Value and semantic space of religious paremias: the relationship between folk and universal Christian axiological traditions

the article examines the phenomenon of folk religiosity in Russian proverbs of religious themes. The aim of the study is to identify the specificity of value dominants of folk religiosity and to compare them with general Christian dogmatic values. The research employs general scientific methods such as observation, analysis, synthesis, and generalization, as well as methods of systematic description of linguistic material, contextual analysis, and linguoculturological interpretation of recorded linguistic facts. Particular attention is given to identifying values and their realization in proverbs. The analysis has shown that folk religiosity manifests itself as a flexible, pragmatically oriented system of values in which religious principles are combined with everyday and social norms, forming a dynamic “compromise morality.” Proverbs reflect both coincidences with dogmatic Christianity and the practical-behavioral adaptation of faith, expressed in axiological ambivalence and variability of values. The results obtained confirm the autonomy of folk religiosity and its role in shaping the value picture of the world, as well as open up opportunities for further research in the fields of linguoculturology, paremiology, and axiology of Russian folklore.

value, value concept (axiological concept), axiology, linguistic axiology, paremia, folk religiosity, Christianity