Multidimensional analysis of the zoolexeme börü 'wolf' in the karachay-balkar language

The article focuses on the vocabulary of the Karachay-Balkar language. In it, the zoonymic lexeme börü ‘volk’ is treated to a multidimensional analysis, its word-formation intentions are disclosed, its representation in such levels of vocabulary as phytonyms, anthroponyms, and toponyms, as well as in the creation of phraseological units, is highlighted. The research observes that the zoolexeme under discussion is differentiated by ethnocultural components important to Karachai and Balkars, who are more archaic in nature. In its most generic form, the wolf appears in the people’s worldview as a living person, or totem. It is viewed as a predator that harms cattle, as an animal that heals maladies and defends against bad spirits, and as a link between the worlds of the dead and the living. In animal stories, the wolf is frequently punished for his greed by losing to other animals, both wild and domestic. In the Karachay-Balkarian Nart epic, it gives rise to the Nart family, which is consistent with the beliefs of other Tengri-era peoples. The corpus of Karachay-Balkarian proverbs and sayings reveals cognitive qualities applicable to both wolves and humans, which are defined by the ethnic group’s mindset. The studied factual data allows us to discuss both the universal and idioethnic aspects of the wolf image. The börü zoolexeme is an essential component of the zoomorphic cultural code in the Karachay-Balkarian naïve worldview, as well as the linguistic one.

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