Linguocultural Analysis of Nominations of Fingers in the Selkup Language1

Abstract

The article presents linguocultural analysis of nominations of fingers in the Selkup language. The aim of the study is to reveal the part of the Selkup worldview comprised in the lexical units under study. The authors systematize the variants of nominations of fingers as well as identify linguistic and cultural principles for nomination while studying the etymology of nomination of a finger in general and carrying out the component and comparative analyses of the nominations of particular fingers of a hand. The findings of linguistic analyses are supported by the cultural data. The conducted research showed that there are 6 principles of nominations of fingers in the Selkup language; they are size, function, location and the absence of particular characteristics that may serve as basis for nomination. It was also found out that there are sacred principles of nomination which are connected with the personification of mythic primal forefathers of the Selkup in fingers.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s2p448