Color Linguistics: Khanty Riddles

SHS Web of Conferences 69, 00005 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20196900005 CILDIAH-2019

Color Linguistics: Khanty riddles

Lyudmila Andreeva1*, Olga Khudobina2, Tatyana Moldanova3, and Nataliya Miryugina4

1Department of foreign languages, Yugra State University, 16, Chekhova str., Khanty-Mansiysk, 628012, Russia 2Department of foreign languages, Yugra State University, 16, Chekhova str., Khanty-Mansiysk, 628012, Russia 3Department of History, Phylosophy and Law, Yugra State University, 16, Chekhova str., Khanty-Mansiysk, 628012, Russia 4Department of foreign languages, Yugra State University, 16, Chekhova str., Khanty-Mansiysk, 628012, Russia

Abstract. From the point of view of physics and physiology, the perception of color should be the same by all people, but the process and associations connected with it have historical and cultural determinants in different nations. The conceptual apparatus of color linguistics is studied in different scientific studies and from different points of view. The material of this study comprises riddles extracted from Khanty folklore by the method of continuous sampling, as well as scientific literature on the description of color words. A common way of creating riddle metaphors is color matching. Therefore, exploring color words in the Khanty riddles allows us to reveal the cognitive, pragmatic and cultural factors of language functioning. The present research highlights the role of color terms in the formation of linguistic worldview, as well as conceptualizes and defines the place of the color vocabulary in the cognitive process. Key words: Khanty riddles, basic color terms, color words.

1 Introduction The data for the research were riddles obtained from the Khanty folklore by the method of continuous Language is a mirror of culture reflecting not only the sampling, as well as scientific literature on color words. real world of the people, i.e. the native speaker, but also The Khanty people have many riddles that are laconic, their mentality, character, customs, traditions, as well as metaphorical and figurative, like poetry itself. Riddles perceptual features and color terms. The use of color contain the digested results of human observations of terms increases significantly the emotional and different natural phenomena, flora, and fauna, objects of expressive meaning of the communication process; these labor and life; they ;asp demonstrate important linguistic units can express the most subtle relations and conclusions and illations of people, and therefore aspects of people's life. The system of color terms and characterize the people themselves. This is one of the color perceptions is marked by ethnic and culturological oldest forms of folk art passed on by word of mouth to features [1-4]. Ethnic coloristics is filled with deep for many generations, so we can assume that the color philosophical meaning and is a reflection of the people's naming used in the riddles reflects the vocabulary of worldview, their various sacred, mythical, religious, lexical units, which is more ancient compared with the cultural and social strata. The process of initial current state of the language. Meanwhile, metaphor is the nomination is always conditioned by some or other spirit of a riddle. This is what makes riddles interesting, factors, the environment primarily. Features of color and distinguishes them from other types of oral folklore perception and color use are complementary; they affect [9]. To solve a riddle is to find a real-life equivalent for the perception and frequency of the use of some or other metaphoric images. One of the common ways of creating color terms [3-5]. Thus, the relevance of the color words riddle metaphors is color matching. Therefore, exploring study consists in perceiving them as vehicles and color words in the Khanty riddles allows us to reveal the instruments of national cultures and languages, as well as cognitive, pragmatic and cultural factors of the language cognitive, pragmatic and ethnocultural factors of functioning. The research highlights the role of color language functioning [6-8]. terms in the formation of the linguistic worldview, as well as conceptualizes and defines the place of the color vocabulary in the cognitive process. 2 Objective of the study The objective of our study is to identify the semantic and 3. Problem statement cultural specificity of color terms in the Khanty language. To achieve the goal, we set the following tasks: to In recent decades considerable attention has been devoted identify lexical units that contain color semes in their to topics related to color linguistics as well as theoretical composition; to analyze the revealed color terms in the approaches and practical methods for extracting color language under study. terms, resulting in a large number of publications. The wide spectrum of color linguistics approaches represented

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). SHS Web of Conferences 69, 00005 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20196900005 CILDIAH-2019

