EVIDENCE OF LANGUAGE CONTACT IN KOLYMA-ALAZEIA TUNDRA IN THE 19TH AND THE EARLY 20TH CENTURIES. TUNDRA YUKAGHIRS AND THEIR CONTACTS WITH THE NEIGHBOURS
DOI: 10.23951/2307-6119-2022-1-56-77
This paper is the third one within the series of studies devoted to the linguistic situation in the Kolyma-Alazeia tundra, a region of intense ethnic and linguistic contacts, in the late 19th — early 20th centuries. The study focuses on Tundra Yukaghirs and the Tundra Yukaghir language, which was in contact with Chukchi, Even, Yakut and Russian. First, we provide a brief historical review on Yukaghirs in the 17–19th centuries, which shows that the region in question became a contact area only since the 18th century. Then, using the literature on the Yukaghir loanwords and our own field data, we consider the phenomena in Tundra Yukaghir that were caused by the influence of other languages of the Kolyma-Alazeia tundra. This overview displays that the number of lexical borrowings in the modern Yukaghir language is the lowest from Chukchi (less than 5), and comprises about 50 words from Even, more than 60 words from Yakut and, finally, more than 150 words from Russian. Based on the various sources (ethnographic literature, eyewitness accounts), we describe the social conditions that accompanied contacts between the representatives of various peoples in the Kolyma-Alazeia tundra. These data are compared with the data on linguistic evidence of the contacts. Contacts with Chukchis in the Kolyma-Alazeia tundra were quite recent, which explains the small number of borrowings in Yukaghir. On the contrary, marital and neighborly ties between Yukaghirs and Evens were very tight (for example, there were mixed Even-Yukaghir clans, and Even-Yukaghir bilingualism was most likely widespread). The relations between Yakuts and Yukaghirs were mainly of a commercial nature (Yakuts possessed valuable products of horse and cattle breeding). Contacts with Russians have ancient history, and in many cases they involved control over the state duties that was exercised by Russians, which indicates the hierarchical nature of these contacts. Thus, the study shows that a large number of borrowings can be explained both by the long-term history and cultural mixing (Evens and Yukaghirs), and the hierarchical nature of the relations between the communities in contact (Yakuts and Yukaghirs, Russians and Yukaghirs).
Keywords: Yukaghir languages, Tundra Yukaghir, Yukaghirs, language contact, multilingualism, lexis, loanwords, kinship terms
References:
Anikin A. E. Ètimologičeskij slovarʹ russkix dialektov Sibiri: zaimstvovanija iz uralʹskix, altajskix i paleoaziatskix jazykov [Etymological dictionary of the Russian dialects of Siberia: loanwords from Uralic, Altaic and Paleoasian languages]. Moscow, Novosibirsk: Nauka, 2000.
Cincius V. I. Sravnitelʹnaja fonetika tunguso-manʹčžurskix jazykov [Comparative phonetics of Tungusic languages]. Leningrad: Leningradskoje otdelenie Učpedgiza, 1949.
Cincius V. I., Rišes L. D. Russko-èvenskij slovarʹ [Russian-Even dictionary]. Moscow: Izdate’stvo inostrannyx i nacionalʹnyx slovarej, 1952.
Dolgix B. O. Rodovoj i plemennoj sostav Sibiri v XVII veke [Clan and tribal composition of Siberia in the 17th century]. Moscow: Izdatel'stvo Akademii nauk, 1960.
Gogolev Z. V., Gurvič I. S., Zolotareva I. M., Žornickaja M. Ja. Jukagiry: Istoriko-ètnografičeskij očerk [Yukaghirs: a historical and ethnographic sketch] / A. P. Okladnikov (ed.). Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1975.
Gurvič I. S. Ètnografičeskaja èkspedicija v Nižne-kolymskij i Sredne-kolymskij rajony Jakutskoj ASSR v 1951 godu (predvaritelʹnyj otčet) [An ethnographic expedition to Lower and Middle Kolyma districts of Yakut ASSR in 1951 (a preliminary report)] // Sovetskaja ètnografija. №3. 1952. P. 200–209.
Іoxelʹson V. I. Predvaritelʹnyj otčet ob issledovanіi inorodcev Kolymskago i Verxojanskago okrugov (s kartoj maršrutov) [A preliminary investigation report of aborigines of Kolymskij and Verkhojanskij district (with a route map)] // Izvestіja Vostočno-sibirskago otdela Imperatorskago russkago geografičeskago obščestva XXIX. 1898. № 1. P. 9–25.
Іoxelʹson V. I. Brodjačіe rody tundry meždu rekami Indigirkoj i Kolymoj, ix ètničeskіj sostav, narečіe, byt, bračnye i inye obyčai i vzaimodejstvіe različnyx plemennyx èlementov [Nomadic Tundra clans between Indigirka and Kolyma rivers, their ethnic composition, language, everyday life and other customs and interaction of the different clan elements] // Živaja starina. 1900. Vol. I–II. P. 151–193.
