FRAGMENTS OF SLAVONIC-IRANIAN MYTHOPOETIC TEXT: SYNTACTIC CONSTRUCTIONS WITH *svęt- : *śṷanta-

Abstract

The paper aims to reconstruct the common elements of the Slavonic and Iranian mythopoetic text, referring to the idea of the sanctity and sacred. The need to reconstruct the elements of this phenomenon of the communicative culture history makes out topicality of the proposed study. The objects of the investigation are: 1) set phrases, which in Iranian and Slavonic consist of the genetically identical lexemes; 2) Slavonic and Iranian set phrases, in which the only term is genetically common for both languages (*svętъ : *śṷanta-), while the second part here is represented by the synonyms with the different etymons; 3) two-termed (dithematic, bibasic) compound words with *svęt- : *śṷanta-, which are often the result of contraction of primary set phrases. Etymological, morphological and lexical-semantic features of analyzed units as well as reconstructed prototypes constitute the subject of the study. As the result of the proposed research, a set of ancient common to Iranians and Slavs formulaic expressions (and anthroponyms derived from them) are revealed; it is determined, that all the analyzed syntactic constructions were formed in the process of cultural contacts between speakers of both languages; their formal and semantic reconstruction is justified. Conclusions. Comparative-historical analysis of the ancient Slavonic and Iranian cliched phrases with the core component *svętъ : *śṷanta- and related to them dithematic personal names reveals the traces of the common Slavonic-Iranian text, formed within the poetic speech. Etymological composition of such «mycrotexts» along side with reflected therein complex of religious and ethic ideas, which is common to both cultural-linguistic traditions, leaves no doubt that we deal with the heritage of Slavonc-Iranian contacts. Especially indicative are the examples of full genetical identity in composition of formulaic constructions among the Slavs and Iranians. The semantic basis of formulaic expressions, common to both languages, is formed with the complex of discrete meanings, referring to the notions of abundance, life force and its increase. The material demonstrates the significant specific weight of Proto-Slavonic units with the exponent *svęt- alongside with the rudimentary and clearly areally and also chronologically limited data of Iranian languages. Permanent renewability of the tradition to use the syntactic cliches with *svęt- was facilitated by their involvement into the field of the derivation of Slavonic anthroponymic composites and later their demand in the texts of Christian religious topic. The perspectives for further work in the outlined vector are seen in comparison of the collected material with data of Baltic languages.