Chiefs, gender and hierarchy in Ngāpūtoru

The male bias of the expedition era has left its mark upon the anthropology of Polynesian culture. Until recently the objects of analysis have been almost exclusively the chiefly system and warriorhood, which were ethnocentrically interpreted. However, women were active and central in transmitting high rank and Polynesian history provides examples of women who became important chiefs. The question then arises: what in traditional society explains the prominence some females achieved? As mediators between a bounded structure and what lay beyond it, be it political authority, supranormal spheres, or Western culture-bearers, the female played a decisive role. They also acted as chiefs, sometimes even as warriors. This poses a paradox, for the structural position of women, cosmic in nature, does not allow for female chieftaincy. What is important here is a gendered category and not particular males and females. Thus, whole social groups and islands can be regarded as "warriors" or as "females." Actual women who have historically achieved chieftaincy do so as sociological males, not as females, for, while women are a means to the end of chieftaincy, chieftaincy is still gendered as male. But becoming male for a female is as possible as becoming female is for a male, just add the causative prefix 'aka and act like one.

Environment as a sociocultural phenomenon

This article is dedicated to consideration of the environment as a sociocultural phenomenon. Emphasis is placed on the trend of changing the attitude towards environment from technological to sociocultural. Examination of the environment in such paradigm allows reconsidering the phenomenon from axiological perspective, which transforms the attitude towards environment, at times fundamentally. The article employs the analysis of secondary data of the conducted applies research, as well as the expert survey of specialists from the three neighboring countries – Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. The following conclusions were formulated: the environment is perceived as universal and regional value that impacts the spiritual life of an individual and the society, thereby ensuring their spiritual security; 2) the adoption of managerial decisions in the environmental sphere should be associated with conceptualization of this phenomenon as sociocultural, which increases the degree of responsibility and importance of the environment for the intergenerational continuity of culture-bearers. The novelty of the work consists in substantiation of the need for paradigm shift in comprehension of the environment as a sociocultural phenomenon. The focus may move from the economic or ultimately ecological attitude towards environment to sociocultural.

Mythological vocabulary in the formulas for intimidating children (based on the Tambov region patois)

We analyze the layer of mythological vocabulary of Tambov patois that functions in the structure of formulas for intimidating children as communicative type texts, related to the sphere of traditional spiritual culture. We identify the structure features of such texts; composition of in-timidating characters; features of their lexical expression, portrait characteristics (local affiliation, presence of hair, body pathologies) and harmful functions. Mythological characters, serving as in-timidators, are deprived most of semantic features; the reduction of such names initial semantics can be compensated by the ideophonic features of these characters' nominations; the uncertainty of characters' appearance for intimidating children determines the inclusion in this set of subjects; the prevalence of folk pedagogical methods of intimidation is associated with the role played by fear and fright in the culture of childhood. For traditional culture bearers, intimidation can be recognized as a significant element of folk pedagogy, since it functioned not only on the verbal, but also on the actional levels.

Ethno-consolidating role of art in sustainable development of cross-border regions

This article explores the capacity of art in consolidation of the society on ethnic grounds. This affects the sustainability of regional development, results of the exchange of sociocultural experience between the generations of culture bearers and, and overcoming severe socioeconomic and sociopolitical problems in general. The subject of this research is the ethno-consolidating role of art. The theoretical-methodological framework of leans on the trend of ethnic art studies. The article is based not only on the theoretical consideration of the indicated vector, but also on the results of empirical research, such as expert survey of administrative employees of the cultural, art and educational institutions (cross-border regions of Russia: Altai Krai, Altai Republic, Kemerovo Region, Kazakhstan: Pavlodar and East Kazakhstan Regions, n=120); expert survey of the government officials and local self-governance that are responsible for implementation of regional and municipal programs aimed at preservation and development of ethno-national cultural assets in cross-border regions of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan (n=65). The following conclusions were formulated: 1) ethnic consolidation of culture bearers in cross-border regions can be effectively realized through the phenomena of traditional and indigenous art; 2) the current processes of assimilation of cultural values and norms, ethnic tension, intercultural dialogue, and the phenomenon of multiculturalism as a whole can blunt the effect of art upon ethnic consolidation of the society, although not affecting the pace of intergenerational interaction, in which the important role is allocated to art; 3) art carries out a consolidating role in the society based on continuity of values and norms.

