‘The Weak Tribe of The Lapps’ (G.F. Goebel): A Lazy Man in the Proverbial Picture of the World of the Kildin Saami Language
DOI: 10.23951/2307-6119-2026-1-18-28
This article examines the proverbial picture of the world in the Kildin Saami language, focusing on proverbs about laziness. The study is relevant because of the limited research on Kildin Saami proverbs and the need to identify behavioral patterns expressed in them. The purpose of this work is to describe the behavioral norms and value systems reflected in Kildin Saami proverbs on laziness. The novelty of the study lies in the use of previously unexamined material from the Kildin Saami language. The research methods include comparative analysis of stereotypical ideas expressed in ethnographic literature from the late 19th to early 20th centuries; autobiographical texts; and ethno-everyday commentary on proverbs, identified through a survey of a native Saami speaker; as well as structural and semantic analyses and comparisons of dictionary and ‘naïve’ definitions. Analysis of the proverbial picture of the world shows that Kildin Saami proverbs present far more negative qualities of the Saami than are found in ethnographic literature. The study finds that interpreting Saami proverbs requires consideration of the ambivalence of their content, the lost or distorted understanding of Saami life, the specifics of traditional occupations, and discrepancies between dictionary and ‘naïve’ definitions. Kildin Saami proverbs about laziness are structured around categorical pairs such as ‘laziness – work,’ ‘laziness – poverty,’ ‘laziness – sleep,’ and ‘laziness – food,’ which highlight value attitudes: the importance of the summer period for fish harvesting, an ambiguous assessment of poverty, mismanagement as a result of laziness, and a stereotypical image of a good worker. The content of Saami proverbs about laziness reveals behavioral norms established in the Saami community: ‘do not be lazy,’ ‘work hard,’ ‘do not sleep or play too long,’ and ‘it is better not to postpone work.’ Laziness as a Saami quality in proverbs is presented both literally and metaphorically. The basis for metaphorization includes somatic terms (e.g., leg) and names of fishing equipment (e.g., net, fishing rod, hanger).
Keywords: proverbs, proverbial picture of the world, Kildin Saami language, norms of behavior, value systems, laziness, work, poverty, sleep, food
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