CONCEPT “SNOW” IN THE LINGUISTIC AND FOLKLORE PICTURE OF THE WORLD OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF YAKUTIA

The article undertakes a comparative analysis of the concept “Snow” in the linguistic and folklore worldview of the indigenous peoples of Yakutia. The purpose of the study is to identify the specific features of representation of this concept in the linguistic and folklore worldview of the Yakuts, Evens, Evenki, Yukaghirs. The methods used in the paper include linguocultural analysis, continuous sampling, comparison and collation. Following the research of verbalisation of the concept “Snow”, it was revealed that it is universal and significant in the conceptual framework “Natural phenomena”. It was found that the concept “Snow” in the Yakut linguistic and folkloric world image represents a complex, multilayer formation going beyond the framework of natural phenomena, being capable of expressing figurative meanings involving negative connotations, when designating failure, loss of orientation, deception, tears, as well as measure, quantity, time; act as part of an anthroponym, etc. It was established that the most relevant features are the makeup, depth of snow, time of snowfall, etc., which is important in horse husbandry, cattle breeding and hunting. It was revealed that the concept “Snow” in the Even, Evenki and Yukaghir linguistic world image is presented mainly as a component of the concept “Natural phenomena”, characterising snow in terms of various qualitative, temporal and spatial attributes associated with reindeer breeding and hunting. The explored folklore materials reflecting the life of the Evens, Evenki, Yukaghirs showed that this concept serves mainly as a marker of winter onset, colour white, a component of everyday life activities, of time, sometimes of danger, transience. The work results can be used in the development of theoretical provisions of cultural linguistics, in comparative research of ethno-cultural features of the linguistic and folklore picture of the world of the indigenous peoples of Yakutia.