Collocations Depicting Rituals Related to the Cult of the Dead in Svan (Ethnolinguistic Analysis)

Abstract

In ethnolinguistics, the term collocation refers to various stereotyped behaviors (customs, rituals) reinforced by tradition, which are expressed by a solid linguistic unit. Svan language is characterized by the richness, variety, and archaicness of vocabulary, phraseology, and collocations depicting different tra­ditions and customs.

More than two dozen collocations depicting customs and rituals related to the cult of the soul and the dead are revealed in the Svan language. Lakhorte  lisi (ლა­ლ­ხო­რთე ლიზი) refers to the gathering of souls and making future decisions about what will happen in the coming year; Likungweshi (ლიქუნგვეში) includes rituals re­­lated to the cult of the dead; Kwini  litkhe (ქვინი ლიტხე) means returning of the soul; Khocha  Lakun (ხოჩა ლაქუნ) meaning heaven, a literal translation is „good abode of souls“, etc.The publication presents an ethnolinguistic analysis of these co­llo­cations. The context and structure of the use of collocations are studied.

Studies have shown that, according to the structure, there are collocations in Svan that are characterized by a verb component and a subject component Khocha  La­kun (ხოჩა ლაქუნ meaning heaven, a literal translation is „good abode of souls“,  Jodi  Ham (ჯოდი ჰამ)  meaning ritual of sending away souls, a literal translation is „long morning“). In Kartveliology, it is considered that Svan is the most archaic among the Kartvelian languages. Accordingly, the ethnolinguistic research of Svan phraseology and collocations related to customs and rituals provides an opportunity to make extremely interesting conclusions.