Article

Name: Borrowings from Russian to Tuvan as a way of euphemization

Authors: N. M. Mongush

Tuvan Institute of Humanities and Applied Socio-Economic Research under the Government of the Republic of Tuva, Kyzyl, Russian Federation

In the section Лексикология

Abstract:

The paper considers Russian loanwords in Tuvan speech, the ones that are used as euphemisms. The analysis was conducted by utilizing recordings of speech in the Tuvan language collected from the Internet, social networks, and instant messengers, as well as through observations of the daily speech of contemporary speakers of the Tuvan language. The borrowings identified as euphemisms can be divided into five groups: (1) denoting various diseases and related phenomena, (2) related to the physiological, anatomical, and sexual spheres, (3) associated with the concept of death, (4) associated with the designation of undesirable social phenomena, and (5) associated with the ethical and aesthetic perception of a person. The first group comprises borrowed names of diseases and related concepts. Native speakers tend to regard medical terms as uncomfortable and rude. The second group encompasses words perceived as unpleasant, disgusting, and shameful, such as words and phrases related to human physiology and the sexual sphere. The absence of these lexemes in Tuvan language dictionaries serves as evidence of their exclusive usage in colloquial discourse. The third group represents the means of euphemistic portrayal of death, which is a common characteristic found in all cultures. The fourth group includes euphemisms linked to societal challenges and undesirable social phenomena. The fifth comprises euphemisms that reflect the evolving perceptions of individuals in contemporary Tuvan society, with transformations caused by the modern level and life expectancy, changing social roles, and changing aesthetic ideas.

Keywords: Tuvan language, Russian language, borrowed words, euphemization, euphemisms-borrowings

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