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termined the cultural character of the phenomena generated by it, then modernism constantly moved away from a single style, cultivating extreme subjectivism, requires revision the main forms of art, its task is to find new ways of expression [1*].

And further, wanting to most fully characterize the opposite of these trends, the author notes:

Representatives of modernism acted as principled opponents of the modern style. If we try to draw a historical parallel, then modernism in relation to modernity is the same as the Renaissance with its singular geniuses, with its overturning medieval canons innovations and big names in relation to the anonymous Middle Ages, only thanks to the cultural accumulations of which he himself could only take place [1*].

As for postmodernism, then, according to the scientist, he is just returning to the medieval originality, to the fancy, Dionysian gaiety, to ridicule.

If modernism claims its rights to a bright future, technical progress, even to beauty in the form of copyright, then postmodernism arises “as a negative reaction to this redistribution of “powers of authority” [1*].

And as a result of the culturological process, an epoch arises again (this time, in the world network), not knowing authorship, the main product of which is works based on imitation or retelling. This is a fanfiction - a very interesting and unusual genre, the author allows fantasies to roam in a work, gives freedom of thought, invites admirers of a generally recognized work of art to intellectual interaction. Techniques of appropriation are widely used in these works, “that is, the transfer into the space of a high culture of elements of a low, mass, commercial culture” [11]. I.P. Ilyin says that it is necessary to distinguish between the literary course of postmodernism, which is world-oriented to reproduce life as chaos, devoid of purpose and meaning, indifferent and alien to man, and postmodernist style of writing [12]. The latter, although widespread, requires for its assessment in each particular case a strictly differentiated approach, because different representatives of this manner determine their life position and, accordingly, the tasks of art in different ways [11].

Postmodernism identifies some universal and rational comprehensible truth with the dangers of utopianism and totalitarianism. Every hierarchy of values is removed, rejected in the name of the coexistence of different cultural models and canons, self-sufficient, self-sufficient and irreducible to each other [11]

If we express the alternation of the three processes in the form of gender dominants, then we can write the scheme corresponding to the series of modern-modernism-postmodernism, thus: W-M-W. Consequently, the new trend, which replaces postmodernism, must have an M- character and correspond to a clear, positive view of the world and a clear authorial, personified position (holographism). At its core, it should have a secular orientation that does not interfere with being in harmony with itself and with the higher forces (Tetism), strive to comprehend and transform archetypes (archetypism). But, at the same time, this current should “claim to the role of u n i v e r s a l knowledge” [1 *], since it also, like modernism, according to the culturalparadigm paradigm, is close to the ideals of the Renaissance (AE Chuchin-Rusov) [1 *]. This is a new trend (Metamodernism).

And although the concept of A. E. Chuchin-Rusov “The Single Field of World Culture” at the beginning of the XXI century, S. Kostyrko was unjustly criticized in 2003 for “another attempt to create a unified theory of culture and art” [4] and A. Lyusyy for “ the desire to find similarities between medieval symbolic images and modern visual general cultural models ”[2], the course of metamodernism, which appeared much later than the publication of the“ Unified Field ... ”, fully complies with the described laws.

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In 2010, in the program essay “Notes on metamodernism”, Timoteus Vermeulen and Robin van den Acker, highlighting the temporal and socio-cultural background of the flow, immediately declare its universalism and present a new discourse as “swaying between the enthusiasm of modernism and postmodern mockery” (the metamodern negotiates between the modern and the postmodern) [5, p. 6].

In other words, the authors speak of a certain, barely perceptible, balance of the individual (M) and the general (W) towards which the new trend is striving. In addition, the masters of the Renaissance also sought, as noted by A.V. Pustovit in his book “Ethics and Aesthetics. The legacy of the West. The history of beauty and good”: "This is the same delicate balance as on the canvases of Renaissance artists ... But for all its fragility, this union of individual and general gives the impression of amazing power ..." [13]. It should be noted here that the very attempt of such a synthesis, the discovery of a certain universal system, is an attribute of M- culture, as in this manifests a striving for perfection [1*] Synthesis (the Trinity), as noted by A.E. Chuchin-Rusov in “The Single Field ...”, is the result of the conjunction of the thesis (one) and the antithesis (the two) into one whole, as it is concluded:

The Trinity can be defined as a principle, by virtue of which in all things a beginning, middle and end arise, which is the principle of “perfection” [1*].

