The diffusion of Chukchi “magic words” in Chukotkan and St. Lawrence Island Yupik folklore texts
The languages of the Siberian Yupik region, including Chukotka in the Russian Far East and St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, have been heavily influenced by Chukchi, a genetically unrelated language. In this paper, I focus on Chukchi influences on Yupik folklore. Apparently meaningless “magic words” or f...
| Published in: | Études/Inuit/Studies |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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Association Inuksiutiit Katimajiit Inc.
2007
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/019722ar https://doi.org/10.7202/019722ar |
| Summary: | The languages of the Siberian Yupik region, including Chukotka in the Russian Far East and St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, have been heavily influenced by Chukchi, a genetically unrelated language. In this paper, I focus on Chukchi influences on Yupik folklore. Apparently meaningless “magic words” or formulae used in Yupik tales often appear to be of Chukchi origin. In Chukotka, their Chukchi origin is sometimes recognized by speakers of Yupik, but on St. Lawrence Island, the origin and meaning of the “magic words” is not recognized. The existence of “magic words” provides us with information about the sociolinguistic relationship between Siberian Yupik speakers and Chukchi. The Chukchi were in a position of power with respect to the Siberian Yupiget since they were more numerous, and since the Yupiget depended on them for trade. As a result, the Yupiget saw their Chukchi neighbours and their language as threatening and mysterious, and expressed this feeling by having the foreign protagonists of their tales talk in this strange language. Les langues de la région sibérienne yupik, incluant la Tchoukotka de l’Extrême-Orient russe et l’île Saint-Laurent en Alaska, ont subi l’influence du tchouktche, une langue qui ne leur est pas génétiquement apparentée. Dans cet article, on traite des influences tchouktches sur le folklore yupik. Certaines formules magiques utilisées dans des contes yupik semblent à première vue être sans signification, mais en réalité sont souvent d’origine tchouktche. Dans la Tchoukotka, leur origine tchouktche est parfois reconnue par les locuteurs du yupik, mais sur l’île Saint-Laurent, l’origine et la signification des formules magiques sont considerées obscures. L’existence de ces formules magiques est révélatrice des rapports sociolinguistiques entre les Yupiget sibériens et les Tchouktches. Les Tchouktches détenaient une position de suprématie vis-à-vis des Yupiget parce qu’ils étaient plus nombreux qu'eux et parce que les Yupiget étaient économiquement dépendants des Tchouktches. Il ... |
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