No 2 (2023)

 The article is devoted to the centenary of the birth of academician Nikita Ilyich Tolstoy (1923–1996), who played an important role in the formation and development of Slavic studies in the USSR and Russia. The authors of the article, who are his students and colleagues, offer two short essays in which they reveal the relevance of the ideas of their teacher and their place in modern Slavic studies.The first part of the publication lists the main areas of scientific interests of N.I. Tolstoy and talks about the importance of creating a new discipline, Slavic ethnolinguistics. The author focuses on the activities of the scholar in the field of Bulgarian studies, which in the post-war years of the 20^th century is experiencing in the USSR and in Bulgaria the "Silver Age". The scholar's love for the living facts of language and culture is noted, the fundamental provisions developed by N.I. Tolstoy in dialectology and lexicology of the Bulgarian language are exposed.The second part of the anniversary publication is devoted to arealstudies and linguistic geography. The importance of theoretical and practical developments of N.I. Tolstoy, in particular the usage of the isoglosses and isodoxes for the study and analysis of Slavic cultural traditions and their vocabulary; a number of works of the scientist are characterized, demonstrating the fruitfulness of the areal approach to the exploration of the phenomena of traditional culture. Focusing on the works of colleagues who continue N.I. Tolstoy’s research direction, the author also offers some of her own observations in the field of lexical, onomastic and mythological parallels between Slavic traditions.

The article describes the history of eliminating words and expressions which are offensive to non-Christians from liturgical books. It shows that the reasons for such corrections were primarily diplomatic and political in nature. Thus, harsh characteristics of sultans and other political figures were removed from the liturgical books addressed to the Slavs living on the territory of the Ottoman Empire. The reason for such editing was the discontent of the Ottoman Empire authorities. Similarly, the displeasure of the representatives of the St. Petersburg Armenian community prompted a softening of the anti-Armenian passages. Words and expressions belonging to the language of enmity were eliminated from church books. Words with the жид-  root were removed, disrespectful and offensive characteristics of non-Christians were tempered. Such editing could have taken place hand in hand with the appearance of new liturgical texts which contained very harsh descriptions of non-Christians. Thus, a service to Gabriel of Bialystok composed at the beginning of the 20^th century does not feature vocabulary with the жид- (zhid-)root, but clearly contains the «blood libel» topic. The rejection of pejorative linguistic characteristics is therefore no indication of a change in attitude towards dissidents and non-Christians.

Tolstaya Svetlana M. Tolstoy Conferences XXI–XXVI(2017–2022)

Based on the cases of the Little Russian Prikaz of the 70s of the 17th century, containing information about the participation of representatives of the Left-Bank hetmanate in peace negotiations between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian state, the article analyzes the statements of the Left-Bank starshina about the “Poles”. They are characterized as a force with which it is impossible to have any cooperation because of their desire to oppress and destroy the “Malorossian people”. Over time, this attitude intensified, which is probably due to the ongoing changes in the position of the Cossack elite in the society of the Left-Bank Hetmanate. It was in the 70s of the 17^th century, after the sharp unrest of the late 60s on the Left Bank, its position quickly strengthened, it turned into a dominant social stratum, which was threatened by the claims of the authorities of the Commonwealth to Ukrainian lands.

The paper undertakes an analysis of the Old Czech and Middle High German versions of the petition that was sent to Sigismund of Luxemburg from Bohemia in 1419. The circumstances surrounding the composition of the petition are examined.The paper undertakes an analysis of the Old Czech and Middle High German versions of the petition that was sent to Sigismund of Luxemburg from Bohemia in 1419. The circumstances surrounding the composition of the petition are examined. The author has arrived to the conclusion that the petition has been written on the initiative  of  the  land  consuls  of  Bohemia  who  represented  the  Bohemian  nobility.  The  goal  of  the  petition  was  to  protect  the  public  order  in  the  kingdom  with  the  help of Sigismund’s influence who has been proclaimed as the «new king». As local authorities the land consuls aimed to prevent religious clashes between the Utraquists and those who sticked to the traditional Catholic rite of Communion. For this purpose they threatened to expel from the country those Catholics who called Utraquism a heresy, as well as those Utraquists who «have sworn an oath against those who call them Wyckleffits and Hussites». The Prague communities joined the land consuls in composing the petition first after the revolt of Prague against the Queen Dowager Sophie had been suppressed by the league of Catholic and Utraquist nobles. However, not every request added by the Prague Hussites has been included in the final German version received by Sigismund.

The article reflects the preliminary results of the expedition of the authors to the settlements of the Zaječar and Bor districts of Serbia in the spring and summer of 2022. In total, from April to June 2022, authors visited twelve Vlach (Romanian) villages and one Serbian village. The collection of field materials was carried out mainly by the interview method. In addition, long stay in the field allowed to use the method of direct observation, being present and taking part in funerals, commemorations, etc. The most valuable information was recorded while being present at the memorial dance ora (Rom. dial. ora de pomană) in village of Aleksandrovac (Rom. Zlocutea) of Negotin municipality of Bor district and Mali Jasenovac (Rom. Mala) of Zaječar municipality of Zaječar district.

Yasinskaya Maria V. L. Spinozzi Monai. From the Letters of Giuseppe Loschi: The Letters to Jan Baudouin de Courtenay on the Italian Translation of «The Rezijan Сatechism» (1890–1908) = Epistolario Giuseppe Loschi: Lettere a Jan Baudouin de Courtenay sulla versione italiana del «Catechismo Resiano» (1890–1908). Ljubljana: Slovenska akademija znanosti in umetnosti, 2021. 178 s.

Nemensky Oleg B.Conference «Religious Minorities in the Slavic Countries in the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Times»