Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology
"Linguistics without anthropology is sterile,
anthropology without linguistics is blind".
Charles Hockett.
1973. Man's place in nature.
New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 675.
Welcome to the site of the "Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology".
The highest priority for the Journal is the organization of productive academic exchange among both, experienced and young researchers in a wide range of issues in linguistics and anthropology, united primarily by a common geographical area – Siberia, including genetically affiliated and unrelated cultures of past and present. Moreover, the Journal is naturally interested in theoretical, methodological and technological aspects of linguistic and anthropological research.
The Journal invites submissions from authors specializing in a variety of research issues in linguistics and anthropology, including:
- 5.6.3. Archeology (historical sciences),
- 5.6.4. Ethnology, anthropology and ethnography (historical sciences),
- 5.6.5. Historiography, source studies, methods of historical research (historical sciences),
- 5.9.5. Russian language. Languages of the peoples of Russia (philological sciences),
- 5.9.8. Theoretical, applied and comparative-contrastive linguistics (philological sciences).
The editorial board of TJLA emphasizes that studies in the area "conceptology" and "linguistic consciousness", as well as literary studies do not fall in the scope of priority areas of scholarship for the Journal; the editorial board retains the right to reject such studies without full review.
From 2017, all publications in TJLA are assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) - a unique identifier of the publication.
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year.
The journal was founded in 2013 by Tomsk State Pedagogical University.
The journal is included in the Web of Science ESCI from 10.09.2017
The journal is included in the ERIH Plus Citation Index from 21.06.2016
The journal is included in the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) on the platform Web of Science.
The journal is included in the "Russian Press" subscription catalog. Index: 82719.
The journal is included in the database of periodicals "Ulrich's Periodicals Directory".
Information about published articles is regularly transmitted to the Russian Science Citation Index.
Current Issue
No 4 (2025)
LINGUISTICS
Multivector Analysis of Karachay-Balkar Omen-Statements
Abstract
Omens play significant functional and semantic roles in Karachay-Balkarian linguistics and ethnoculture, appearing as formulaic utterances with various syntactic structures, constructed according to different patterns of simple and complex sentence constructions. Simple omen-statements, which allow relatively free lexical choices in their syntactic positions, contain a limited number of predicates and most often express prohibitions against actions that violate societal norms. In complex omens, which mainly take the form of complex sentences, conditions are presented that are interpreted both as bad omens and as phenomena leading to particular, usually adverse, outcomes. There are also sign-microtexts, which are more detailed and consist of several separate constructions. The initial parts of these microtexts present desirable or undesirable phenomena or actions important to the ethnic worldview, followed by motivational constructions explaining why something is beneficial or harmful and why one should or should not act in a certain way. Since these signs are based on the life experience of native speakers, they reflect the worldview of the Karachay-Balkarian ethnic group and the diversity of their environment. This enables a preliminary thematic classification of omens related to various aspects of life, including hunting, handicrafts, agriculture, fauna, etiquette, and interpersonal relations. It is also notable that, due to their archaic nature, these signs largely reflect the mythological consciousness of the Karachay-Balkarian ethnoculture. For example, some constructions characteristically include zoolexemes denoting totemic animals. Despite their archaic and stable nature, these omen-statements can undergo formal and semantic transformations over time, influenced by changing living conditions and contact with other cultures.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):9 - 18
9 - 18
Constructions of Causation of the Emotion of Fear in the Buryat Language
Abstract
