Article

Name: Notes on the origin and history of words (govét’, kutkh, zóska)

Authors: Alexander E. Anikin

Institute of Philology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation

In the section Linguistics

Abstract:

This paper is a continuation of the series of publications entitled “From the History of Words” that focuses on the historical and etymological aspects of Russian words, encompassing both literary and dialectal forms. Some cultural aspects are taken into consideration. The first part provides some considerations of the etymological connections and correlating aspects of the semantics of the verb govét’, leading to the thesis about a stage of “silent veneration of gods or nameless forces of nature” in Proto-Slavic culture (O. N. Trubachev). It is evident that this thesis requires a substantial revision. The second part, related to the Russian dialectal (Kamchatka) designation of a kutkh (raven), discusses the interjections-imitations of the raven’s cry recorded in a number of Siberian traditions forming part of the rituals performed after the successful murder of a bear and apparently dating back to ancient times. The third part is devoted to the origin of the names of the game zóska / zhóska (known mainly in Siberia), which involves tossing a homemade shuttlecock (a lead mug, coin, and others) with the foot. An assumption is made about borrowings from Mongolian languages.

Keywords: etymology and history of words, cultural implications, silent veneration, hunting rituals, games

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