And this perfection (a positive view of the world), in the opinion of the founders of the new discourse, is achievable, which we learn from the article by Luke Turner

“Metamodernism: A Brief Introduction”: Since postmodernism was characterized by such features as deconstruction, irony, stylization, relativism, nihilism and renunciation of general concepts (with the aim of creating a caricature), the discourse on the essence of metamodernism will embrace the process of reviving sincerity, hope, romanticism, attraction and return to general concepts and universal truths (underlining of A.S. Markova) for as long as we do not lose all that we have learned within the framework of the culture of postmodernism [3].

The cultural-genetic connection with the M-dominant, including the Renaissance and Classical Antiquity, is also indicated by the very name of the movement, which is also stated: The use of the prefix "meta" takes its origin from the Platonic term metaxis, describing oscillation and simultaneity between two absolutely opposite concepts [3].

As for the four basic concepts: archetypism, tetism / antithetizm, holographism and cyclism - the concepts of “The Single Field ...”, we suggest considering their cultural-kinetic embodiment using the example of the work of one of the artists, mentioned by the author of the program article (Turner Luke) [3 ].

Painting by Kaye Donachie [See Fig. “The Loneliness of the Night”] was presented to the public in early 2018. On it in blue colors are depicted two brushes stretching towards each other and barely touching each other, the female silhouette, the firmament, the sky and the sea are caught.

By itself, the motive of the movement of hands to each other, holographic, like any fragment, in fact, became an archetype due to the brilliant fresco “The Creation of Adam”.

The work of Michelangelo Buonarotti in the epoch of his creation was a symbol of the fact that God, who created man, is ready to reveal all the colors of life and joy to him (it’s not for nothing that Eve is next to God-the-father, but Adam), and endow the crown of his creation with “the fullness of all knowledge”

(Dante). The human and the divine do not touch, but it is the creative, creative force that is so accurately captured in the movement of the Divine right hand that makes Adam wake up

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from a dream.

This fragment had many interpretations throughout the entire period of postmodernism: from variations of wedding photos to use in scenes of the cinematic apocalypse, for example, in the film “2012”.

But within the framework of postmodernism, a touch of hands would be simply unthinkable, but metamodernism makes this possible. It means that physical loneliness, individualism and freedom are not equated with despondency. On the contrary, it is precisely in them that the true joy for the artist is revealed through a touch on the Highest Principle.

And if this touch is, in principle, possible, then we can talk about striving for harmony with the highest principle, conditional tetism.

As for the cyclism of culture, one artist’s appeal to the theme of her work confirms it.

In other words, we can argue that the new course of metamodernism, based on the concepts declared by its founders (Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Acker) and concrete examples, really fits into the framework of the concept of "The Single Field of World Culture" and corresponds to all the criteria for M-culture, therefore, is part of the culturalkinetic and cultural paradigm.

The very same theory A.E. Chuchin-Rusov confirms its viability on a new, independent example, on the theory of metamodernism, which opens up prospects for further study of cultural, linguistic, literary, socio-political, economic and historical processes that take place, of course, within a single global field.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that the concept of A.E. Chuchin-Rusov “The Single Field of World Culture” turned out to be undeservedly forgotten for 16 years, the new course “metamodernism” appeared that made us take a fresh look at the theory of the Russian researcher, rethink it and conduct further research on linguistic, cultural, philological, literary and other processes.

Analyzing the concept of "The Single Field of World Culture", we came to the conclusion that culturological processes or cultural-historical processes are cyclical; that kulturgenetics and culturalism can be represented as a linguistic phenomenon of synchronydiachrony, language-speech, where “language” means the entire world cultural and historical heritage, and “speech” refers to the same “metamodernism” that emerged in a particular historical period and has certain characteristics, stated in his program, languages and worlds of human activity, characteristic of a certain type of sociality; that artists and literary critics talk about the unity of form and content, which determines the integrity of the work, and philosophers see the struggle of opposites in everything. Revealed laws and processes in the theory of A.E. Chuchin-Rusov is universal, and therefore metamodernism is entitled to obey universal laws and take its place in the single field of world culture.

