UDC

82ʼ192+83’373.6

Authors

Vitaliy A. Gavrikov
Bryansk Branch, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration; ul. Gor’kogo 18, Bryansk, 241050, Russian Federation;
e-mail: yarosvettt@mail.ru

Abstract

Popular, or folk, etymology is often used in literature to create a character’s image. For instance, Nikolay Leskov’s works are full of examples of folk etymology: words from the popular speech imitate features of oral statements. In the 20th century, this phenomenon was actively used by Vladimir Vysotsky – one of the brightest singer-songwriters. In many respects this was due to his special poetics, as he performed his songs on stage and his lyrics was often dialogical and role-based. The article studies Vysotsky’s use of words related to folk etymology as well as phenomena close to it. He utilizes productive models of transformation of foreign words using three ways of changing lexemes: modification of the sound image without semantic potencies, use of folk etymology proper, and creation of occasionalisms based on foreign words. In most cases, words related to folk etymology are found in Vysotsky’s songs of the skaz narrative type: here, the speech characteristics of a character are used to create a subject superstructure. However, sometimes he turns to folk-etymology in other contexts: in fairy tales and works where the Lyric Self is biographically close to the author. An important problem is the reflection of folk-etymological changes in lexemes in publishing practice. Vysotsky’s textology has not yet developed any clear criteria for including speech peculiarities (i.e., sound facts) in, or excluding them from, the printed collections of his concert performances.

Keywords

Vladimir Vysotsky, Nikolay Leskov, Vysotsky’s textology, folk etymology, nonce words, skaz narrative, oral story

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