Ioxelʹson V. I. Jukagiry i jukagirizovannye tungusy [Yukaghirs and Yukaghirized Tunguses]. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 2005 (originally published in Učenye zapiski Amerikanskogo muzeja in 1926).
Jochelson W. (1926). The Jukaghir and the Jukaghirized Tungus. The Jesup North Pacific Expedition. Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History, 9(3).
Korjakov Yu. B. Principy sostavlenija spiska jazykov Rossii [Principles of composing the list of languages of Russia]. A talk given on the 3rd meeting of the Discussion and Analytical Club on the Language Policy, Institute of Linguistics RAS (Moscow), November 24, 2020.
Krejnovič E. A. Iz žizni tundrennyx jukagirov na rubeže XIX i XX vekov [Notes on Tundra Yukaghirs’ lifestyle in 19–20 centuries] // Strany i narody vostoka. Vol. XVIII. Strany i narody bassejna Tixogo okeana. Kniga 2. Moscow: Nauka, 1972. P. 56–92.
Kurilov G. N. O terminax rodstva i svojstva tundrennyx jukagirov [On Tundra Yukaghir kinship terms] // Sovetskaja ètnografija. № 2. 1969. P. 92–96.
Kurilov G. N. Jukagirsko-russkij slovarʹ [Yukaghir-Russian dictionary]. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 2001.
Kurilov G. N. Leksikologija sovremennogo jukagirskogo jazyka [Lexicology of Modern Yukaghir]. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 2003.
Kurilov G. N. Sovremennyj jukagirskij jazyk: učebnoe posobie [Modern Yukaghir: a textbook]. Jakutsk: Ofset, 2006.
Kurilova S. N. Tematičeskie gruppy tungusskix leksičeskix zaimstvovanij v severojukagirskom jazyke [Thematic groups of Tungus lexical borrowings in the North Yukaghir language] // Filologičeskie nauki. Voprosy teorii i praktiki. № 12 (42). Part II. Tambov: Gramota, 2014a. P. 101–105.
Kurilova S. N. Leksiko-tematičeskie gruppy jakutskix zaimstvovanij v jazyke tundrovyx jukagirov [Thematic groups of Yakut lexical borrowings in the Tundra Yukaghir language] // Evrazijskij sojuz učenyx. №4 (11). Moscow, 2014b. P. 56–59.
Kurilova S. N. Osobennosti morfologičeskogo osvoenija inojazyčnyx slov v jazyke tundrovyx jukagirov {Peculiarities of the morphologic adaptation of foreign words in Tundra Yukaghir} // Meždunarodnyj naučno-issledovatelʹskij žurnal. Filologičeskie nauki. №10 (41). Č.5. Ekaterinburg: Poligrafist. 2015a. S. 85–87.
Kurilova S. N. Klassifikacija russkix leksičeskix zaimstvovanij v tundrovom jukagirskom jazyke: tematičeskaja gruppa «kuxnja» [Classification of Russian lexical borrowings in Tundra Yukaghir: a thematic group “kitchen”] // Filologičeskie nauki. Voprosy teorii i praktiki. № 5 (47). Part I. Tambov: Gramota, 2015b. P. 116–120.
Levin M. G., Potapov L. P. (eds.). Istoriko-ètnografičeskij atlas Sibiri [A historical and ethnographic atlas of Siberia]. Moscow-Leningrad: Izdatelʹstvo Akademii Nauk SSSR, 1961.
Majdelʹ G. Putešestvіe po severo-vostočnoj časti Jakutskoj oblasti v 1868–1870 g. [A travel around the Northwestern part of Yakutia oblast in 1868-1870]. Saint-Petersburg: Tipografіja Imperatorskoj Akademіi nauk, 1894.
Malchukov A. Yakut interference in North-Tungusic languages // H. Boeschoten & L. Johanson (eds.). Turkic languages in contact. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2006. P. 122–139.
Maslova E. A Grammar of Kolyma Yukaghir. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 2003a.
Maslova E. Tundra Yukaghir. Languages of the World / Materials 372 Lincom Europa, München, 2003b.
Matić D. Russian influence on the Kolyma Yukaghir morphosyntax // Antje Casaretto & Silvia Kutscher (eds.). Sprachkontakt, synchron und diachron. Aachen: Shaker, 2008. P. 93–124.
Matić D. Documenting dying languages: Kinship avoidance speech in Tundra Yukaghir. Talk given at the conference «Linguistic forum 2019: Indigenous languages of Russia and beyond» (Institute of Linguistics RAS, Moscow, April 4–6, 2019).
Mudrak O. A. Ètimologičeskij slovarʹ čukotsko-kamčatskix jazykov [Etymological dictionary of Chukchi-Kamchatkan languages]. Moscow: Jazyki russkoj kulʹtury, 2000.
Nikolaeva I. A historical dictionary of Yukaghir. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 2006.
Nikolaeva I. A., Xelimskij E. A. Jukagirskij jazyk [The Yukaghir language] // Jazyki mira. Paleoaziatskie jazyki. Moscow: Indrik, 1997. P. 155–168.