References

[1] Uaytched A.N. Simvolism, jego smysl I vozdejstvije/ - Tomsk: Vodoley, 1999. – 64

p.

[2]Lysyi A. Chuchin-Rusov. Edinoje pole mirovoj kultury. Kishli-kontstptsija. Knigi 1,2. Kniga kak bespredel. Russkij tolstyj shurnal kak esteticheskij fenomen “Shurnalnyj zal”. M., Shurnal “Znamja”. – 2003, № 6. http://magazines.russ.ru/znamia/2003/6/lus.html 12:33 (Data obrashcheniya: 20.06.2018 12:33).

[3]Tjorner Luk. Metamodernizm: Kratkoje vvedenije. “Metamodern” Shurnal o metamodernizme. // Perevod: Anastasija Ustinova 21.11.2015. http: //metamodernizm. ru/ briefintroduction / (Data obrashcheniya: 03.07.2018. 14:06)

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[4]Kostyrko S. Chitat onlain “Novyi mir. № 7, 2003” avtora. Novyi Mir Shurnal – RuLit

–Stranitsa 150. http://www.rulit.me/books/novyj-mir-7-2003-read-224926-150.html 12:30 (Data obrashcheniya: 26.07.2018 12:30).

[5]Vermjulen T., Akker R. van Den. “Zametki o metamodernizme” ((Notes on Metamodernism). Shurnal estetiki I kultury. Dania. S. 6. - Notes on metamodernism Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker. Journal of AESTHETICS & CULTURE. Universities of Stockholm, Sweden; Oslo, Norway; and Aarhus, Denmark. However. Vol. 2, Taylor & Francis. 2010. p.6 http://www.emerymartin.net/FE503/Week10/Notes%20on%20Metamodernism.pdf (Data obrashcheniya: 23.07.2018. 12:40.

[6]Chuchin-Rusov A. E. Kontsepty sovremennogo znanija. Voprosy kultorologii I filosophii. 2016. S. 5. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/v/kontsepty-sovremennogo-znaniya15:31 (Data obrashcheniya: 26.07.2018 18:05).

[7]Chalej O.V. Kompleksnoje vosprijatije vkusovych oshhenij v chudoshestvennom diskurse, Vestnik Moskovsrjgj pedagogicheskogj universiteta. Serija: Filologija. Teorija jazyka.

Jazykovoje obrazovanije. 2016. № 2 (22). S. 49-54.

[8]Bodler Sh. Avel I Kain. Perevod V. Brjussova // A. S. Koncheev. Shurnal “Samizdat” biblioteki M. Moshkova. – 2016. http://www.koncheev.narod.ru/bodler.htm (Data obrashcheniya 22.07.2018).

[9] Nitsshe F.V. Sochinenija. V 2-ch t. T. 1. Pod red. K. A. Svasjan. – Mysl, 1990. S. 829 + Perevod s nem. A. Michailova. Pod obtshej redaktsijei. M.: AD MARGINEN, 2001. – 736 s. – 65 s. http:// platona. net/load/knigi_po_filosofii/filosofija_zhizni/nitsshe-rozhdenie-tragedii (Data obrashcheniya: 15.06.2018.)

[10]Bleyk U. Stichotvoreniya. V odnom mgnovenje videty vechnosty. Perevod S.

Marshaka. (V knige: Uiljam Blejk v perevodach S. Marshaka. Izbrannoje. Moskva “OlmaPress”, 2000.) Sait “Otkrytyj tekst” sozdan pri poddershke Federalnogo agenstva po pechati i massovym kommunikatijam RF http://www.opentextnn.ru/man/?id=3097 (Data obrashcheniya 22.07.2018).

[11]Benevolenskaja N.P. Russkij literaturnyj postmodernism:psychodeologicheskije osnovy, genesis, estetika. Tema dissertatsii I avtoreferata po VAK 10.01.01, doctor philologicheskich nauk. Sankt-Peterburg. 2010. disserCat http: //www. dissercat. Com /content/ russkiiliteraturnyi -postmodernizm-psikhodeologicheskie-osnovy-genezis-estetika ixzz 5QXJ mJZno (Data obrashcheniya: 11.09.2018).