The article examines constructions that express the causation of the emotion of fear in the Buryat language. A comprehensive, multifaceted study of ways to express functional and semantic categories, such as causativity, is one of the pressing issues in modern linguistics. The object of study is causative emotive constructions that demonstrate the interaction between the categories of causativity and emotiveness. The current anthropocentric approach to language study has led to increased interest in the category of emotiveness in linguistics. Fear, the emotion under consideration, is one of the basic negative emotions. The purpose of this work is to identify the semantic and structural components of constructions expressing the causation of fear in the Buryat language. The novelty of this work lies in the fact that, for the first time in the Buryat language, an attempt is made to determine the basic components of constructions expressing the causation of the emotion of fear. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study includes works by both domestic and foreign linguists (V. Shakhovsky, A. Vezhbitskaya, G. Lakoff, K. Izard, N. Kirillova, E. Sundueva, and others). The study material consists of a continuous sample of causative constructions from the Corpus of the Buryat Language (Buryat Corpus). As a result, it was shown that the Buryat language has several synonymous morphological causatives to denote the causation of the emotion of fear. The basic emotive verb naming the causation of fear is aylga-kha ‘to scare’. In the meanings of synonyms of the basic verb, certain prototypical features characteristic of the emotion of fear are actualized: intensity, duration of the causation of the emotion, or its external manifestations. It was found that, when designating the stimulus of the emotion of fear, object stimuli and adverbial participial constructions are used, which describe in detail the cause of the emotion. Emotive intensifiers in fear causation constructions were identified. Thus, in the Buryat language, high intensity of emotion causation is represented in combinations of adverbial participial forms with morphological causatives, whose component composition includes words with synonymous roots meaning “to frighten.” Phraseological combinations expressing the strongest degree of manifestation of the emotion of fearhorror also serve as emotive intensifiers. One notable means of emotive intensification of fear causation in the Buryat language is the use of paired causative verbs.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):19 - 28
19 - 28
Analytical Constructions with Auxiliary Verbs in the Vakh and Vasyugan Dialects of Khanty
Abstract
This paper examines the distribution study of constructions with auxiliary verbs in the Vakh and Vasyugan dialects of the Khanty language. The formation of these units in the dialects occurs through a grammaticalization process, involving their phonetic, morphosyntactic, and functional adaptation. In Vakh, auxiliary verbs such as wəl- ‘be’, wəs- ‘be’, and ku ̇̆ rt- (ku ̇̆ r-) ‘cannot’ are used; in Vasyugan, wəl- ‘be’, jӛ- ‘become’, игли- / ыглы- ‘auxiliary verb’, wér- ‘do’, and ku ̇̆ rt- ‘cannot’ are found. These auxiliaries appear with the following types of basic elements: in both Vakh and Vasyugan, with the negative existential predicate ӛntim and with verbs in the infinitive form; in Vasyugan, also with borrowed lexemes or word forms. Their compatibility is limited to six positions, with the Vasyugan dialect exhibiting a wider variety of analytical constructions. The auxiliaries wəl- ‘be’, wəs- ‘be’, jӛ- ‘become’, wer- ‘do’, and ku ̇̆ rt- (in Vakh also ku ̇̆ r-) ‘cannot’ have not undergone significant phonetic erosion, do not take stress in a syntagma, do not show a tendency to become clitics, but are marked by a relative pause before the main semantically significant elements of the analytical construction. Игли- / ыглы- ‘auxiliary verb’, in the Vasyugan idiom of the materials of Makary (Nevsky), is also always separated by a space (pause) in writing. The auxiliary verbs wəl- ‘be’ and wəs- ‘be’ are fixed with the negative existential predicate ӛntim and serve only grammatical functions. Wer- ‘make’ is used with any borrowed lexeme or word form; игли- / ыглы- ‘auxiliary verb’ and ku ̇̆ rt- (ku ̇̆ r-) ‘cannot’ begin to appear in combinations with infinitive forms; игли- / ыглы- ‘auxiliary verb’ shows signs of a reduced inflectional paradigm; ku ̇̆ rt- (ku ̇̆ r-) ‘cannot’ is not usually used as the main verb. In prototypical cases, auxiliary elements follow the main semantically significant lexeme, and the analytical construction itself is located at the end of the sentence.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):29 - 38
