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Introduction. The article examines results of associative experiments with native speakers of Tuvan and Buryat to analyze the color term ‘white’. Goals. The paper attempts conceptual and semantic analyses of obtained associative fields in comparison to traditional cultural representations of Tuvans and Buryats. Materials and methods. The paper considers materials of associative experiments attended by native speakers of Tuvan and Buryat in different years. Results. The study reveals that associative meanings of the color terms ak and sagaan are largely constituted by semes common to nomadic culture and relating to milk, white ritual food, religious representations of white as a pure and sacred color. In the associative thesaurus of Tuvan and Buryat, white conveys predominantly light semantics and positive emotions, correlates with a wide range of objects and phenomena of the outer world. Like in lexicographic sources, no semantics associated with negative emotions have been traced. However, despite such concepts as ‘death’ and ‘passing away’ are not associated with white color, nor there are any linguistic mentions — this color is involved in corresponding customs and rites. The experimental materials also show meanings specific to both the Tuvan and Buryat linguocultures, which results from differing ethnocultural traditions and language structures. In Buryat, such discrepancies occur in reactions of religious contexts — Sagaalgan, Sagaan Ȕbgen. In Tuvan, those are toponyms, such as Ak-Turug, Ak-Khem, and the reaction kara that has broad functional meanings. The analysis also shows that many associative values coincide with main meanings of corresponding lexemes (reactions/superordinates unge(n) and on). Conclusions. The study confirms that cultural and historical similarity plays an important role, and many ethnocultural stereotypes of native speakers of related languages have more conformities than differences.

Introduction. The article deals with absurd and paradoxical proverbs resulting from the categorization of proverbial semantics according to the criterion of ‘relation to reality’ in the ontological or logical aspects. Goals. The study aims to identify quantitative and qualitative features of ontological and logical contradictions to reality traced in semantics of Tuvan proverbs. Materials and methods. The work analyzes a total of 770 Tuvan proverbs contained in Tuvan Proverbs and Sayings (1966), Proverbs and Sayings of the Tuvan People (2020), and other sources. The publication employs the author’s methodology for semantics categorization of aphoristic units and their differentiation into semantic types according to the criterion of ‘relation to reality’. Results. The article reveals that one in eight Tuvan proverbs literally (in the direct sense) contradict the existing order of things in the world. The ontological nature of a contradiction to reality in a proverb is implemented via the semantics of the absurd, which is motivated by a situational or verbal context, and it is impossible to interpret the literal content of the proverb — from the viewpoint of logical (rational) thinking — being unaware of that very context. The logical nature of the contradiction to reality in the proverb is implemented via the semantics of the paradox, which can be motivated epistemologically, semantically or formally, and logically. Only one structural part of a proverb can be contrary to reality, and this part always dominates in terms of general content. The Tuvan proverbs that contradict reality are distinguished by the presence of absurdity semantics in one of their structural parts, and that of paradox in the other one. Conclusions. An unexpectedly large number of absurd and paradoxical proverbs in the Tuvan proverb corpus attests to that it is reality’s perception and comprehension — based on the ontological and/or logical contradictions to objective reality — that take a significant place in the Tuvan view of the world.

Introduction. The article examines the functioning of Tuvan in the educational system from a historical perspective throughout the 20th–21st centuries. The work analyzes language development endeavors as part of Tuva’s educational policy, summarizes outcomes of sociological surveys for actual attitudes of Tuvan speakers to their native language as a value. Goals. The paper aims to show the importance of the educational system as a key sphere for language vitality. Materials and methods. The analyzed data were obtained from the research projects as follows: ‘Tuvan for Children’ — a regional educational project attended by a total of 52,186 individuals since 2019 (2019–2020 — 22,931; 2021–2022 — 29,255); and ‘Traditional Family Values in Spiritual and Moral Education of Children and Youth in the Tyva Republic’ — a scientific project to have involved 2,083 respondents in 2022, and aiming to determine whether the latter view their native (Tuvan) language as a value. Results. Outcomes of three monitoring surveys show a year-on-year increase in the number of pre-school children that learn Tuvan and a sufficient language proficiency level of theirs. The study attests to that native language is viewed as a value of the ethnos, and it is family that contributes most to its preservation. Conclusions. In a historical perspective, native language teaching has played a significant role in the educational system’s shaping as such. The actual state support for native languages of the Republic manifested in official languages development programs has significantly facilitated the emergence of additional opportunities for native (Tuvan) language teaching and learning in educational institutions.