[12]Iljin I.P. Postmodernizm: ot istokov do kontsa stoletija: evolutsija nauchnogo mifa / Ilja Iljin. M.: Intrada, 1998. – 225 S. http://www.dissercat.com/content/russkii-literaturnyi- postmodernizm-psikhodeologicheskie-osnovy-genezis-estetika#ixzz5QX86MTRO (08.09.2018 20:43.)

[13]Pustovit A.V. Ethics and aesthetics: The legacy of the West. History of Beauty and Goodness: Proc. allowance. - К .: MAUP, 2006. - 680 p.

Analysed sources

[1*] Chuchin-Rusov A. E. Jedinoje pole mirovoj kultury. Kishli-kontseptsija. Kn. 1 Teorija jedinogo polja. – M. Progress-Traditsija, 2002 – 664 s.

[2*] Chuchin-Rusov A. E. Jedinoje pole mirovoj kultury. Kishli-kontseptsija. Kn. 2 Teorija jedinogo polja. – M. Progress-Traditsija, 2002 – 814 s. Vtoroj tom “Jedinoje polja mirovoj kultury” posvjatshen kak raz vizualnomu otobrashtniju mushskoj i shenskoj dominanty v mirovoj culture.

Dictionaries used

[1**] Slovar latinskich poslovits https://classes.ru/all-latin/dictionary-latin-russian- proverb-term-1457.htm (Data obrashcheniya: 11.09.2018).

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UDC 81’28(470.324)

GENDER, DECLENSION AND CASE OF NOUNS IN THE DIALECTS OF THE VORONEZH REGION: A STATISTICAL PORTRAIT

S.S. Tokareva

____________________________________________________________________________

Voronezh State Pedagogical University,

Postgraduate Student of the Department of Theory, History

and Methods of Teaching Russian Language and Literature Svetlana S. Tokareva

e-mail: svetlana-xs@yandex.ru

____________________________________________________________________________

Statement of the problem. This article analyzes the data of statistical processing of the materials of the research of noun declension in the dialects of the Voronezh region, taking into account their typology. The quantitative distribution of nouns by gender, types of declension and their change by case is described.

Results. Some topical issues of the development of the grammatical system of dialect language and their connection with the dialect picture of the world are noted. A limited number of nouns of the middle genus are revealed and possible reasons for its low representation in the language are considered. Characterized by the distribution of nouns types of declension. The least represented III declension is noted, the reasons for such distribution of nouns by types of declension in connection with the development of the language system are considered. Also, in all types of dialects of the studied dialects, the interaction of the I and III types of declension is noted, which indicates the relevance of the universal Slavic tendency to correspond between the meaning of the grammatical genus and its morphological embodiment. Analyzed the change of nouns for case and installed the most frequency cases of characteristic dialectal oral texts.

Conclusion. The resulting statistical portrait of the dialects of the Voronezh region makes it possible to trace the development of the grammatical system of the dialect language, to identify the systemic nature of some processes. Key words: Voronezh dialects, statistical portrait, noun, gender, types of declension, cases, dialect picture of the world.

For citation: Tokareva S.S. Gender, declension and case of nouns in the dialects of the Voronezh region: a statistical portrait / S.S. Tokareva // Scientific Journal “Modern linguistic and methodical-and-didactic researches”. –

2018. - №3 (22). – P. 108 - 116.

Introduction

The grammatical form of nouns during the historical development has changed significantly. The contemporary system of the Russian literary language reflects the result of modifications that have taken place. However, along with the literary form there are other forms of the language existence, for example, dialects which often differ from the literary language and from each other in terms of vocabulary, word formation, grammar, and expressing grammatical categories of nouns. Resorting to dialects is very important because the study of dialects at the present stage allows the researcher not only to study the history of the language more thoroughly, but also provides a unique opportunity to foresee the development of the language system.

