The lexemes kolodets, yukmös and öshmös in the komi-permyak language: etymology and semantics

Abstract

 The article is devoted to the semantic and etymological analysis of three lexical units kolodets, yukmӧs and ӧshmӧs which are actively functioning in the Komi-Permyak language. According to various lexicographic sources (of the XVIII, XIX, XX centuries) they can convey the meaning of «well», while the last two lexemes also carry the meanings of «ice hole» and «spring». However,  contemporary dialectal data and literary texts of Komi-Permyak writers do not always confirm the data recorded in dictionaries. The word «well», borrowed from the Russian language, is beyond doubt: it is used in its original meaning, which confirms the hypothesis that wells appeared among the Komi-Permyak rather late. We believe that for this reason, there is no rich sacred symbolism associated with this object in the Komi-Permyak culture. The original lexemes of common Permic origin- yukmӧs and ӧshmӧs - which have alignments in the Komi-Zyryan and Udmurt languages, initially denoted «ice hole» and «spring». Over time, these lexemes underwent de-etymologization within the Komi languages: in various dialects of both Komi languages, they came to denote «well», while retaining the original semantic sense of «ice hole» or «spring». The words yukmӧs and ӧshmӧs in the speech of KomiPermyaks have a distinct territorial distribution. The word ӧsmӧs is found within the area of the northern dialects of the Komi-Permyak language and functions in two meanings «ice hole» and «well». The word yukmӧc is known to Komi-Permians living in more southern territories, it has retained the original meaning of «ice hole», whereas a borrowed Russian term is used to convey the meaning of «well». The fact that the semantic shift towards the meaning of «well» for the words ӧshmӧs and yukmӧs is not universal in Komi-Permian speech calls for further observation related to the terminology of water bodies.