SEMANTIC SPECIFICITY OF ADJECTIVES DENOTING A SUCCESSFUL PERSON /THING IN ENGLISH AND UKRAINIAN

Comparative studies fascinate scholars working in various branches of human activity. In linguistics, onlycomparison helps find out both common and distinctive features of the languages and trace their interconnections as well as specificity. The present paper deals with the comparative research of two distantly related languages - English and Ukrainian - on the material of adjectives denoting a successful person/thing. The topic in question is relevant and contributes to further studies of lexical and comparative semantics, cross-language and crosscultural communication, lexicography, etc. The adjectives in question occupy significant places in the vocabulary of the languages under study. The concept of success belongs to basic social and cultural values and is studied in philosophy, sociology, psychology, linguistics and other sciences. Having introduced the methodology of formalized analysis of lexical semantics, one of the requirements of which is a formal criterion – belonging of the lexical units to one part of speech – the author of this paper collected, analyzed and classified the obtained language material from lexicographical sources. Depending on the degree of polysemy, three groups in English and two in Ukrainian have been formed. Each of them possesses its own features alongside with their common characteristics. Comparative research of the definite fragment of lexis resulted in in-depth analysis of its system and structural organization, semantic specificity, both common and distinctive featuresas well as its representation in corresponding language and culture bearers’ consciousness.

NEW RESULTS OF DIRECT RADIOCARBON AMS DATING OF THE POTTERY FROM THE BUH-DNISTER SUB-NEOLITHIC СULTURE

Traditional ideas about the origin of the Buh-Dnister Culture (BDC) and its synchronisation with the Neolithic cultures of the Danube-Carpathian region were questioned by series of radiocarbon dates measured on bones at the Kyiv laboratory in the 1998—2004. To start addressing this problem, 11 AMS dates on organic inclusions in the ceramic paste and charred residues on the surface of vessels were obtained at the Tokyo University laboratory. The set of new dates has given a wide scatter of their values within the entire period outlined by the previous BDC dates. Moreover, the two results of the second quarter of the 7th millennium BC for the Hlynske 1 and Bazkiv Ostriv site are beyond it and may potentially be the oldest dates of the culture. However, analysis of the samples in terms of carbon content, their susceptibility to the influence of the freshwater reservoir effect, correspondence to the stratigraphy of the sites and typology of materials detected only six more credible dates. Their order on the timeline coincides with generally accepted ideas about the sequence of existence of the different BDC pottery types. The youngest is the vessel of the Savran type from Shumyliv-Cherniatka has yielded two dates falling into the range of 4723—4491 cal BC, when the Trypillia culture bearers already populat the region. Two vessels of the Samchyntsi type from Bazkiv Ostriv yield three dates within the range of 5288—4847 cal BC, which corresponds to their finding next to fragments of fine «music-note» bowls of the Linear Band Pottery Culture. The Skybyntsi type vessel from Bazkiv Ostriv yield the oldest plausible date of 5621—5514 cal BC, which corresponds to the age of the Criş monuments in Moldova. Unfortunately, the new dates did not shed light on the issues of the time and direction of the first pottery spreading in the region. Thus, this needs further research including reliably direct radiocarbon dating on pottery.