The goal of the research is to determine the ways of developing grammatical categories of nouns in Voronezh dialects. For accomplishing this objective we set the task of examining gender, declension and case of nouns in the Voronezh Region dialects by means of statistical calculation in order to:

-find out how the gender category is represented in the dialect language;

-determine the features of distributing nouns according to the types of declension and indicate the trends in the development of the declension system in dialects;

__________________

©Tokareva S.S., 2018

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- observe the most frequent cases characteristic for oral dialect texts. We subject these categories to the quantitative analysis not only in general according to the Voronezh Region dialects, but also according to their individual types, relying on the typology developed by A.D. Cherenkova. According to this typology Talagay dialects of the Kursk-Orel type, Talagay dialects proper, Tsukan dialects, dialects with the North Russian base and Russian dialects are distinguished in the Voronezh Region territory [1]. More ancient dialects like Talagay dialects differ substantially from the Russian literary language in terms of structure. Others are More contemporary dialects like for example Russian dialects are closer to the literary language.

Methodology

The object of this study is the Voronezh Region dialects and their types, the subject of the research is the grammatical categories of nouns, the type of declension, and case.

The material of our study is the texts recorded during dialectological expeditions involving conversations with indigenous residents of the Voronezh region villages at the turn of the millennium and in the zero years of the 21st century. These texts were published in the book by A.D. Cherenkovа «Voronezh Dialect Texts as a Source for Studying the Russian National Language, History and Culture of the People» [1]. The study material also includes audio and video recordings of the Center for Regional Linguistic Studies at the Department of Theory, History and Methods of Teaching the Russian Language and Literature at Voronezh State Pedagogical University (Head of the Center, PhD, Associate Professor A. D. Cherenkova). Following this material, a file of 4733 nouns usage was compiled by means of the continuous sampling method.

The study exploits a quantitative method with subsequent interpretation of the data obtained.

Let us consider the results of our calculations and primarily trace how nouns are distributed by gender, then by the types of declension and explore their case modifications.

G e n d e r o f N o u n s

Statistical calculations clearly demonstrate that for all selected types of dialects the category of the neuter gender is least represented. Thus, in Talagai dialects of the Kursk-Orel type and Russian dialects 11% of neuter nouns were recorded, in the Talagay dialects proper and dialects with the North Russian base the percentage is 8% and in the Tsukan dialects it is 7% (Diagram 1).

The diagram shows that the body of neuter nouns in the Talagai dialect of the Kursk-Orel type and in the Russian dialects proper exceeds the body of corresponding nouns in other dialects. In this case it is clear that the dialect is closest to the literary language.

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Diagram 1. Distribution of Singular Nouns by Gender in the Voronezh

Region Dialects

In the Talagai dialect and Tsukan dialect proper there are fewer of them, because some of neuter nouns have become part of feminine nouns. There are fewer of them in the North Russian type of dialect as well as part of neuter nouns has become part of masculine nouns.

So far it does not seem possible to answer the question why the Talagai dialect of KurskOrel type holds quite many neuter nouns. We can only assume that this dialect, as the oldest one, preserves the old system of gender relations, taking into account the reducing body of neuter nouns in the language in the subsequent epoch (see below).

And now let us consider the integrated picture of nouns distribution according to gender in the Voronezh Region dialects. In general, in the total amount of factual information where gender was identified (that is 4570 words) feminine nouns amount to 48% (2,200 word tokens), masculine nouns amount to 44% (2008 word tokens), and neuter nouns represent only 8% (362 word tokens) (Diagram 2).

Similar calculations were conducted by S.S. Vysotsky in relation to the dialects to the west of Moscow. According to his research, «if masculine nouns are 2006 (40%), feminine nouns are 2225 (44%), then the portion of neuter nouns equals only 818 words, i.е. only 16% of the total number

of nouns» [2, p. 114]. The observations made by S. S. Vysotsky concerning the vocabulary of the Russian language, as well as our observations, show that neuter nouns hold a very small place in it. At the same time, the percentage of nouns in the territory of Voronezh dialects distribution, included in the eastern group of the South Russian dialect, is twice as little as that in the territory of distributing the dialects referred to by S.S. Vysotsky.