29 - 38
Different Strategies of Articulatory-Acoustic Transition from a Vowel to a Stop Consonant (Based on the Shor and Russian Languages)
Abstract
Despite extensive work on segmenting sound units, the problem of defining boundaries between phones remains unresolved. Researchers in experimental phonetics continue to debate segmentation methods that are effective for some languages but not applicable to others. Recent advances in understanding speech production offer new perspectives on established segmentation practices. During the closure phase, voiced occlusive consonants contain non-slit, muted components, while voiceless occlusive consonants include voiced components produced by incomplete closure of the true vocal folds in certain areas. This articulation generates vibrations not typically associated with voiceless tuning. Additionally, the noisy voiceless occlusive consonant is not consistently realized as homorganic throughout its duration; elements of quasi-voicing are present in its spectrum. The muted component of the vowel in the transitional section also requires attention. When interpreting this, it is necessary to determine whether the transitional segment is a muted vowel, a muted consonant, or a voiced component of a voiceless consonant. Currently, the only method for making this determination is acoustic: 1) extract the fragment of interest from a word followed by a consonant; 2) normalize the waveform in a computer program; 3) listen to the normalized stimulus and make a decision. Based on linguistic material from native speakers of the Shor and Russian languages, the authors propose a classification of different strategies for segmenting speech material in these transitional areas. The first strategy, subgroup A, involves a full-sounding vowel component, a muted vowel component, and a voiced stop consonant (V + Vќ + C2); subgroup B involves a full-sounding vowel component, a muted vowel component, and a voiceless stop consonant (V + Vќ + C1). The second strategy, subgroup A: full-sounding vowel + strongly tense voiced component of a voiced stop consonant + voiced stop consonant (V + CѴ2 + C2); subgroup B: full-sounding vowel + voiced component of a voiceless stop consonant + voiceless stop consonant (V + Cњ1 + C1).
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):39 - 52
39 - 52
On Mechanisms and Sources of Permian Denasalization
Abstract
This article reconsiders existing theories about the mechanisms of Permian denasalization, specifically the simplification of inlaut proto-Finno-Ugric clusters of the type “nasal + consonant or affricate,” which led to the emergence of voiced consonants and affricates in the Permian proto-language (*mp > *-b, *nt > *d, *ŋk > *g, *nč > *ǯ, *ńć > *ʒ ́ ). Permian denasalization is a phenomenon linking Permian and Hungarian languages and distinguishing them from other Finno-Ugric languages (such as the development of a system of voiced consonants, sequential reduction of auslaut vowels, and parallels in morphology and vocabulary). Therefore, understanding the nature, mechanisms, and timing of Permian denasalization is important for addressing issues in Permian and Hungarian prehistory. The article demonstrates that the widely accepted earlier explanations (V. Lytkin, K. Rédei, V. Kelmakov, S. Csúcs), which connect this phenomenon to the Permian apocope (the loss of the final vowel in old two-syllable stems and subsequent reduction of the auslaut), do not account for the full range of facts and reveal internal inconsistencies. It is shown that the prevailing view–that the appearance of voiced consonant stops in Proto-Permian followed the spread of inline voiced consonants resulting from denasalization–is chronologically problematic. The occurrence of voiced consonant stops should be considered a fairly early independent phenomenon that developed in Proto-Permian, influenced by Iranian languages. To explain Permian denasalization, the article draws on M. Zhivlov’s idea of a shift in Proto-Permian stress from the first syllable to subsequent syllables, causing the first syllables of old stems to fall into a weak position in terms of rhythmic consonant gradation, as described by E. Helimski. This explanation aligns with the characteristics of Permian denasalization (such as weakening of the first element of the cluster, as in rhythmic gradation, and the absence of denasalization between the second and third syllables) and finds parallels in the phonetic phenomena of the Ossetian language (such as stress shift from the first syllable to the second and beyond).