in this paper includes the basic color term theory of colors constitute the so-called color triad, which gold/goldish – 11, ‘щєл вух’ silver – 8. Based on the питы вой өӈха, вўрты вой’ dark beast often Berlin and Kay, the typological evolutionary scale of Kay corresponds to the tripartition of the Universe in the results of the revealed colors, we plotted a color вой өӈха ԓикǝмԓǝн. means a sable or other fur- and Maffi, the Vantage Theory of MacLaury, conceptual Khanty culture [29, 32]. K.P. Cheremisina claims, that frequency chart (see Figure 1.) as well as a number of (хөӈтэп тосǝт кўт). bearing animals. ‘Вўрты semantics of Jackendoff and Nikanne, historical The Upper world, inhabited by gods, is associated with tables containing examples of riddles, color words and On a steep hill, you вой’ - red animal, means a linguistics, ethnolinguistics, the Natural Semantic the white color; the World of People or the Middle world associations that helped the speakers to solve the riddle cannot make a step fox, a squirrel. Metalanguage of Wierzbicka, approaches examining the –– with red, and the World of the Dead, the Lower world (see Tables 1-7). In some riddles, one comes across two without getting into a focal colors across eleven languages affiliated to Uralic –– with the black color. However, in the recently colors simultaneously, for instance: ‘нуви сухəәԓ hole of a black beast, a and Indo-European languages of Mari Uusküla, David published ‘Dialectological Atlas of the Uralic languages ԓӑрпийəәԓ, питы сухəәԓ ювəәрщийəәԓ. (хӑтəәԓ па ат)’ - hole of a red beast. Bimler, philological and etymological analyses of color spoken in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous district’ the White cloth opens up, black cloth curls up. Answer to the (gaps in the stairs) terms of Nganasan, one of the least documented Uralic authors, who consider the features of the color terms riddle - day and night. languages by Sándor Szeverényi and various graph systems organization, come to the conclusion that ‘in Riddle no. 5: the answer is gaps in the stairs. Patterns visualization techniques [10-19]. fact, only black and white are basic colors in the Khanty on traditional fabrics (fur, suede, birch bark) are, first of To identify psychologically significant colors, various language. Acording to N.B. Koshkareva et. al, other all, an alternation of dark-light areas; light-dark patterns experiments have been performed and attempts have been names are mostly based on associations with different that are typical for Ob Ugrians' ornaments. For instance, made to create a system of basic colors. The classic objects of the real world, and serve as a reference for fur boots decorated with alternating dark and white reference point in the color semantics study was the work following color terms: red for blood, blue for the sky, stripes are called ‘хəәлāӈ вей’ (literally: boots with by American linguists B. Berlin and P. Kay [10]. Based green for grass, and yellow for autumn leaves or bile chinks), ‘вей’ means footwear with a boot top. The light- on the data derived from 98 languages they came to the [33]. V.I. Spodina also points out that ‘in the Khanty dark alteration, in turn, is associated with the profile following conclusions. Despite the fact that different language, there are only two words indicating color, and wood and bone carving (thickly – empty, chink – wood is languages in their dictionaries contain a different number they have their own independent color naming: white and ripple, steps). Thus, there appeared the riddles about the of basic color terms, the total universal word-stock black’ [23]. stairs, the hole means chink. In general, ripples and steps consists of the same 11 basic colors: black, white, red, Fig. 1. A color frequency chart. in all kinds of figurative expressions are very important yellow, green, blue, brown, purple, pink, orange, grey. in the Khanty traditional culture. For instance, in folklore, Berlin and Kay have also established that even if there 4 Research methods the river banks is compared to the back of a lizard or are less than 11 basic colors in the language, in this case The study data are riddles extracted from different riddle 5.1 Питы/Black mythical creature – ‘vesy’: with a lizard back, rippled there are strict rules as to what basic colors exist in this books written in the Khanty language and translated into river bank, rippled river banks with ‘vesys’ backs’? language. All languages have color terms for white and The adjective ‘питы’ is translated into Russian as black, ‘Сǝрен(ǝ) шăшпи(йǝ) шăншаӈ(ǝ) рєпан(ǝ)’ is a typical Russian [9, 26, 34-35].With the method of continuous dark [36]. In the collections of riddles, this word is black basic colors. Thus, if there are only three basic sampling the authors revealed 59 riddles, which were formula in which the adjective ‘сǝрен(ǝ)’ has two color terms in the language, then the third one is always translated as black, but native speakers translate it meanings: on the one hand, it is a boot top of footwear then grouped according to color. The data in the present as dark in most cases. necessarily the term for the red color. The researchers study were gathered via questionnaires and interviews meaning the high river bank, like the boot top; on the have built the following hierarchy of 11 primary colors: complementing each other. Five native Khanty speakers Table 1. Питы/Black other hand, it is the alteration of dark and white stripes on the first stage – black, white; the second – red; the third – were given a pre-questionnaire to elicit information about winter shoes made of reindeer skin, resembling a stepped green, yellow; the fourth – blue; the fifth – brown; the their age, gender, the number of languages they spoke, Riddle Comment river bank [26]. sixth – purple, pink, orange, gray [10]. This proves yet the level of competency in Khanty (minimal, functional, 1. Питы милпи хөт ‘Питы милпи’ means a again that there are subjective color perceptions in яӈ хө и ԓыпийəән black hat. proficient), dialect (see Appendix 1 for pre- 5.2 Нуви, нэви/white different languages. Each language segments the reality questionnaire). Four of five respondents are women and вөԓԓəәт. (щӑрањка) in different ways, therefore Kasevich notes that ‘some the mean age of the sample is 45 (in years). The level of Sixty men in black hats The adjective ‘нуви’ is translated into Russian as white, peoples distinguish, for instance, three colors, while language proficiency is functional for four people of five live in one house. light, colorless, light gray, clear, pale, lunar, silver [36]. others — seven, etc.’ [20]. (one respondent has a high level of language (matches) In books of riddles this word is always translated as According to the Khanty language data, there are proficiency), and all interviewees speak Kazym dialect. 2. Питы пўнǝп ‘Питы’ means dark, since white. Interviewees translated it as light and white when some papers studying the issues of color symbols in This study followed a four-step cycle suggested by молǝпщи вөнт хўват one cannot call fur black referring to coat pattern, color of fabric, thread, clothing. traditional culture, clothing, ornamental patterns, methods researches. At the first stage, we determined the main хăтыйǝԓ. (пўпи) Black of color terms [21-25]. Besides, some aspects of the color fur coat in the wood objectives of the study. At the second stage, we Table 2. Нуви, нэви/white. symbolism are touched upon by scientists in the studies formulated the most appropriate methods, tools and hangs around. (bear) of other topical issues of Khanty Philology and traditional strategies to achieve the goals. The third stage involved 3. Нуви сухəәԓ ‘нуви’ means light, Riddle Comment culture [26-28]. The researchers claim that the Khanty data gathering. Khanty native speakers were given riddles ԓӑрпийəәԓ, питы сухəәԓ ‘питы’ means dark 6. Аснган-лорнган шопи нуви ‘Нуви’ means white language has plenty of color terms and shades. For to solve. Recipients were expected to identify color ювəәрщийəәԓ. (хӑтəәԓ па сухум лэр таласмал. (Енгк (thread). instance, the Khanty of the Lower Ob have 17 names for words and translate them into Russian. The researchers ат) лонгхемум хол) white color, where 16 terms are descriptive, and 10 paid special attention to the way 1) Khanty native White cloth opens up, White thread winds across the names out of 11 color terms are descriptive for black and speakers managed to translate the color name into black cloth curls up. river-lake. (ice cracked on the red color [29]. Descriptive terms have many expressions Russian; 2) the interviewees solved the riddle; it was (day and night) river) indicating colors of objects, real-world phenomena, for important to elicit those associations and metaphors 4. Питы щӑхəәрəән и хө 7. Нуви сăхǝп хо карты ‘Нуви’ means white, instance, light and sky are white; the soil and charcoal are containing the color that facilitated solving the riddle. сорни вўԓыԓаԓ щоркана, вух шоркана because it refers to fur black, etc. Reindeer herding is one of the main activities ԓўӈəәтəәԓ. (тыԓəәщ) питмаԓ. (Сос) color. of the Khanty, so it is not surprising that a wide color At the black cemetery, A man in white sakha (fur spectrum emerges for reindeer color terms [30, 31]. For 5. Findings a reindeer herdsman coat) got into an iron snare, example, A. Shiyanova distinguishes six tints of white counts his golden deer. Upon the experiment, the following names of colors were silver snare. (ermine) color with regard to the reindeer color ranging from deep (crescent) revealed in the Khanty riddles: ‘нуви’ white – 11, ‘питы’ 8. Пӑтлам хотəән хотхəәр ‘Нуви’ means light, white to white-gray: ворча → њарава → нави/нŏви → 5. Шума ԓоԓьты ‘Питы вой - вўрты вой’ black – 10, ‘вўрты’ red – 13, ‘питы вўрты’ dark red – хўват нуви пўл хӑтəәԓ. which is opposed to шовəәр хорпи → хӑлэв хорпи → хӑттəәр. [25]. сӑӈхǝм хуща кашǝӈ means parallelism, often 2, ‘вўрты вўщԓəәм’ literally red-and-yellow – 2, ‘вусты’ (тыԓəәщ) ‘пӑтлам’ meaning According to Sokolova and Taligina, the basic colors кўрǝм вўтǝн ԓўӈты used in speech;; ‘питы in the Khanty language are white, black and red, and the green – 1, ‘вўщлəәм’ yellow – 1, ‘cорни, сорнеӈ’ A white piece is moving on dark.

