Figurative vocabulary of sound-mimic origin characterizing facial expressions of olonkho characters

The article examines figurative vocabulary of sound-mimic origin characterizing facial expressions of olonkho characters. The basis of the study was the position by L. N. Kharitonov that in the figurative vocabulary of the Yakut language there is a small group of words characterizing human facial expressions, which is called “figurative verbs with roots of sound-mimic origin”. The purpose of the article is to determine the features of figurative words of sound-mimic origin within the framework of the epic text. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that the sound-pictorial system of the Yakut language as an artistic means in the epic text has not yet been fully studied. In the course of the study, the methods of analysis of dictionary definitions, the descriptive method of linguistic material, component analysis of semantics and phonosemantic analysis of words were used. The novelty of the study is that for the first time, a special study of the Yakut figurative verbs of sound-mimetic origin is carried out on the material of the Yakut heroic epic olonkho. The following olonkho texts were used as material: “Obstinate Kulun Kullustuur” by I. G. Timofeev-Teploukhov, “Kyys Debiliye” by N. P. Burnasheva, “Khaan Dzhargystai” by an unknown storyteller from the Verkhoyansk ulus, “Bogatyr Girl Dzhyrybyna Dzhyrylyatta” by P. P. Yadrikhinsky – Bedjele, “Yuryung Yuedyuyan” by A. S. Poryadin. As a result of the analysis, it was established that in the olonkho texts, the onomatopoeic origin of figurative verbs is reflected in the vocabulary with the semantics of “smile” (michiy, ymay, yrdjay), “open mouth” (appay, amay, angay). It was also revealed that the vowel sounds in the stems of figurative verbs (syl-, seter-, sel-) perform the main onomatopoeic function, i. e. when pronouncing vowels, the mouth and lips literally take the same position as the facial expression being described. It has been established that the facial expression of the olonkho characters (restrained smile, grin, open mouth) described by means of figurative vocabulary of sound-mimic origin is an attribute, a sign of belonging to a certain world.

We see prospects for further research into the features of the figurative vocabulary of the Yakut language within the framework of the epic text in turning to a larger volume of material of this vocabulary.

1. Yastremskiy SV. Grammar of the Yakut language. Irkutsk: Publ. House of the Book store P.I. Makushin; 1900:307 (in Russian).

2. Kulakovsky A.E. Scientific works. Yakutsk: Yakut Book Publ. House; 1979:483 (in Russian).

3. Gerasimova SA. Lexical means of imagery in Mansi heroic texts. The world of science. Sociology, philology, cultural studies. 2020;4(11). URL: https://sfk-mn.ru/PDF/43FLSK420.pdf (accessed: August 23, 2025) (in Russian).

4. Rakhimova AR. Functional and semantic features of the vocabulary characterizing a person in the epic “Idegey”. Philology and Culture. 2015;3(41):116–125 (in Russian).

5. Borisov YuP. The concept of “the bogatyr’s bride” in the early texts of the Yakut olonkho: a phenomenological aspect. Problems of historical poetics. 2023;2(21):66–85 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.15393/j9.art.2023.12222

6. Gerasimova LN. Figurative verbs in the representation of the concept of hero in the Yakut heroic epic olonkho. Eposovedenie. 2021;4(24):98–104 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.25587/s7462-4688-3258-v

7. Zhirkova EE. Representation of the concept of BEAUTY in olonkho by means of figurative vocabulary of the Yakut language. In: Kuzmina EN. (ed.) 2nd Siberian Forum of Folklorists: Abstracts of reports for the 90th anniversary of the birth of A.B. Soktoev, founder of the series “Monuments of Folklore of the Peoples of Siberia and the Far East”. Novosibirsk: Alexpress Publ.; 2021:52–54 (in Russian).

8. Kharitonov LN. Types of verb stems in the Yakut language. Moscow; Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences; 1954:312 (in Russian).

9. Voronin SV. Basics of phonosemantics. Leningrad: Leningrad State University Publ. House; 1982:244 (in Russian).

10. Skalichka V. Studies of Hungarian onomatopoeic expressions. In: Kondrashov NA. (ed.) Prague Linguistic Circle. Collection of articles. Moscow: Progress Publ.; 1967:277–317 (in Russian).