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):53 - 62
53 - 62
Emotions of Anger in Lexical and Phraseological Representation in the Sakha Worldview
Abstract
This article examines the lexical and phraseological nomination of anger within the context of the relationship between language and emotions. The novelty of this research lies in the first structural-semantic and cognitive description of the emotion of anger using lexical and phraseological units from the Sakha language corpus. The theoretical and methodological foundation of the work includes studies by A. Zaliznyak, Y. Apresyan, V. Shakhovsky, A. Vezhbitskaya, A. Emirova, A. Baranov, D. Dobrovolsky, and others. The results show that the Yakut language contains a sufficient number of lexemes and phrases representing the feeling of anger across different levels of emotional expression. Verb lexemes reflecting the state of anger present some difficulty in differentiating semantic components, though native speakers do not have trouble identifying their contextual meaning. The study reveals the presence of intensifying words (adverbs) and paired verb combinations, where the second component acts as an actualizer of emotion. Phraseological units are analyzed according to the dynamics of emotion development, specifically the intensity of their manifestation. Less intense manifestations of anger are indicated by units with a clear sign of irritation. More expressive stages of anger development are demonstrated by expressions whose components include names of human physiological organs. The highest emotional intensity is found in units whose imagery is based on associative perceptions of inherent traits of predatory animals, mythological creatures, and abstract concepts. The main features identified are the attitude toward the object (stimulus), the level of intensity of emotional experience, and the linguistic expression of the negative emotion, which is displayed through the symptomatology of its manifestation. Phraseological interjections play a crucial role as indicators of intensity, expressing additional nuances of verbal reaction that accompany the situational emotion of anger. The linguocultural interpretation of the anger complex phenomenon, as one of the basic emotions, focuses on reconstructing the multifaceted image of a person, including their inner world. Work in this direction involves accumulating linguistic material, which will serve as the basis for a comprehensive description of the image of a representative of this ethnoculture.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):63 - 74
63 - 74
Symmetric and Retrospective Temporal Mobility in the Andic Languages
Abstract
The article examines the typology of temporal mobility, defined as the ability of verbal forms to exhibit temporal opposition. Using data from several Andic languages (forms are equally marked, standing in equipollent opposition. In contrast, retrospective mobility assumes that verbal forms are in a privative opposition: a form referring to the past must have an overt temporal marker, while the basic form is temporally unmarked and its temporal reference is secondary to its aspectual properties. A verbal system may combine both techniques of temporal opposition, allowing systems to be classified according to the predominant type of mobility. Retrospective mobility is similar to the retrospective shift. However, data from the Andic languages suggest that this is not entirely accurate, and the marker of retrospective shift can only be postulated if the retrospective type of mobility predominates in the system. Additionally, several hypotheses can be proposed regarding the origins of retrospective mobility. From a diachronic perspective, systems with predominant retrospective mobility appear to arise from the loss of the present-tense copula in all basic forms. Sporadic retrospective mobility is much more difficult to analyze diachronically, as it remains unclear whether the local loss of the copula in individual forms should be assumed. Based on data from the Karata and Bagvalal languages, it can be suggested that this type of retrospective mobility characterizes the oldest forms in the system. The example of the Karata verbal system also demonstrates that, with the grammaticalization of new analytical forms, the relationships between forms of mobility are renewed: this idiom exhibits a diachronically intermediate “hybrid” type of mobility.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):75 - 86
75 - 86
ANTHROPOLOGY
Traditional Ideas of the Telengit-Altai People About Nature and Their Reflection in the Family Ritual Sang
Abstract
