Traditional Dwelling and Its Parts in Modern Kalmyk (Russia) and Oirat (Mongolia): A Comparative Study of Vocabularies

Introduction. The article aims at studying the terms for the traditional dwelling and its parts in the modern Kalmyk language and in the language of the Oirats of Mongolia in a comparative and comparative-historical modes. Analysis of lexical material of the old-written Mongolian, the Khalkha-Mongolian, and the Buryat languages helped identify common terms and common Mongolian basis; also, some features of the Oirat distribution area and specific characteristics of Kalmyk and Oirat of Mongolia were clarified. The lexical material reflects to a degree the historical realities of the ethnic groups in the period of the common Mongolian proto-language, and in a later period of the settlement of Mongolian clans and the formation of Mongolian languages. Materials and methods. The research database comprises the data of dictionaries of the languages under study, as well as field material collected from informants during expeditions to Oirat groups in Western Mongolia. The main research methods are descriptive, comparative, comparative-historical, and continuous sampling. Results. The analysis helped identify both common Mongolian and specific terms characteristic of Kalmyk and Oirat of Mongolia, reflecting the nomadic lifestyle of pastoralists. Conclusion. The authors argue that the commonality of the traditional dwelling vocabulary in the languages in question indicates their common origin, as well as great antiquity of the Oirat clans’ original material culture.

1. Informant: Purevzhavyn Myagmar, b. 1941. Rec. in Davst (Uvs Province, Mongolia), 2018. (Oir.)

2. Balzhinimaeva B. D. Traditional Handicraft Vocabulary of Mongolic Languages: A Comparative Historical Perspective. Elista: Dzhangar, 2018. 198 p. (In Russ.)

3. Balzhinimaeva Ts. Ts. Tunka dialect of Buryat: some names of cultural artifacts revisited. In: Mongolic Languages and Dialects of Northeastern Central Asia. Ulan-Ude: Buryat Scientific Center (Sib. Branch of RAS), 2006. Pp. 111–123. (In Russ.)

4. Bobrovnikov A. Grammar of Kalmyk Mongolian. Kazan: Imperial Kazan University, 1849. 403 p. (In Russ.)

5. Bobrovnikov A. Grammar of Mongolian by Ven. Aleksandr Bobrovnikov, Protoiereus of Irkutsk Eparchy. St. Petersburg: Most Holy Governing Synod, 1835. 128 p. (In Russ.)

6. Duman L. I. (ed.) Materials in Xiongnu History: Excerpts from Chinese Sources. V. Taskin (foreword, transl. etc.). Moscow: Nauka — GRVL, 1968. 177 p. (In Russ.)

7. Erdniev U. E. The Kalmyks, Late 19th – 20th Centuries: Essays in History and Ethnography. Elista: Kalmykia Book Publ., 1970. 312 p. (In Russ.)

8. Erendzhenov K. E. The Golden Spring. Zolotoy rodnik: Kalmyk Folklore, Handicrafts, and Traditional Household Activities. A. Akvilev (transl.). 2nd ed. Elista: Kalmykia Book Publ., 1990. 125 p. (In Russ.)

9. Mazarchuk A. V. Clothing production related vocabulary of Mongolian. In: Network Oriental Studies — Education, Science, Culture. Conference proceedings (Elista; December 7–10, 2017). Elista: Kalmyk State University, 2017. Pp. 125–128. (In Russ.)

10. Muniev B. D. (ed.) Kalmyk-Russian Dictionary. Moscow: Russkiy Yazyk, 1977. 765 p. (In Kalm. and Russ.)

11. Popov A. Kalmyk Grammar. Kazan: Imperial Kazan University, 1847. 392 p. (In Russ.)

12. Pyurbeev G. Ts. (ed.) Unabridged Academic Mongolian-Russian Dictionary. In 4 vols. Vol. 1: A–Г. Moscow: Academia, 2001. 486 p. (In Mong. and Russ.)

13. Pyurbeev G. Ts. (ed.) Unabridged Academic Mongolian-Russian Dictionary. In 4 vols. Vol. 2: Д–O. Moscow: Academia, 2001. 507 p. (In Mong. and Russ.)

14. Pyurbeev G. Ts. (ed.) Unabridged Academic Mongolian-Russian Dictionary. In 4 vols. Vol. 3: Ө–Ф. Moscow: Academia, 2001. 438 p. (In Mong. and Russ.)

15. Pyurbeev G. Ts. (ed.) Unabridged Academic Mongolian-Russian Dictionary. In 4 vols. Vol. 4: Х–Я. Moscow: Academia, 2002. 501 p. (In Mong. and Russ.)

16. Pyurbeev G. Ts. Traditional Household Activities of the Kalmyks: An Explanatory Dictionary. Elista: Kalmykia Book Publ., 1996. 176 p. (In Kalm. and Russ.)

17. Rassadin V. I., Trofimova S. M., Chuluunbaatar L. The Khalkha Mongolian, Buryat and Kalmyk languages: common Mongolian lexis denoting the traditional home. Bulletin of the Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS (Oriental Studies) Vestnik Kalmytskogo instituta gumanitarnykh issledovaniy. 2017. No. 4 (32). Pp. 134–140. (In Russ.)

18. Rassadin V. I., Trofimova S. M., Shagdarsuren Ts., Bold L., Davaasuren B. Kalmyk (Russia) and Oirat (Mongolia): Historical Linguistic Ties Reviewed. Elista, Ulaanbaatar: Kalmyk State University, 2010, 182 p. (In Russ.)

19. Schmidt J. I. Mongolian Grammar. St. Petersburg: Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1832. 184 p. (In Russ.)

20. Shagdarov L. D., Cheremisov K. M. Buryat-Russian Dictionary. Vol. I. Ulan-Ude: Respublikanskaya Tipografiya, 2010. 636 p. (In Bur. and Russ.)

21. Shagdarov L. D., Cheremisov K. M. Buryat-Russian Dictionary. Vol. II. Ulan-Ude: Respublikanskaya Tipografiya, 2010. 708 p. (In Bur. and Russ.)

22. Trofimova S. M., Davaasuren B. Mongolian vocabulary on the topic ‘cooking recipes’ in Khalkha Mongolian, Buryat and Kalmyk languages. Izvestia of the Volgograd State Pedagogical University. 2017. No. 10 (123). Pp. 133–136. (In Russ.)