11. Chironov SV. Onomatopoeic words in modern Japanese (functioning issues): Candidate’s dissertation (Philology). Moscow; 2004:221 (in Russian).

12. Afanasyev LA. Phonosemantics of figurative words in the Yakut language: Candidate’s dissertation (Philology). Yakutsk; 1992:133 (in Russian).

13. Eginova SD. Figurative adjectives in the Yakut language (in comparison with the Buryat and Kyrgyz languages). Novosibirsk: Nauka Publ.; 2014:232 (in Russian).

14. Nikolaeva AM. Means of expressiveness in the Yakut language. Novosibirsk: Nauka Publ.; 2014:128 (in Russian).

15. Shagdarov LD. Figurative words in the modern Buryat language. Ulan-Ude: Buryat Book Publ. House; 1962:149 (in Russian).

16. Sundueva EV. Sounds and images: a phonosemantic study of lexemes with root consonants [r/m] in the Mongolian languages. Ulan-Ude: Publ. House of the Buryat Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the RAS; 2011:344 (in Russian).

17. Kudaibergenov S. Imitative words in the Kyrgyz language. Frunze: Kirguchpedgiz Publ.; 1957:106 (in Russian).

18. Iskhakov AI. On imitative words in the Kazakh language. In: Kononov AN. (ed.) Turkological collection. Vol. 1. Moscow; Leningrad: Publ. House of the USSR Academy of Sciences; 1951:103–111 (in Russian).

19. Khusainov KSh. Sound representation in the Kazakh language. Alma-Ata: Nauka Publ.; 1988:232 (in Russian).

20. Mikhalev AB. Theory of the phonosemantic field. Pyatigorsk: Publ. House of Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University; 1995:213 (in Russian).

21. Timofeev-Teploukhov IG. Obstinate Kulun Kullustuur: Yakut olonkho. Moscow: Nauka Publ.; 1985:605 (in Yakut and Russian).

22. Timofeev-Teploukhov IG. Obstinate Kulun Kullustuur. Yakutsk: Yakutsk Book Publ. House; 1958:255 (in Yakut).

23. Burnashev NP. Kyys Debiliye: Yakut heroic epic. Novosibirsk: Nauka Publ.; 1993:326 (in Yakut and Russian). (Monuments of folklore of the peoples of Siberia and the Far East)

24. Illarionov VV. (ed.) Khaan Dzhargystai. Yakutsk: Alaas Publ.; 2016:232 (in Yakut).

25. Khaan Dzhargystai. In the book: Khudyakov IA. Verkhoyansk collection: Yakut fairy tales, songs, riddles and proverbs, as well as Russian fairy tales and songs recorded in the Verkhoyansk district I.A. Khudyakov. T. 1, Issue 3. Irkutsk; 1890:131–233 (in Russian).

26. Yadrikhinsky PP. – Bedzheele. Girl-hero Dzhyrybyna Dzhyrylyatta: olonkho. Yakutsk: Komuol Publ.; 2019:508 (in Yakut and Russian). (Series “Yakut Olonkho”)

27. Poryadin AS. Yurung Ueduyееn: olonkho. Yakutsk: Publ. House of NEFU; 2013:360 (in Yakut).

28. Sleptsov PA. (ed.) Large explanatory dictionary of the Yakut language. Vols 4–15. Novosibirsk: Nauka Publ.; 2007–2018.

29. Sleptsov PA. (ed.) Explanatory dictionary of the Yakut language. Vols 1–4. Novosibirsk: Nauka Publ.; 2004–2006.

30. Kharitonov LN., Korkina EI. (eds.) Grammar of the modern Yakut literary language. Phonetics. Morphology. Moscow: Nauka Publ.; 1982:504 (in Russian).

31. Pekarsky EK. Dictionary of the Yakut language. In 3 vols. 2nd ed. Moscow: Publ. House of the USSR Academy of Sciences; 1959.