This article examines traditional Altai beliefs about nature as expressed through the sang rite, which is performed at the family level in Altai-Telengit culture. The family sang is a rite of gratitude intended to establish a connection between the family and the spirits of the masters of the local area, mountains, healing springs, and Altai itself, as well as to ensure the well-being and prosperity of the family. During the rite, the family offers food and drinks, sprinkling them around the house. The article is based on the author’s fieldwork conducted in Kokorya village, Kosh-Agach district, in February 2025. The study employed ethnographic methods, including interviews, participant observation, video, and photography. The research found that the family sang rite is performed not only as part of the Chagaa-Bayram celebration but also throughout the year. For example, the rite is often conducted at home in preparation for significant family events, and some families perform it monthly. The study also revealed that the sang rite reflects the worldview of the local population, in which nature and spirits play a central role. Through the good wishes expressed during the rite, one can gain a deeper understanding of the Altai Telengits’ attitude toward the cult of nature and the significance of natural forces in their livelihood. For instance, during sang, wishes are often made for the greatness and wealth of Altai as the sacred homeland of the Altai people, the well-being of the family and the Altai people as a whole, the fertility of the land, and the safe grazing of cattle, which is fundamental to the nomadic way of life. Well-wishes are also addressed to sacred mountains, healing springs, terrain, and rivers, asking for protection and well-being. Thus, the sang ritual serves not only as a means of communicating with host spirits but also as a way of expressing gratitude and petition to natural forces. The study of the sang rite expands our knowledge of the traditional culture of the Altai people, allowing for a better understanding of their worldview, beliefs, and family values. Additionally, this research can serve as a basis for preserving and reviving traditional rites and customs in modern society, while also contributing to the strengthening of interethnic relations and intercultural dialogue.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):87 - 97
87 - 97
Access to Resources: Traditional Fishing in Chukotka Under Modern Conditions
Abstract
Fishing in the Far East of the Russian Federation is a primary economic activity for the population, serving two key functions: meeting the food needs of indigenous peoples and ensuring their participation in the regional and national economies. The article examines the historical aspects of traditional fishing as a vital element of the livelihoods of the indigenous peoples of Chukotka, analyzes the current situation related to fish catch limitations, and presents recommendations for modern fisheries, taking into account the opinions of residents. The study is based on scientific reports, statistical materials, regulatory documents, internet resources, published works on traditional fishing in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, and the author’s field materials collected in 2023–2024. The results indicate the need to update administrative and legal mechanisms to support the continuation of traditional fishing by the indigenous population, as well as the possibility of expanding the rights of certain individuals not affiliated with the IPC for this type of fishing.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):98 - 108
98 - 108
Ways of Evolution of Regional (Territorial) Identity in the Human Life Cycle (Using the Example f the Trans-Baikal Territory)
Abstract
The Trans-Baikal Territory, like other regions of Siberia and the Far East, is experiencing a population outflow to the European part of the country. The theoretical basis of this article draws on the theories and concepts of both foreign and domestic scholars: R. Copello’s concept of interpreting identity as an economic asset and territorial identity as an intangible asset; E. Panzer’s idea of territorial identity as the perception of similarity felt and experienced by residents of a specific territory; N. Baryshnaya’s theory of the correlation of degrees of territorial self-identification; and I. Zadorina’s concept of territorial identity in border areas. The article establishes that territorial identity is based on the regular intellectual, psychological, and emotional practice of correlating oneself and subsequently self-identifying with a particular territory, local community, or region, characterized by territorial, historical, cultural, social, regulatory, and linguistic specifics. The authors propose a behavioral-migration typology of territorial identity depending on an individual’s position at various stages of the life cycle. The article demonstrates that modern individuals often exhibit a lack of focus in their territorial identity, indicating that perceptions are forming about the specialization of territories throughout the life cycle: place of birth, place of study, place of work, place of rest, and place of retirement. A complete lack of focus and an entirely focused territorial identity are extreme cases. More commonly, individual stages of the life cycle are associated with a specific place, thereby strengthening a particular type of territorial identity. Each period of life has its own type of territorial identity. In recent years, personal behavioral geography has undergone a revolutionary transformation, leading to changes in the social structure of families and the concept of local territorial communities.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):109 - 120
109 - 120
The Plot and Motif Composition of Ainu and Nivkhi ‘Bear’ Mythology: Their Universal and Local Features
Abstract