2 SHS Web of Conferences 69, 00005 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20196900005 CILDIAH-2019

gold/goldish – 11, ‘щєл вух’ silver – 8. Based on the питы вой өӈха, вўрты вой’ dark beast often results of the revealed colors, we plotted a color вой өӈха ԓикǝмԓǝн. means a sable or other fur- frequency chart (see Figure 1.) as well as a number of (хөӈтэп тосǝт кўт). bearing animals. ‘Вўрты tables containing examples of riddles, color words and On a steep hill, you вой’ - red animal, means a associations that helped the speakers to solve the riddle cannot make a step fox, a squirrel. (see Tables 1-7). In some riddles, one comes across two without getting into a colors simultaneously, for instance: ‘нуви сухəәԓ hole of a black beast, a ԓӑрпийəәԓ, питы сухəәԓ ювəәрщийəәԓ. (хӑтəәԓ па ат)’ - hole of a red beast. White cloth opens up, black cloth curls up. Answer to the (gaps in the stairs) riddle - day and night. Riddle no. 5: the answer is gaps in the stairs. Patterns on traditional fabrics (fur, suede, birch bark) are, first of all, an alternation of dark-light areas; light-dark patterns that are typical for Ob Ugrians' ornaments. For instance, fur boots decorated with alternating dark and white stripes are called ‘хəәлāӈ вей’ (literally: boots with chinks), ‘вей’ means footwear with a boot top. The light- dark alteration, in turn, is associated with the profile wood and bone carving (thickly – empty, chink – wood is ripple, steps). Thus, there appeared the riddles about the stairs, the hole means chink. In general, ripples and steps Fig. 1. A color frequency chart. in all kinds of figurative expressions are very important in the Khanty traditional culture. For instance, in folklore, the river banks is compared to the back of a lizard or 5.1 Питы/Black mythical creature – ‘vesy’: with a lizard back, rippled river bank, rippled river banks with ‘vesys’ backs’? The adjective ‘питы’ is translated into Russian as black, ‘Сǝрен(ǝ) шăшпи(йǝ) шăншаӈ(ǝ) рєпан(ǝ)’ is a typical dark [36]. In the collections of riddles, this word is formula in which the adjective ‘сǝрен(ǝ)’ has two always translated as black, but native speakers translate it meanings: on the one hand, it is a boot top of footwear as dark in most cases. meaning the high river bank, like the boot top; on the Table 1. Питы/Black other hand, it is the alteration of dark and white stripes on winter shoes made of reindeer skin, resembling a stepped Riddle Comment river bank [26]. 1. Питы милпи хөт ‘Питы милпи’ means a яӈ хө и ԓыпийəән black hat. 5.2 Нуви, нэви/white вөԓԓəәт. (щӑрањка) Sixty men in black hats The adjective ‘нуви’ is translated into Russian as white, live in one house. light, colorless, light gray, clear, pale, lunar, silver [36]. (matches) In books of riddles this word is always translated as 2. Питы пўнǝп ‘Питы’ means dark, since white. Interviewees translated it as light and white when молǝпщи вөнт хўват one cannot call fur black referring to coat pattern, color of fabric, thread, clothing. хăтыйǝԓ. (пўпи) Black fur coat in the wood Table 2. Нуви, нэви/white. hangs around. (bear) 3. Нуви сухəәԓ ‘нуви’ means light, Riddle Comment ԓӑрпийəәԓ, питы сухəәԓ ‘питы’ means dark 6. Аснган-лорнган шопи нуви ‘Нуви’ means white ювəәрщийəәԓ. (хӑтəәԓ па сухум лэр таласмал. (Енгк (thread). ат) лонгхемум хол) White cloth opens up, White thread winds across the black cloth curls up. river-lake. (ice cracked on the (day and night) river) 4. Питы щӑхəәрəән и хө 7. Нуви сăхǝп хо карты ‘Нуви’ means white, сорни вўԓыԓаԓ щоркана, вух шоркана because it refers to fur ԓўӈəәтəәԓ. (тыԓəәщ) питмаԓ. (Сос) color. At the black cemetery, A man in white sakha (fur a reindeer herdsman coat) got into an iron snare, counts his golden deer. silver snare. (ermine) (crescent) 8. Пӑтлам хотəән хотхəәр ‘Нуви’ means light, 5. Шума ԓоԓьты ‘Питы вой - вўрты вой’ хўват нуви пўл хӑтəәԓ. which is opposed to сӑӈхǝм хуща кашǝӈ means parallelism, often (тыԓəәщ) ‘пӑтлам’ meaning кўрǝм вўтǝн ԓўӈты used in speech;; ‘питы A white piece is moving on dark.

