Unadapted Foreign Language Insertions in Spoken Language of Tundra Yukaghir

Abstract

The foreign language insertions in the language of the tundra Yukagirs-polyglots of the Lower Kolyma in Yakutia are considered for the first time. The relevance of the study is primarily dictated by the lack of research on contact phenomena in the Yukagir language as a whole, the decreasing number of speakers, and the importance of documenting this ancient language of Northeast Siberia. The goal of the study is to identify the functioning features of insertions in the modern spoken language of the tundra Yukagirs. The material consists of recordings of oral speech by Yukagirs in the form of polylogue, dialogue, and monologue, fragments of transcripts of which are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The analysis shows that insertions in Yukagir speech are realized through Yakut and Russian insertions, originating from various parts of speech of the guest languages. The author concludes the relevance of the Yakut language as the second language after the ethnic one, due to the higher frequency of Yakut elements in Yakut speech compared to Russian ones. It has been established that insertions are marked by empty and filled pauses, vocal, lexical-semantic, and paralinguistic hesitations. It is noted that the creative function is realized through the manner of using insertions by individual Yukagir polyglots in their speech.