This article examines the plot and motif composition of ‘bear’ folklore texts among the indigenous peoples of the Pacific coast–the Ainu and the Nivkhi–in the context of their bear cult, known in ethnography as the “bear festival of the Amur-Sakhalin type.” Both domestic and foreign scientific literature have made a few attempts to systematize the plots of such texts, and a thorough analysis has not yet been conducted. The author presents various perspectives and defines the genres of oral folklore samples of the Ainu and Nivkhi to which ‘bear’ texts belong. For the first time in domestic ethnographic studies, using typological, cultural-historical, and comparative ethnographic methods, as well as comparative analysis, a comprehensive contextual study of ‘bear’ myths and tales published in Russian, Japanese, and English has been carried out, and ‘wandering plots’ of ‘bear’ texts in the folklore of the Ainu and Nivkhi peoples are identified. Using S. Thompson’s index of folklore motifs, the author identified and systematized universal motifs and plots of Ainu and Nivkhi’ bear’ epic works, shaped by the proximity of their territories, shared economic types, close ethnic contacts, and common views on the image of the bear. Local motifs and plots specific to a particular territory and ethno-linguistic field were also identified, as well as motifs and plots not included in the index, which demonstrate the uniqueness of each people’s folklore heritage and confirm the national specificity of the works. The percentage ratio of these motifs and plots in the total number of ‘bear’ motifs and plots was determined, with universal plots predominating. However, the untranslated and unpublished corpus of Ainu and Nivkhi’ bear’ texts suggests that further research is possible. The results can serve as material for further comparative analysis of ‘bear’ texts from different genres among the Paleo-Asian peoples of the North Pacific. This analysis, from an ethnographic perspective, will contribute to identifying features of the archaic views of Paleo-Asians not only in the Amur-Sakhalin region but also in Northeast Asia.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):121 - 130
121 - 130
Ceramics of the Early Iron Age from the Sites of Lake Tukh-Emtor: Results of Technical and Technological Analysis
Abstract
This article presents the results of studies on ceramics from the Vasyugan and Sarov stages of the Kulai culture (5th century BC–5th century AD) from the archaeological complex at Lake Tukh-Emtor. Located in Vasyuganye on the left bank of the Middle Ob region, the site includes several settlements containing Kulai ceramics. Using a historical and cultural approach, a technical and technological analysis of ceramics from three sites was conducted. The primary objective was to identify cultural traditions in the selection of raw materials and the preparation of pottery paste, to examine the impressions of the ornamenting tools and understand the features of the working edge, and to compare the results obtained. It was found that all vessels were decorated with several tools, and items decorated with similar tools were identified at different sites. It has been established that highly sanded, iron-rich clays were used in the settlement of Tukh-Emtor II, clay with a medium iron content, and in Tukh-Sigat IV and VII, clay with medium and low iron content. Analysis of the composition and characteristics of natural inclusions in the raw material indicates different but similar clay deposits, apparently taken from the shore of a reservoir, likely Lake Tukh-Emtor. Two traditions were identified in the use of mineral inclusions in pottery paste preparation: 1) without the addition of mineral inclusions; 2) with chamotte. In four settlements, Vasyugan-type ceramics, which comprise chamotte, make up 26.5 %, while Sarov ceramics account for 36 %. Overall, the tradition of making ceramics without mineral inclusions prevails. Kulai sites in the Tomsk region are characterized by the addition of broken stone to the pottery paste, while chamotte is typical for the Priket region. In Vasyuganye, a third tradition has been identified—preparing pottery paste without mineral inclusions. This enables the determination of the direction of population contacts during the study period. In particular, the presence of chamotte vessels in Vasyuganye indicates an influx of people from Priketye with different skills in preparing pottery paste during the Vasyugan and Sarov stages. The small number of ceramics, compared to those of the Bronze Age, clearly indicates that the population of this area in the early Iron Age was relatively small.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):131 - 144
131 - 144
The Representations of Tuvans about Shamanic Headdresses Sounds of the Tambourine: Representations of the Tuvans of Russia and China about Dead Shamans
Abstract