(Transnationale) Migrationserfahrung in den Lebensgeschichten deutscher Ansiedler. Literarische Erinnerung an die Ansiedlung von Deutschen in Großpolen/ in der Provinz Posen/ in der Ostmark

The incorporation of Greater Poland [in Polish: Wielkopolska] into the Kingdom of Prussia was the beginning of a direct neighbourhood of Poles and Germans in a relatively small area. This paper shall present the experiences of Prussian / German settlers in the Poznań Province which are based on autobiographical literary texts authored by officials and teachers (with their families) who came to this region. While reading these memoirs one can infer that they made efforts to “familiarise” new and ethnically foreign elements in the annexed territory. They cultivated and promoted their own culture here while concurrently not being too eager to participate in the culture and social life of the Polish locals. They manifest characteristic features typical of the colonist’s attitude. On the one hand, they present the country they colonise as foreign. On the other hand, they depict indigenous people whom they describe as individuals standing on a lower levelcivilisation-wise compared to the German “culture-bearers” who came here [“Kulturträger”]. The key issue in the discussed literary material of the long-term mobility of German families of officials and teachers allows to consider the following issues: How do the authors present migration to the Poznań Province and its effects? What stood in the way of building a sense of belonging and relationship between representatives of different nationalities in a new place? What does the studied autobiographical material say about the phenomenon of transnationality? Can one talk about transnational practices or their elements based on the specificity of the Poznań Province?

Means of Language Objectification of the German Knight Image in the Artistic Picture of World in Middle Ages

The analysis of historical, culturally motivated ideas about the German knight, which are objectified in the language not only in conventional, unified standards, but primarily in socio-ethnocultural assessments and stereotypes, is presented. The material of the study was German knightly novels: “Tristan” (“Tristan”) by Gottfried of Strasbourg, “Poor Heinrich” (“Der arme Heinrich”) by Hartmann von Aue, “Eneasroman” by Heinrich von Veldeke. Particular attention is paid to the study of indicators of the national specificity of the image of the German knight. It is proved in the work that the actualization of lexical units that serve to represent the image of a knight is largely specific and due to the genre specificity of Western European literature texts of the Middle Ages. It is stated that the knowledge of medieval German culture bearers about the surrounding reality, objectified by the semantics and pragmatics of linguistic and speech units, structures, compositions, united as a whole by the characteristics of the surrounding world are accumulated in the artistic picture of the world in the Middle Ages. It is concluded that the image of a knight embodies the complex of worldview coordinates and values of the knightly estate, which are recorded in a verbal (artistic) text in the form of a specially organized system of knowledge and ideas about the world.

Mapping History in Clay and Skin

Ga’anda people of northeastern Nigeria employ various strategies to preserve and transmit key knowledge of historical events, including the production of material objects decorated to serve as landscapes of memory. The most important of these objects are the ceramic vessels that women artists produce to contain Ga’anda spirit protectors and culture bearers—especially Mbir’thleng’nda and Ngum-Ngumi, who are credited with leading Ga’anda people in their migration westward to their present location. The surfaces of the vessels containing Mbir’thleng’nda and Ngum-Ngumi are embellished with motifs that distinguish their identities and define their meanings and purposes. Patterns of raised nodes or impressed ridges in clay are their most notable shared feature. These patterns render the vessels “scarified” with designs identical to those visible on the skin of Ga’anda women. This scarification, or Thleta, was completed in stages, beginning in a girl’s adolescence, and was a prerequisite to marriage. Though no longer practiced, the permanent alteration of a woman’s skin created a language of history, identity, and collective remembrance for Ga’anda. Thleta designs became a template for inscribing meaning and efficacy in other things, whether gourd bowls for serving food or the most sacred ceramic vessels used to contain, invoke, and supplicate influential Ga’anda tutelary deities.

