Definition and classification of the Khakass paroemias

Abstract

Classifying paremiological units proves to be a challenging task in multiple languages. To date, any large-scale paremiological collection can hardly fully cover a genre distribution of language material into proverbs and sayings or exclude other linguistic units similar in structure and semantics having a paremiological status. Our research is devoted to identifying the main features of the paremiological units of the Khakass language, their similarity, and differences in structural and semantic terms. In terms of structure, Khakass proverbs have been revealed to be small poetic texts made up of complete simple or complex sentences. Numerous proverbs are represented by two components that were found to have antonymic and synonymic interconnections and thematic close relationships. These proverbs convey moralizing or instruction and have a literal and figurative meaning. The sayings have been found to be eloquent non-rhythmic one-part utterances of an evaluative nature, characterized by a lack of didactic character, having the forms of simple, complete sentences. The composition of Khakass proverbs and sayings includes linguistic units related to phraseologisms. One of the essential features of proverbs and sayings is their folk character, that is, long and wide usage in the oral speech of the people. Aphorisms in the Khakass language appear mainly in works of art, carrying an individual character and eventually entering the collective usage. The Khakass paroemias clearly and concisely express the mentality of the Khakass people, their attitude to the surrounding world, and nature, also conveying a range of cultural concepts related to man and society.