3 SHS Web of Conferences 69, 00005 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20196900005 CILDIAH-2019

the floor of a dark house. хўват вўрты вухсар translated as red (fox), In the folklore, the expressions are typical: шөпи, ас шөпи be translated as golden but (crescent) нух хөӈхəәԓ. (щухал where red color is ‘Вурӈа(йǝ) нюԓы хăншаӈ(ǝ) вǝнтєв(ǝ), Вурӈа(йǝ) мєнтəәм. (нўԓ йўх) A valued, divine. 9. Пăвəәр вăχи, нэви вăχи ԓяԓь In this case, the тут) associated with fire and нюԓы(йǝ) эԓяӈ(ǝ) вǝнтєв(ǝ)’. T.A. Moldanova says that yoke with gold The riddle is solved by the яχ əәй ԓапəәтат өпəәтԓат phrase ‘нэви вăχи’ is Up the hollow tree, a burning. ‘our forest is motley like a crow's beak’, which patterns is laid down shape (yoke) and place рăтьқəәмтəәԓат. (кÿнчəәт) translated as silver. red fox is running. (fire reproduces an image of the Urals foothill with boulders across rivers (a (across the river). Bronze-faced, silver-faced in the hearth). covered with lichen, and is compared to a crow's beak, rainbow). warriors cut their hair every 15. Сєр вөнт, мур ‘Вўрты ‘– red, ‘вўщԓəәм’– which is framed by a fluff, and at the same time with the 20. Лапат йитпи week. (nails) вөнт сўӈəән вўрты yellow; it turns out that a dark grey color of the bird [26]. Speaking of the river, сорненг сув торма ‘Сорненг ‘means valuable, вўщԓəәм ухшам пунəәм compound adjective they do not refer to colors either; there is an established лосьла, торма ан sacred staff, i.e. it is not ими омəәсəәԓ. (мөрəәх) ‘вўрты вўщԓəәм’ – folklore epithet ‘ювра йиӈкпи’, that may be translated лэпл на иллы associated with color, but 5.3 Вўрты/Red In the heart of the reddish-yellow is into Russian as with winding waters, but there are менлал, кусы лак with shape: a bent sacred The adjective ‘вўрты’ is translated into Russian as red, forest, a woman translated in different ways expressions ‘нуви йиӈкуп’ – light water, ‘вўрты йиӈкуп’ иты. (нул юх) If one staff. ginger, rosy [36]. In most cases, it is translated into wearing a red and in various collections of in folk texts – literally, red water, i.e., blood-red water. In puts a seven-color Russian as red. In two examples, a combination of ‘питы yellow kerchief is Khanty riddles: in one some cases, the informants believe that the water is red, golden trochee вўрты’ (literally, dark red) is used, which translates as sitting. (a cloudberry) case, as red-and-yellow as it flows from the swamps (that is, saturated with iron, vertically, then there dark red in one case, in the other – burgundy. In two color, in another – scarlet swamp ore i.e. limonite). is not enough space examples, a combination of ‘вўрты вўщԓəәм’ is used color (referring to in the sky, and it will cloudberry in both cases). bend like an arc. (a (literally, reddish yellow), which is translated into 5.5 Вўщԓэм/Yellow Russian as red-and-yellow in one case, in the other as 16. Ёхəәм кўтəәпəән нуви ‘Питы вўрты’ literally rainbow) scarlet. In one example, ‘вўрты’ translates as ginger порхайəәӈ, питы translates as dark red, and The adjective ‘вўщԓэм’ is translated as yellow [36]. 21. Торум кимл when the riddle means a fox. вўрты тўшəәӈ ики the Khanty-Russian сорненг вух тунты ԓољ. (сўмəәт вөш) In dictionary defines it as Table 5. Вўщԓэм/Yellow. йош. (хосьл) – Table 3. Вўрты/Red. the midst of the pine burgundy [36]. One of the At the edge of the forest, a man with a interviewees said that Riddle Comment sky, there is a golden Riddle Comment beard wearing a dark "they say ‘питышак 18. Сєр вөнт, мур ‘сўмəәт лыпəәт хойса’ – birch bark road. 10. Сєр вөнт, мур If a woman or man red reindeer skin вурты’ referring to dark вөнт сўӈəән вўщлəәм literally, birch leaves (horizon.) вөнт сўӈəән ԓўйпаӈ wearing a red kerchief/hat overcoat is standing. red, where ‘питышак’ нөйəәп хө ԓољ. (сўмəәт slightly touched by frost, 22. Сємн ан ныты ‘Сорнеӈ’ means valuable, пӑԓат вўрты милпи is sitting in the middle of (birch fungus) means slightly dark, in лыпəәт хойса) therefore, yellow. вəән ԓор кимăԓ сэй divine; the crane is the ай икилєӈки ԓољ. the forest, then it is a songs it is abbreviated to In the heart of the The riddle was solved by панăт сорнеӈ incarnation of a god. (тулəәх) mushroom; if a woman ‘питшак’ or ‘питшап’. forest, a man in yellow color (yellow) – birch in пєрнайт. In the heart of the wearing a red (reddish Interviewees