ШКАЛА ОСОЗНАНИЯ РЕЧИ КАК ПОКАЗАТЕЛЬ ДИНАМИЧЕСКИХ ПРОЦЕССОВ В ДИАЛЕКТНОЙ КОММУНИКАЦИИ И СОЗНАНИИ ДИАЛЕКТОНОСИТЕЛЕЙ

Введение. Наиболее показательным материалом для изучения того, как носители диалекта осознают свою и чужую речь, каковы особенности их языковой рефлексии, являются метаязыковые высказывания. Исследования этого феномена выявили целый ряд особенностей языкового сознания носителей говоров. Однако до настоящего времени не был предметом рассмотрения динамический аспект языкового сознания носителей диалекта. Цель – выявить типы (степени) метаязыковой рефлексии и определить факторы ее неоднородности в речи диалектоносителей. Материал и методы. Материал анализа – контексты с метаязыковой темой; предмет наблюдений – характер развертывания метаязыковой темы в речи диалектоносителя, его способность к метаязыковой рефлексии; основной метод исследования – вероятностное моделирование объекта. Результаты и обсуждение. Записи диалектной речи представляют разные степени осознания речи диалектоносителями – от почти полной невозможности сосредоточения внимания на слове как таковом, в отвлечении от обозначаемых словом предметов и ситуаций, до активной метаязыковой рефлексии. Внимание диалектоносителей к языку и речи обычно усиливается в тех коммуникативных ситуациях, когда общающиеся принадлежат к разным социальным группам и владеют заметно различающимися языковыми и/или культурными кодами. Есть также и случаи переходные, промежуточные между этими двумя крайними точками шкалы степени осознания речи. Это случаи затрудненного, постепенного перехода от ситуативной рефлексии к собственно языковой, случаи переключения с метаязыковой темы на рассуждение о соответствующей реалии, а также метаязыковая рефлексия, возникающая в ситуациях, нетипичных для носителей литературного языка. Заключение. Характерным для бесписьменной традиционной культуры является слабое осознание речи, тесное слияние слова с жизненными ситуациями. Это определяется общими особенностями сознания носителей традиционной народной культуры – приоритетом обыденного сознания, противопоставленного сознанию рациональному (теоретическому), которое формируется путем специально организованной познавательной деятельности. Усиление метаязыковой рефлексии связано с распространением грамотности среди диалектоносителей. Приобщение к письменной культуре ведет к большему осознанию речи, изменению баланса междуобыденным и рациональным сознанием. Шкала степеней осознания речи – результат и свидетельство изменений, происходящих в диалектной коммуникации. Специфика социокультурных ситуаций в говорах поддерживает и активизирует тенденцию к усилению метаязыковой рефлексии.Introduction. Meta-language narratives are the most indicative material to study how the dialect speakers perceive their own speech and the speech of others, as well as peculiarities of their linguistic reflection. The study of this phenomenon revealed the set of peculiarities of dialect speakers’ language consciousness. But dynamic aspects of dialect speakers’ language consciousness haven’t been examined until present. The purpose of the article is to reveal the types (degrees) of meta-language reflection and to determine the factors of its heterogeneity in the speech of dialect speakers. Material and methods. The material for analysis includes contexts with meta-language topics; the subject of the research is the character of meta-language topic development in the speech of a dialect speaker, as well as his ability for metalanguage reflection; the main research method is probabilistic object modeling. Results and discussion. Records of dialect speech represent different degrees of awareness of dialect speakers of their speech – from almost complete inability to concentrate their attention on a word itself, in distraction from objects and situations denoted by this word, to the active meta-language reflection. The attention of dialect speakers is usually drawn to the language and speech in those communicative situations, when the communicants belong to different social groups and have visibly different language and/or culture codes. But there are also transitional, intermediate degrees of speech awareness. These are the cases of effortful, gradual transition from the situational reflection to the linguistic one, the cases of switching from meta-language topic to the reflection on the corresponding facts or things, as well as the cases of meta-language reflection in situations, untypical for literary language speakers. Conclusion. Unwritten traditional culture is characterized by the weak speech awareness, by the interfusion of the word itself and situations it represents. These features are consequences of such general distinguishing characteristics of traditional folk life culture bearers as the priority of trivial consciousness in contrast with rational (theoretical) consciousness, which is formed by specially organized cognitive activity. The strengthening of meta-language reflection is associated with the growth of literacy among the dialect speakers. Familiarization with written culture leads to greater speech awareness, to shifting the balance between trivial and rational consciousness. The scale of the degrees of speech awareness in dialect speech is the result and the evidence of changes in dialect communication. The specificity of socio-cultural situations in the dialects supports and promotes the tendency to the expansion of meta-language reflection.