This article examines a little-studied stratum of archaic beliefs held by Russian and Chinese Tuvans about deceased shamans, which contain the main tenets of shamanic mythology: the three-part division of the world, the existence of an afterlife, and ideas about the chosen and powerful shaman. The features of the Tuvan shamanic funeral rite, which persisted until the mid-20th century, are described, and the reasons for the customary damage to the tambourine of the deceased shaman are examined. The article discusses views on the deathbed orders of shamans, which include contradictory functions: protecting the well-being of their descendants and harming enemies and abusers. General ideas about tambourine sounds near shamanic graves, consistently preserved among the Russian and Chinese Tuvans, are analyzed. It is revealed that, despite changes in the funeral rites of Tuvans in Russia and abroad over the past century–when there is no longer a need for posthumous storage of a shaman’s cult attributes next to his grave–beliefs about the sounds of the tambourine remain stable. The specific features of the sounds produced by the shamanic tambourine, their location, and the times of their audibility during specific periods of the day are described, and the motif of a predetermined number of tambourines in the Tuvan shamanic cult practice is examined. Ideas about the actions of deceased shamans (the ability to rock, beat a tambourine, appear in former human form, or appear as helper spirits) were initially associated with the belief in the close connection between the shaman’s life force and the tambourine, and the observance of the tradition of the shaman’s aerial burial with cult attributes, since, according to the Tuvans, the shaman’s life force remained near the burial. Today, modern Tuvans still maintain a stable motif regarding the connection between the shaman’s life force and the tambourine. They also hold a belief in the power and chosen status of a magical specialist, as well as the notion that the sounds of the tambourine serve a predictive function. The sources for this research include published and new field materials. The chronological framework of the study is from the mid-20th century to the early 21st century.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):145 - 153
145 - 153
FOR THE SCIENTIST'S ANNIVERSARY
Contemporary Interdisciplinary Research on the Languages and Peoples of Southern Siberia: An Experience in Linguistics and Genetics
Abstract
Using a specific case study on the classification of the Turkic languages of Southern Siberia, this paper examines the potential for combining data from linguistic and population genetic studies. Analysis of similar rules in several dialects belonging to three Turkic genealogical language groups suggests that the influence of these rules in each group is only partly related to a Sayan-Samoyedic substrate, most likely due to language shift that is, the transition of the Sayan Samoyedic people to several Turkic languages. A similar hypothesis was previously proposed by A. Dulzon (Andreas Dulson), but it has not been supported by comparative historical analysis. For Northern Altaic idioms, it appears more likely that the Sayan Samoyeds themselves did not transite to these lects, but rather that a secondary language shift occurred among the Shors, who were already Samoyeds at that time and had adopted a Turkic language. Population genetic data support this hypothesis.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):154 - 169
154 - 169
Archaeology in the Multifaceted Research Creativity of A. Dulzon: The Tomsk Period
Abstract
Andrey Dulzon (Andreas Dulson) is recognized as a dialectologist, linguist, and specialist in Germanic and Siberian indigenous languages. In addition to his linguistic research, his archaeological and ethnographic work is also significant. A. Dulzon employed a comprehensive approach to studying ethnocultural diversity; when preparing for expeditions, he developed programs with linguistic, archaeological, anthropological, and ethnographic focuses. A. Dulzon’s activities as an archaeologist have received much less attention in the scientific literature than his work as a linguist. This article seeks to address this gap. Dulzon’s main archaeological expeditions, conducted as part of a group, took place in the Lower Volga region from 1919 to 1924 and in Siberia, along the Basandayka River, from 1944 to 1946. The methodological experience he gained was successfully applied in his later independent archaeological research. In 1944–1945, a comprehensive program was launched to survey the minor peoples of the Tomsk Region, addressing the question of the origin of the Siberian aborigines and their languages. Comprehensive surveys and archaeological excavations were conducted on the Chulym, Ket, and Tym rivers, while archaeological exploration was conducted in other locations, such as around the village of Samus. The research focused on monuments of the late Middle Ages (intended to serve as a link with written records about the resident groups) and archaeological sites from the 16th–17th centuries (the period of Russian arrival, to establish the continuity of the indigenous population). A. Dulzon’s scientific program remains relevant today: his data on Stone Age monuments and Bronze Age sites have been updated, the Tomsk Region forts he listed have been explored, Russian archaeology of Siberia has been established as a new independent discipline within Siberian studies, and interdisciplinary conferences are held with the participation of linguists, archaeologists, and ethnographers.
Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2025;(4):170 - 183
170 - 183