failed to woolen clothes is autumn is yellow. The There are golden forest, there is a small yellow) kerchief is sitting solve this riddle, as they standing. (yellow birch yellow color is also found crosses on the sandy man as tall as a finger in the middle of a swamp, had associations with fly leaves) in folklore texts to describe stretch of the vast wearing a red hat. (a then it is a cloudberry. agaric (white with red the forest: ‘вўщԓум(ǝ) lake. (footprints of a mushroom) This association is spots), white moss with нǝйи(йǝ) хǝлаӈ(ǝ) ям crane) 11. Нёрум кўтупн transmitted through the red berries growing on it; тєԓ(ǝ)’. ‘Муя(йǝ) 23. Юхан хонǝӈǝн The riddle uses the вўрты ухшамăӈ ими color itself, though they do they commented that йувант(ǝ)ԓумеԓ(ǝ) сорнеӈ сєӈкєп expression ‘сорнеӈ сєӈкєп’ - омăсԓ (мөрəәх) A not describe cloudberry as ‘there is no birch in the ищи(йǝ)?’ [26]. ԓăрийǝԓ. (пўпи golden rattle. Here the word woman with a red red or yellow in the pine forest’. пухие). A golden golden means the highest kerchief is sitting in the Khanty language, but it is 5.6 Сорни, сорнеӈ rattle is rolling along value, divinity. middle of the swamp. ‘щэна’х – unripe, raw and the river bank. (a 5.4 Вусты/blue and green (a cloudberry) ‘ԓуԓаӈ’ – ripe, literally, The adjective ‘сорни (сорнеӈ)’ is translated as golden bear.) molten. In the Khanty language, just one word is used to denote [36]. The golden color is at the top of the color hierarchy 12. Вөнт ԓыпийəән The respondents failed to Riddle no. 23 (about the bear) is closely related to a blue and green colors, it is ‘вусты’. related to the spiritual world, as it symbolizes the highest вўрты ухшамəәӈ нє solve this riddle, as it is sacredness and value. It characterizes the characters of mythological motif, according to which the supreme god ԓољ. (хоп йўх) uncommon for a tree to be Table 4. Вусты/blue and green. the divine pantheon and their zoomorphic incarnations. Torum sends Pelym God son, whom the former A woman with a red referred to with color; Speaking about variation in the use of words ‘сорни’ and affectionately calls: ‘Мӑшак(əә) ԓуват(əә) сорни(йəә) kerchief is standing in perhaps, it is a loan Riddle Comment ‘сорнеӈ’ some informants noted that ‘сорни’ is used пухем(əә), Мӑшак(əә) ԓуват(əә) сорни(йəә) похлєм(əә)’- the forest. (an aspen) translation from Russian; 17. Вусты пăсты When speaking about the when value or the highest status is meant, for example: fist-sized golden son, fist-sized golden clew. This this riddle may be asked йирǝӈ ут ёш grass, they use ‘вусты’, for ‘Сорни Торум’ (literally – gold Torum), ‘Сорни най’ “golden clew” is called in other tender words: ‘сорни(йəә) about mushrooms, as эвǝтǝԓ, кўр instance, ‘вусты турн’ means (literally – gold goddess), that is, he (she) himself кўвал(əә)’ – “golden bell”, ‘сорни(йəә) путал(əә)’ – respondents do not ваньщԓ. (Пєслы). green grass. Speaking of trees, (herself) is gold, absolute value, one cannot say ‘сорнеӈ “golden clod”, ‘сорнеӈ(əә) єԓпи(йəә) айԓа(йəә) пушах(əә)’ – associate red with such A green thing with they usually do not refer to Торум’ or ‘сорнеӈ най’, but they say ‘сорнеӈ ǝӈг’ - “little nestling looking like gold”, ‘мӑшак(əә) ԓуват(əә) berries as raspberry or rose sharp edges cuts a colors but shapes, e.g., a golden girl, ‘сорнеӈ ԓǝйт’ - golden ring. In most айԓа(йəә) щущи(йəә)’- “fist-sized little baby” [26]. hip. hand and leg. (a straight tree, a crooked tree, examples, ‘сорни (сорнеӈ)’ is translated as gold, and in 13. Йўх сӑм хўват ‘Вўрты’ literally means sedge) though there is an expression one case as divine. вўрты вухсар хөхəәԓ. red although it is translated ‘питы вөнт’ for dark forest. 5.7 Щєл вух (єԓəәп) Table 6. Сорни, сорнеӈ. (щухал тўт) into Russian as ginger, This riddle was solved with the The phrase ‘щєл вух’, or just ‘щєл’ and ‘вух’ are A red fox is running because a fox is supposed help of the color term (green, Riddle Comment translated into Russian as silver. According to the along the tree pith. (a to be red in the Russian color of grass) and quality of Khanty-Russian dictionary ‘щєл вух’ means a silver coin, burning fireplace) lingual culture. grass -cutting. 19. Сорни хӑншап ‘хӑншап’ means motley, йиӈк аԓты йухан multicolor, so ‘сорни’ cannot ‘вух’ – money, silver. In the dictionary, the expression is 14. Хушапăӈ йух In this case, ‘вўрты’ is

