De Nas Vzyaly? / Where Did We Come from? (Verbalization of Folk Beliefs about the Origin of Children in the Linguistic Consciousness of Kuban Subdialect Speakers)

The article explores the verbal embodiment of folk beliefs regarding the origin of children in the linguistic consciousness of Kuban subdialect speakers. It describes a synonymic series of verbs conveying the meaning of ‘giving birth’. The study establishes that it is water is most frequently identified as the medium through which newborns enter the earthly realm according to Kuban subdialect speakers. It highlights the productivity of the biomorphic code in the folk conceptualization of childbirth. The article reveals secondary meanings in commonly used lexemes that emerged through metaphorical transfer. Special attention is given to motifs common in many Slavic cultures, such as divine origin of the child and the ‘outsider’ quality of the child within the family. It emphasizes that the words and phrasemes presented are not merely euphemistic substitutes for the common verb ‘to give birth,’ as the secondary lexicon present in Kuban subdialects demonstrates a deep connection with folk beliefs and rituals, ethnocultural motivation, and semantic richness. The article underscores the significance of examining materials recorded in relatively recent subdialects, as each individual dialect contributes to a broader understanding of the national worldview.