Abstract
Thousands of traditional names make up a significant layer of the Chuvash language lexical system. Genetically, the Chuvash anthroponyms are divided into Chuvash, Tatar, Arabic, Iranian and Russian basic strata. The ethnic identity of the anthroponymic system is formed by the Chuvash original names. A two-stage naming system in the Chuvash language included both the main taboo names and the names that replaced them in everyday life. A significant layer of Tatarisms is singled out among the Chuvash anthroponyms. They compete with the Chuvash names. The Chuvash-Tatar kinship relations and the significant influence of the Tatar culture on the Chuvash in the post-Bulgarian period determine their use. Numerous Tatar and Iranian names have the Tatar roots. The Chuvash name-building on the basis of various combinations of the same components is possible due to the anthroponyms of Islamic origin, namely to the Arab-Iranian and Tatar units. Tatar, Arabic and Iranian names ensure the existence of a common fund of personal names in the Volga-Kama language union. The Russian-Orthodox anthroponymic subsystem mainly includes ancient Greek, Latin and proper Russian names. Being adapted to the peculiarities of the Chuvash language they have undergone significant phonetic, derivational and semantic changes. The Russian names of the 18th century that appeared in the Chuvash language are qualified as both Orthodox and pagan. They are an intermediate link between pagan and modern names which completely coincide with European Christian anthroponyms. The unique fund of the pre-Christian Chuvash names exists due to the onyms combination with various linguistic and genetic basis. It is the phenomenon of a different cultural reality.
Highlights
Onomastic studies in Chuvash linguistics are not among the priorities
Pagan names are a phenomenon of a different cultural reality, largely mysterious and unknown, capable of clarifying traditional views in Chuvash studies and even more – of forming new theories in the history of the Chuvash language
The purpose of this study is to identify the genetic strata of the anthroponymic system of the Chuvash language of the pre-Christian epoch on the basis of etymological research, to describe their linguistic features and to establish relationships between private national anthroponymic subsystems and others within the framework of the Chuvash onomasticon
Summary
Onomastic studies in Chuvash linguistics are not among the priorities. the names have great potential, opening up new knowledge and research aspects in the field of history of the Chuvash language and linguistic contactology. The names of the pre-Christian epoch are still the usual background of the Chuvash word culture. They are still found in colloquial speech in the form of names of Christian origin that assimilated with Chuvash ones (Leont’eva, 2006), predominate in fiction (Fomin, Ivanova, 2016). They arouse considerable interest in the scientific and everyday environment, but have not yet received a holistic coverage, which seems unfair. Pagan names are a phenomenon of a different cultural reality, largely mysterious and unknown, capable of clarifying traditional views in Chuvash studies and even more – of forming new theories in the history of the Chuvash language
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