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In the folklore, the expressions are typical: шөпи, ас шөпи be translated as golden but ‘Вурӈа(йǝ) нюԓы хăншаӈ(ǝ) вǝнтєв(ǝ), Вурӈа(йǝ) мєнтəәм. (нўԓ йўх) A valued, divine. нюԓы(йǝ) эԓяӈ(ǝ) вǝнтєв(ǝ)’. T.A. Moldanova says that yoke with gold The riddle is solved by the ‘our forest is motley like a crow's beak’, which patterns is laid down shape (yoke) and place reproduces an image of the Urals foothill with boulders across rivers (a (across the river). covered with lichen, and is compared to a crow's beak, rainbow). which is framed by a fluff, and at the same time with the 20. Лапат йитпи dark grey color of the bird [26]. Speaking of the river, сорненг сув торма ‘Сорненг ‘means valuable, they do not refer to colors either; there is an established лосьла, торма ан sacred staff, i.e. it is not folklore epithet ‘ювра йиӈкпи’, that may be translated лэпл на иллы associated with color, but into Russian as with winding waters, but there are менлал, кусы лак with shape: a bent sacred expressions ‘нуви йиӈкуп’ – light water, ‘вўрты йиӈкуп’ иты. (нул юх) If one staff. in folk texts – literally, red water, i.e., blood-red water. In puts a seven-color some cases, the informants believe that the water is red, golden trochee as it flows from the swamps (that is, saturated with iron, vertically, then there swamp ore i.e. limonite). is not enough space in the sky, and it will bend like an arc. (a 5.5 Вўщԓэм/Yellow rainbow) The adjective ‘вўщԓэм’ is translated as yellow [36]. 21. Торум кимл сорненг вух тунты Table 5. Вўщԓэм/Yellow. йош. (хосьл) – At the edge of the Riddle Comment sky, there is a golden 18. Сєр вөнт, мур ‘сўмəәт лыпəәт хойса’ – birch bark road. вөнт сўӈəән вўщлəәм literally, birch leaves (horizon.) нөйəәп хө ԓољ. (сўмəәт slightly touched by frost, 22. Сємн ан ныты ‘Сорнеӈ’ means valuable, лыпəәт хойса) therefore, yellow. вəән ԓор кимăԓ сэй divine; the crane is the In the heart of the The riddle was solved by панăт сорнеӈ incarnation of a god. forest, a man in yellow color (yellow) – birch in пєрнайт. woolen clothes is autumn is yellow. The There are golden standing. (yellow birch yellow color is also found crosses on the sandy leaves) in folklore texts to describe stretch of the vast the forest: ‘вўщԓум(ǝ) lake. (footprints of a нǝйи(йǝ) хǝлаӈ(ǝ) ям crane) тєԓ(ǝ)’. ‘Муя(йǝ) 23. Юхан хонǝӈǝн The riddle uses the йувант(ǝ)ԓумеԓ(ǝ) сорнеӈ сєӈкєп expression ‘сорнеӈ сєӈкєп’ - ищи(йǝ)?’ [26]. ԓăрийǝԓ. (пўпи golden rattle. Here the word пухие). A golden golden means the highest 5.6 Сорни, сорнеӈ rattle is rolling along value, divinity. the river bank. (a The adjective ‘сорни (сорнеӈ)’ is translated as golden bear.) [36]. The golden color is at the top of the color hierarchy related to the spiritual world, as it symbolizes the highest Riddle no. 23 (about the bear) is closely related to a sacredness and value. It characterizes the characters of mythological motif, according to which the supreme god the divine pantheon and their zoomorphic incarnations. Torum sends Pelym God son, whom the former Speaking about variation in the use of words ‘сорни’ and affectionately calls: ‘Мӑшак(əә) ԓуват(əә) сорни(йəә) ‘сорнеӈ’ some informants noted that ‘сорни’ is used пухем(əә), Мӑшак(əә) ԓуват(əә) сорни(йəә) похлєм(əә)’- when value or the highest status is meant, for example: fist-sized golden son, fist-sized golden clew. This ‘Сорни Торум’ (literally – gold Torum), ‘Сорни най’ “golden clew” is called in other tender words: ‘сорни(йəә) (literally – gold goddess), that is, he (she) himself кўвал(əә)’ – “golden bell”, ‘сорни(йəә) путал(əә)’ – (herself) is gold, absolute value, one cannot say ‘сорнеӈ “golden clod”, ‘сорнеӈ(əә) єԓпи(йəә) айԓа(йəә) пушах(əә)’ – Торум’ or ‘сорнеӈ най’, but they say ‘сорнеӈ ǝӈг’ - “little nestling looking like gold”, ‘мӑшак(əә) ԓуват(əә) golden girl, ‘сорнеӈ ԓǝйт’ - golden ring. In most айԓа(йəә) щущи(йəә)’- “fist-sized little baby” [26]. examples, ‘сорни (сорнеӈ)’ is translated as gold, and in one case as divine. 5.7 Щєл вух (єԓəәп) Table 6. Сорни, сорнеӈ. The phrase ‘щєл вух’, or just ‘щєл’ and ‘вух’ are Riddle Comment translated into Russian as silver. According to the 19. Сорни хӑншап ‘хӑншап’ means motley, Khanty-Russian dictionary ‘щєл вух’ means a silver coin, йиӈк аԓты йухан multicolor, so ‘сорни’ cannot ‘вух’ – money, silver. In the dictionary, the expression is

