Peter Simon Pallas and the Making of Academic Field Lexicography in Russia

Abstract

The article addresses the expedition notes of Peter Simon Pallas (1741–1811) in order to evaluate their role in the making of academic field lexicography in Russia. Pallas’ travel notes can be regarded an important work that advanced the Russian field research, conducted on behalf of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. Pallas records information on the ethnography and history of local peoples, writes down the vocabulary of their languages, and provides a detailed description of geography, geology, botany and zoology. He develops a professional platform for scientists to discuss and interpret little-known or completely new phenomena, objects, artifacts, etc. Pallas’ research principles resemble today’s ideas about field work: organization of expeditions, direct contact with native speakers, targeted interviewing to get the necessary information, taking into account the ‘human’ factor, etc. The paper focuses on the vocabulary of three large thematic blocks: toponyms, phytonyms and ethnographic lexemes, recorded by Pallas during his visit to the Middle Volga region. This region is considered a territory that is within today’s borders of the Samara and Ulyanovsk regions. The ethnographic material is limited to the Chuvash ethnic group. Only the most remarkable examples are selected from the phytonyms listed by Pallas.The etymological analysis, as well as the facts collected by Pallas in the process of field work, allow a critical look at some modern interpretations of onomastic, botanical and ethnographic vocabulary and contribute to a deeper study of the history of Russian science.