The reason for such a small number of neuter nouns can be found in the history of the language, namely, in the history of the formation and development of the gender category. But despite a large number of studies the principle of assigning nouns to one or another gender is still unclear. As A.E. Mankov points out in his detailed article, «already at the earliest period of

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the recorded history of all Indo-European languages, the gender is not only fully developed, but also a desemanticized category» [3, p. 79].

Some scientists, for example V. Lehman, say that three gender classes appeared simultaneously. But most scientists, beginning with A. Меillеt, tend to believe that initially there was a binary gender system that later became a threefold system. [3, p. 21].

The prerequisite for the formation of the gender category is the perception of objects as "animate" ("active") and "inanimate" ("inactive"). It became possible to realize the concept of sex through the class of "animate" objects. «Dividing the nouns of the animate class into two paradigmatic types (that is, into two genders) marks the establishment of a new nominal category – the category of gender» [4, p. 88]. The correlation of inanimate objects with male or female sex could be connected with the peculiarities of the mythological thinking of the ancient man animating the objects of the surrounding reality.

The developing category of gender has stratified into the existing system of noun declension, where attributing to one or another type was determined semantically, i.e. the final sound of the stem was a word-building suffix that combined related words.

Destroying old types of declension and forming a new system took place already in the historical, writing period. This process was long and complex and proceeded as different types of declesion interacting. The category of gender played a major role in this rearrangement. Non-productive types of nouns were forced to integrate into the system of productive types, which sometimes involved gender modifications. So, for example, it was the case with the nouns of the ancient type of declension with the * -ent stem which denoted the cubs of animals and humans and referred to neuter nouns. In the contemporary Russian literary language they received the suffix -onok and joined masculine nouns. Thus, we can state the general linguistic reduction of neuter nouns and their contribution in expanding masculine nouns.

It is also important to understand that when studying the role of gender in substantive declension restructuring dialectal material is of great value, as in the literary language the relation to gender is fixed in various kinds of reference books and dictionaries, and in dialects, free in this respect, there are numerous gender variations of nouns and a tendency to destroy the neuter gender category. Moreover, the universal Slavic tendency to unite inflectional models continues to be realized within the same gender in dialects.

As A.D. Cherenkova notes, the tendency towards the transition of the third declension nouns into the first declension, and the tendency to lose the category of neuter gender proves «restructuring in the dialect of grammatical categories at the system level according to the gender following the principle «two genders – two declensions»» [5, p. 368].

Perhaps the extinction of neuter nouns corresponds to the general process of semantic depersonalization of neuter forms, i.e. neuter nouns only metaphorically or as a general characteristic can refer to living beings of male or female sex (compare suschestvo (creature), bozhestvo (deity), chudovische (monster), strashilische (monster)). The peculiar depersonalization of neutre forms is noted when other parts of speech are used in the noun function in the form coinciding with the neutre gender (compare morozhenoe (ice cream), buduschee (future), nastoyaschee (present)). Moreover, in the contemporary Russian literary language there are no special suffixes of neuter gender, which can denote an object in general without additional (functional-stylistic or emotionally expressive) meaning. The class of neuter nouns is supplemented solely through borrowings with endings -o, -e, which, from the etymological point of view, have only a formal similarity with the words of neuter gender (kafe (cafe), pure (mashed potatoes), buro (bureau), palto (coat), metro (metro)).

In dialect speech, the neuter gender category is often limited to a narrow range of lexical items with a specific meaning reflecting everyday realities, the reality surrounding people (for example, selo (village), kladbische (cemetery), proso (millet), zerno (grain), seno (hay), salo (lard), moloko (milk), dtlhj (bucket), myaso (meat). Words with abstract meaning (nakazaniye (punishment), obrazovaniye (education), rasporyazheniye (order), etc.) are used quite rarely.

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The unstable transitional position of neuter gender is also supported by the declension system, i.e. singular neuter nouns in indirect cases use the same endings as masculine nouns. Thus, our material confirms the validity of V.G. Rudelev`s idea, shared by A. A. Kretov, about the contrast of the feminine nouns and pronouns to masculine and neuter gender in the Slavic languages [6].