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translated as silver ‘щєл вух єԓəәп’, but it is not used in the 4. Interlanguage (Russian – Khanty) comparison of the 15. U. Nikanne, Conceptual semantics. In Handbook of 29. Z.P. Sokolova, Khanty and Mansi: a view from the riddles [36]. The informants translated it as with a silver content aspect of the words for color terms shows pragmatics (Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 1-21, XXI century (Мoscow, Nauka, 2009) surface. Informants report that ‘щєл вух’ translates universality (red hat, man means mushroom) of many 2008) 30. S.V. Onina, Bulletin of Yugra State University, literally as liquid money. It is supposed that the word ‘вух processes in the studied languages alongside with a 16. A. Wierzbicka, Language and Culture, 1, 1–24 54(39), 98-102 (2015) (вах)’ used to denote metal meaning value. In the riddles, different degree of their actualization and an unequal set (2006) 31. Z.I. Randymova, Reindeer breeding culture of Pre- there is a comparison to silver (window, icicles, of lexical color units, which is primarily due to ethnic, 17. M. Uusküla, L. Hollman and U. Sutrop, ESUKA – Ural Khanty (Tomsk: TSU Publ., 2004) moonlight rays). social and cultural factors (‘rainbow’ means golden - ‘a JEFUL, 3-1, 47-86 (2012) 32. N.M. Taligina, Peoples of North-Western Siberia, 8, golden staff’ is put in the sky). 18. U. Sutrop, Progress in color studies (Amsterdam: 92-96 (1999) Table 7. Щєл вух (єԓəәп). 5. The Khanty language has its own ethnically preferred Benjamins, 39-48, 2016) 33. N.B. Koshkareva, E.V. Kashkin, Ju.B. Korakov, Riddle Comment colors, possessing the quality of dominance and ethnic 19. S. Szeverényi, Color Language and Color O.A. Kazakevich, S.I. Burkova, N.A. Muravjev, priority, which serve to convey ethnic feelings when it Categorization (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, E.M. Budyanskaya, Dialectological Atlas 24. Ишни иԓпи щєл вух. ‘Щєл вух’ means liquid comes to things most sacred for a person/people, i.e. 115-141, 2016) (Kaliningrad, Publishing House ‘ROST-DOAFC’, Silver coin is hanging in money, this is how silver idealization takes place in color, for example, a bear is a 20. V.B. Kasevich, Semantics. Syntax. Morphology 2017) front of the window. (an is described. golden rattle (sacred animal), golden crosses mean crane (Мoscow, Nauka, 1988) 34. E.A. Nemysova, L.N. Kajukova, Khanty riddles icicle) footprints (a crane is the incarnation of a god). The 21. A.A. Bogordajeva, Bulletin of Archaeology, (Kazym and Surgut dialects) (Khanty-Mansiysk: 25. Хот пўӈəәԓ щєл вух ‘щєл вух’ means shiny, present study is an attempt at developing a hypothesis Anthropology and Ethnography, 2, 98-104 (1999) Poligrafist, 2007) тăхты. (ишни) ‘тăхты’ means that certain color terms are extremely important for this 22. K.P. Cheremisina, Bulletin of Archaeology, 35. E.A. Nemysova, Khanty riddles (Sankt-Petersburg: There is silver deerskin deerskin. ethnic group; in the Khanty culture, it is gold meaning Anthropology and Ethnography, 10, 113-115 (2009) Mirall Publ., 2006) on the house wall. (a valuable, sacred. 23. V.I. Spodina, Bulletin of Ugric Studies, 1(12), 143- 36. V.N. Solovar, Khanty-Russian Dictionary, (Kazym window) Thus, the conducted study shows that color terms are 156 (2013) dialect) (Tyumen: Format, 2014) 26. Пăтлам хот сўӈəән ‘Вух’ means iron, and an complex lexical units of language and speech, whose 24. N.M. Taligina, Ob-Ugrians. Materials of the 2-nd карты ԓөйтəәӈ нє, вух addition of ‘щєл’ makes meanings are determined to a large extent by the Siberian Symposium Cultural Heritage of the ԓөйтəәӈ нє ёнтəәсəәԓ. it silver. Appendix 1. Pre-questionnaire for native Khanty historical and cultural experience of certain linguistic Peoples of Western Siberia, 197-199 (1999) (Тыԓəәщ, ёщ, хăтəәԓ ёш) speakers. groups. 25. A.A. Shiyanova, Bulletin of Ugric Studies, 8, 4, 683- A woman with iron, 693 (2018) silver rings is sewing in a Instruction: Please write down your responses to the 26. T.A. Moldanova, Pelymsky Torum - the organizer of dark corner of the house. following questions: References bear games (Khanty-Mansiysk: Polygraphist, 2010) (moon and sun rays) 1. What is your age? 1. M. Uusküla, D. Bimler, Progress in color studies 27. V.N. Solovar, M.V. Kumajeva, Voprosy Uralskih 2. What is your gender? (Male/female) (Amsterdam: Benjamins, 223-241, 2016) Issledovanij, Nauchnyj Almanah, 485-497 (2014) 3. What languages do you speak? 6. Conclusion 2. R. MacLaury, Current Anthropology, 137- 186 28. V.N. Solovar, A.A. Burykin, Researches in 4. What is your level of competency of the Khanty (1992) ethnography and folklore of peoples of North- language? (minimal, functional, proficient) The main findings of the study include the following: 3. E.V. Voevoda, Color perception and associative Western Siberia (Tyumen: Format, 2017) 5. What is your dialect? 1. The concept of color linguistics as an independent fields, Scientific Bulletin of VGASU, 2, 113-123 scientific paradigm in modern linguistics is acquiring (2012) more and more distinct features. A circle of scientists has 4. G. Paulsen, M. Uusküla, J. Brindle, Color Language been formed who regularly discuss the problems of color and Color Categorization (Cambridge Scholar names in various aspects and directions, a sufficient Publishing, 2016) amount of scientific literature has been accumulated on 5. L. B. Barratt, M. Kontra, International Journal of the description of color in various languages, there is Lexicography, 9, 2, 102-117 (1996) constant discussion of these problems at relevant 6. Yu.D. Apresyan, Lexical semantic (Moscow, 1974) scientific events. 7. A.P. Vasilevich, The study of vocabulary in the 2. The considered linguocultural characteristics of color psycholinguistic experiment (Moscow, Science, terms and color perception confirm that in the Khanty 1987) riddles there are more color terms that go beyond the 3 8. V.I. Shakhovsky, Voprosy Yazykoznaniya, 6, 97- basic colors. The secondary nomination of the mentioned 111, (1984) units has such a developed structure that it cannot be 9. V.N. Solovar, S.D. Morokko, Khanty riddles covered by the framework of one research work. (Khanty-Mansiysk, N.I.K. Publ., 1997) Reconsideration of meanings in the cognitive process 10. B. Berlin, P. Kay, Basic color terms: their proceeds in accordance with the associative nature of universality and evolution (Los Angeles: University human thinking and the logical form of functional of California Press, 1969) transfer of names according to similarity of external or 11. P. Kay, B. Berlin; L. Maffi, W.R. Merrifield, R.S. internal features, namely color (the mushroom and berry Cook, The world color survey (Stanford, Calif: CSLI are red), color and shape (golden, valuable means divine Publications, 2009) rainbow i.e. yoke), as well as color and place (red man in 12. T. Regier, P. Kay, and N. Khetarpal, Language 85, 4, the forest, red woman in the swamp). 884-892, (2009) 3. In the future, a study of lexical properties of color 13. R.E. MacLaury, Color and cognition in terms seems appropriate to be conducted in the Mesoamerica. Constructing Categories as Vantages framework of the activity approach to the language, (University of Texas Press, Austin, 1997) including a study of the location of color vocabulary in 14. R. Jackendoff, Meaning and the lexicon. The parallel cognitive processes and the role of color terms in shaping architecture 1975–2010 (Oxford: Oxford University the linguistic worldview in adults and children. Press, 2010)

