Abstract

The objective of the article is to reveal and describe the value systems of the Komis, Maris, Mordvins and Udmurts as reconstructed from the folklore genres of proverbs and sayings of the ethnic groups under discussion. The authors apply a complex technique to 13820 proverbs taken from specialized dictionaries published in the four corresponding republics. The strategy involves the use of semantic analysis as well as quantitative evaluation carried out with the help of a linear correlation coefficient. The algorithm of the investigation consists of several steps. The most important stage includes the process of discerning values, called “factors”, from proverbs and sayings with the help of componential and contextual types of analysis. Statistical methods revealed the most important eight values common to the four eastern Finno-Ugrian ethnic groups which are arranged in a descending order of their number and frequency of occurrence. The findings of an investigation into traditional axiology are also presented with the help of graphical metalanguage—as the tabulated data and in the form of diagrams.

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