The researcher comes to interesting conclusions that the binary gender opposition of hisher, where «his-form» corresponds to words of both neuter and masculine gender» [6, p. 201] points out to the opposition of «inactivity (neuter and masculine) – activity (feminine gender)» [6, p. 201], which in general corresponds to the recognized feminine type of the Russian culture. Resorting to Diagram 1, it is easy to see that feminine nouns in all types of the Voronezh Region dialects (with the exception of Russian dialects) prevail over masculine and neuter nouns.

Thus, all our observations on the category of the gender give an idea of the dialectal picture of the world. Despite the fact that the main and indisputable source for its study is the lexical level of the language, it is unfair to ignore the grammar of the language and the features of its morphological system, as N.A. Besedina remarks in her paper "The Role of Morphology in the Creation of Language Picture of the World". The main difficulty in interpreting such data is to find out «which structures of knowledge stand behind morphological categories, as a result of which processes of perception and cognition of the world they are received and in what form they are reflected in our consciousness, what fragments of the world are distinguished and comprehended by the man and what linguistic tokens indicate it» [7, p. 127].

The limited number of neuter nouns, the tendency to lose the category of neuter gender, and gender fluctuations of nouns may indicate that neuter gender as a category for the dialectal picture of the world is losing its relevance, and the category of feminine gender continues to prevail, reinforcing the image of the feminine type of the Russian culture. In such a case there is a reverse movement from the threefold gender system to the binary system as more stable (due to the destruction of the neuter gender category). Such development of gender is not unique, a similar process is familiar, for example, to Romance languages, when in the popular Latin there was a gradual process of losing the neuter gender category due to nouns transition to masculine gender. As a consequence, no Roman language preserved neuter gender in the form once represented in the literary Latin.

D e c l e n s i o n o f N o u n s

Another important parameter for creating a statistical portrait of the Voronezh Region dialects is the distribution of nouns according to the types of declension. Quantitative calculations in accordance with the dialect typology are also reflected in diagrams, which make it evident that the lowest noun percentage of the third-type declension is represented in Talagai dialects of the Kursk-Orel type (4%), followed by dialects with the North Russian base (6%), Talagay dialects (7%), Tsukan dialects (9%), the greatest number of the third-type declension nouns can be traced in the Russian dialects (10%) (Diagram 3).

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Scientific Journal “Modern Linguistic and Methodical-and-Didactic Researches” Issue 3 (22), 2018 ISSN 2587-8093

Diagram 3. Distribution of Singular Nouns by Types of Declension in the Voronezh Region Dialects

It can be seen from the diagram that the number of third-type declension nouns in Russian and Tsukan dialects is more than two times greater than the number of corresponding nouns in the Talagay dialects of the Kursk-Orel type. It can be explained in the following way: Russian dialects, as more contemporary, are close to the literary language, Tsukan dialects, Middle Russian by origin, also preserve the consistent distribution of nouns according to the types of declension, and Talagay dialects of the Kursk-Orel type, as the older dialects of the Voronezh Region, more actively and consistently realize the tendency to unite the two paradigms of feminine nouns declension into one according to the first-type declension model (see below).

Considering the general picture of nouns distribution according to declension types, it is possible to see that the most productive declension types are represented by the first and the second declension (42% and 51% respectively). The least popular declension is the third type, with only 7% of nouns representing it (Diagram 4).

This relationship is historically conditioned. In the process of regrouping nouns according to the declension type, it was the first declension with * -ā, * -jā stem and the second declension with * -ŏ, * -jŏ stem that were major types, most represented and most productive ones. Their body was supplemented through other types of declension, which turned out to be less represented, less numerous, unproductive.

Thus, for example, the first declension was supplemented by some nouns of the ancient fourth declension with * -ū stem, which received the morpheme - va (tykva (pumpkin), bukva (letter) and the second declension added by all the nouns of the ancient third declension with *-

ŭ stem, all masculine nouns of the ancient fourth-type declension with * -ĭ stem, except for the noun put`(path), as well as masculine and neuter nouns of the ancient fifth declension with a stem having a consonant in the end, except for -mya nouns and ditya (the child).

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