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15. U. Nikanne, Conceptual semantics. In Handbook of 29. Z.P. Sokolova, Khanty and Mansi: a view from the pragmatics (Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 1-21, XXI century (Мoscow, Nauka, 2009) 2008) 30. S.V. Onina, Bulletin of Yugra State University, 16. A. Wierzbicka, Language and Culture, 1, 1–24 54(39), 98-102 (2015) (2006) 31. Z.I. Randymova, Reindeer breeding culture of Pre- 17. M. Uusküla, L. Hollman and U. Sutrop, ESUKA – Ural Khanty (Tomsk: TSU Publ., 2004) JEFUL, 3-1, 47-86 (2012) 32. N.M. Taligina, Peoples of North-Western Siberia, 8, 18. U. Sutrop, Progress in color studies (Amsterdam: 92-96 (1999) Benjamins, 39-48, 2016) 33. N.B. Koshkareva, E.V. Kashkin, Ju.B. Korakov, 19. S. Szeverényi, Color Language and Color O.A. Kazakevich, S.I. Burkova, N.A. Muravjev, Categorization (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, E.M. Budyanskaya, Dialectological Atlas 115-141, 2016) (Kaliningrad, Publishing House ‘ROST-DOAFC’, 20. V.B. Kasevich, Semantics. Syntax. Morphology 2017) (Мoscow, Nauka, 1988) 34. E.A. Nemysova, L.N. Kajukova, Khanty riddles 21. A.A. Bogordajeva, Bulletin of Archaeology, (Kazym and Surgut dialects) (Khanty-Mansiysk: Anthropology and Ethnography, 2, 98-104 (1999) Poligrafist, 2007) 22. K.P. Cheremisina, Bulletin of Archaeology, 35. E.A. Nemysova, Khanty riddles (Sankt-Petersburg: Anthropology and Ethnography, 10, 113-115 (2009) Mirall Publ., 2006) 23. V.I. Spodina, Bulletin of Ugric Studies, 1(12), 143- 36. V.N. Solovar, Khanty-Russian Dictionary, (Kazym 156 (2013) dialect) (Tyumen: Format, 2014) 24. N.M. Taligina, Ob-Ugrians. Materials of the 2-nd Siberian Symposium Cultural Heritage of the Appendix 1. Pre-questionnaire for native Khanty Peoples of Western Siberia, 197-199 (1999) speakers. 25. A.A. Shiyanova, Bulletin of Ugric Studies, 8, 4, 683- 693 (2018) Instruction: Please write down your responses to the 26. T.A. Moldanova, Pelymsky Torum - the organizer of following questions: bear games (Khanty-Mansiysk: Polygraphist, 2010) 1. What is your age? 27. V.N. Solovar, M.V. Kumajeva, Voprosy Uralskih 2. What is your gender? (Male/female) Issledovanij, Nauchnyj Almanah, 485-497 (2014) 3. What languages do you speak? 28. V.N. Solovar, A.A. Burykin, Researches in 4. What is your level of competency of the Khanty ethnography and folklore of peoples of North- language? (minimal, functional, proficient) Western Siberia (Tyumen: Format, 2017) 5. What is your dialect?