The image of gypsies in the Chuvash linguistic culture

Abstract

The work is devoted to the analysis of the image of gypsies in the Chuvash linguistic culture. In the message, linguoculture is understood as a phenomenon that summarizes all manifestations of culture reflected through language. The study is based on the Chuvash linguistic material, folklore and literary texts, as well as other information related to the gypsies. The study is based on a scientific analysis of the Chuvash speech products marked by the mention of gypsies and is generally retrospective in nature. Nevertheless, the conclusions are still relevant in today’s realities. Gypsies in Chuvashia are a newly-minted ethnic group, to a small extent introduced into its social reality and closed from the outside world. They are not included in the circle of peoples who are in close contact with the Chuvashs, however, they are often mentioned in folklore texts from the positions of ethnocentrism, most of which determine their negative perception. At the same time, the image of gypsies is reflected in Chuvash fiction, and here they are mainly described as positive characters, objectively requiring empathy, if only because they are part of the central characters. Chuvash ideas about gypsies largely correlate with their perception by Russians.

Keywords

• Chuvash
• ethnography
• folklore
• gypsies
• gypsy studies
• фольклор