Сюжетно-тематические циклы топонимических преданий Юго-Восточной Тувы

Plot-Theme Cycles of Toponymic Legends of South-Eastern Tuva

The genres of non-fairytale prose of Tuvans took shape under the influence of social and historical development of Tuvan people in their natural surroundings. At the same time, historical experience of interethnic and intercultural contacts of Tuvans with peoples of western Mongolia was reflected in the works of Tuvan non-fairy tale prose, include ing toponymic legends. South-eastern Tuva includes Erzin and Tere-Khol districts of the Republic of Tyva. Tuvan folklorists studied legends with no account taken of their local distinctive features. This article is aimed at considering the peculiarities of plots and themes of toponymic legends of south-eastern Tuva in the context of historical experience of local population with the peoples of western Mongolia. Toponymic legends (along with historical, genealogical and other legends) have a specific nature in the themes, plots, and characters. A special inquiry in local distinctive features of toponymic legends can provide us with new information for theoretical generalization of the genres of Tuvan non-fairytale prose. Local folk tradition of south-eastern Tuvans was developed in the conditions of Tuvan-Mongolian bilingualism, the Mongolian folklore in south-eastern Tuva being an original layer and an important part of the heritage of oral folk art of the Tuvan people. A special consideration of legends of south-eastern Tuva in the framework of overall Tuvan tradition and the traditions of neighboring peoples can be a prospective problematique in Tuvan folk studies.