Novikova K. A. Očerki dialektov èvenskogo jazyka: Olʹskij govor. Glagol, služebnye slova, teksty, glossarij [Sketches on the dialects of Even: Ola subdialect. Verb, function words, texts, glossary]. Leningrad: Nauka, 1980.
Pakendorf B., Matić D., Aralova N., Lavrillier A. 2010. Documentation of the dialectal and cultural diversity among Ėvens in Siberia (DOBES, MPIP, MPI-EVA, Nijmegen, Leipzig). Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/1839/00-0000-0000-000F-2DFE-0.
Patkanov S. Statističeskіja dannyja, pokazyvajuščіja plemennoj sostav naselenіja Sibiri, jazyk i rody inorodcev (na osnovanіi dannyx specіalʹnoj razrabotki materіala perepisi 1897 g.) [Statistical data, showing tribal composition of Siberia population, the language and clans of non-Russian population (on the basis of 1897 census data)]. Vol. 3. Saint-Petersburg, 1912.
Plužnikov N. V., Šadrin V. I. Jukagiry [Yukaghirs] // Narody Severo-Vostoka Sibiri / E. P. Batʹjanova, V. A. Turaev (eds.). IÈA RAN. Moscow: Nauka, 2010. P. 636–685.
Pupynina M., Aralova N. Lower Kolyma multilingualism: Historical setting and sociolinguistic trends // International Journal of Bilingualism. Special Issue: Typology of Small-Scale Multilingualism, 2021. (early online publication)
Pupynina M. Yu., Aralova N. B., Korjakov Yu. B. Geografija mnogojazyčija narodov Kolymsko-Alazejskoj tundry v konce XIX — načale XX veka. Častʹ 2. Èvenskij jazyk. Èveny i ix kontakty s sosedjami [Geography of multilingualism of peoples of Kolyma-Alazeia tundra in the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. Part II. The Even language: Evens and their contacts with the neighbours] // Tomskij žurnal lingvističeskix i antropologičeskix issledovanij. №1 (27). 2020. P. 44–60.
Pupynina M. Yu., Korjakov Yu. B. Geografija mnogojazyčija narodov Kolymsko-Alazejskoj tundry v konce XIX — načale XX veka. Častʹ 1. Čukotskij jazyk. Čukči i ix kontakty s sosedjami [Geography of multilingualism of peoples of Kolyma-Alazeia tundra in the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. Part I. The Chukchi language: Chukchis and their contacts with the neighbours] // Tomskij žurnal lingvističeskix i antropologičeskix issledovanij. № 1 (23). 2019. P. 69–82.
Rassadin V. I. Očerki po istorii složenija tjurko-mongolʹskoj jazykovoj obščnosti [Sketches on the history of formation of the Turkic-Mongolic linguistic community] / A. V. Dybo (ed.). Saint-Petersburg: Nestor-Istorija, 2019.
Robbek V. A., Robbek M. E. Èvensko-russkij slovarʹ [Even-Russian dictionary]. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 2005.
Rožanovskij K. F. Otčet K. F. Rožanovskogo ob Alazejskoj časti Kolymskogo okruga [K. F. Rožanovsky’s Report about the Alazeya part of Kolyma District] // Otčet upolnomočennogo Ministerstva Vnutrennix del po snabženiju prodovolʹstviem v 1905 godu Kolymskago i Oxotskogo kraja mirovogo sudʹi S. A. Buturlina. Saint-Petersburg.: Ministerstvo vnutrennix del, 1907.
Šarina S. I., Kuzʹmina R. P. Nižnekolymskij govor èvenskogo jazyka [Lower Kolyma subdialect of Even]. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 2018.
Savvinova S. N. Jakutskaja zaimstvovannaja leksika v èvenskom jazyke [Yakut borrowed lexicon in Even]. Avtoreferat dissertacii na soiskanie učenoj stepeni kandidata filologičeskix nauk.. Sankt-Peterburg, 2010.
Schmalz M. Aspects of the grammar of Tundra Yukaghir. PhD thesis, University of Amsterdam, 2013.
Sravnitelʹnyj slovarʹ tunguso-manʹčžurskix jazykov: Materialy k ètimologičeskomu slovarju: v 2 t. [A comparative Tungusic dictionary: Materials for an etymological dictionary: in 2 vol.] / V. I. Cincius (ed.). Leningrad: Nauka, 1975.
Tadmor U. Loanwords in the world's languages: Findings and results // Haspelmath M. & Tadmor U. (eds.). Loanwords in the world's languages: a comparative handbook. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 2009. P. 55–75.
Vaxtin N. B. Jazyki narodov severa v XX veke. Očerki jazykovogo sdviga [Languages of the Northern peoples in the 20th century. Sketches on language shift]. Saint-Petersburg.: Dmitrij Bulavin, 2001.
Zenzinov V. M. V gostjax u jukagirov [Visiting Yukaghirs] // Ètnografičeskoe obozrenie. № 1–2. 1914. P. 106–126.
( 1.67 MB ) 
( 1.57 MB )
Issue: 1, 2022
Series of issue: Issue 1
Rubric: LINGUISTICS
Pages: 56 — 77
Downloads: 580