TO THE PROBLEM OF ETHNOTHEROTYPES AND LOCAL NICKNAMES OF THE SLAVS IN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The essence of the ethnos is manifested primarily in its culture. This ethnographers’ statement has its undoubtedly distinctive basis in ethnology, ethnopsychology. It finds its direct reflection in the language of modern and traditional culture of Slavs in the form of ethnic stereotypes, expressed in a certain system of ethnic nominations. Ethnic names system consideration froms a pragmatic and anthropological point of view and is necessary to understanding the specific world vision and world devision which is typical to collective ethnic consciousness. The stability of the people names is connected with the very existence of the ethnic group. That is why the analysis of Slavic vocabulary and phraseology for the designation of ethnic communities can be useful both in the ethnohistory study as well as the individual ethnic groups description, in establishing cultural relations and contacts between peoples in their historical past. Ukrainian ethnographer M. Tivodar admits that each ethnic community has universal signs. Ethnic consciousness is “the totality of knowledge, socio-psychological attitudes, ideas about one's ethnicity, its properties and stereotypes, and its place in the modern world. It is an integrated feature that includes knowledge or understanding of one's homeland, common origin and shared historical fate. All this testifies that the ethnic communities consciousness exists in mass forms of social consciousness, that is, in language, folk art, festive rituals and everyday culture, norms of morality and law, etc.”. Ethnic consciousness is also linked to the love to the native ethnic group, its history, language, culture, religion, tradition and way of life. The characteristic feature is its attitude to the own ethnic community as the highest, that is, the best. Since the formation of primitive tribes, one can speak of the first ethnic stereotypes that were created under the influence of natural and geographical factors. Interethnic