (Ukr.). Moreover, these lexical groups are united by the names of cattle: cf. ‘snail’ – korv-uš-ьk-a, vol-ik-ъ (Rus.), vȏlek (Slov.), elen-ь (Rus.); ‘ladybird’ – korv-uš-ьk-a, bož-ьj-A korv-uš-ьk-a, bog-ov-A korv-uš-ьk-a (Rus.), bož-ьj-Ь vol-ik-ъ, bož-ьj-Ь vol-ьk-ъ (Slov.), elenь, elen-ъk-a (Ukr.). So we can suppose that the names with the stems korv-, vol- and elen-, common for snail and lizard, resulted in the further convergence of their nominations and in the shift of ladybird names related to the anthroponyms Петр, Иван and Лавр (Лаврентий) towards snail.