Toward a cognitive definition of the Estonian Thunder god Pikne

Giuliano Gajetti

Abstract


The aim of this article is to provide a cognitive definition of the supernatural entity associated with the phenomenon of thunderstorm (the Thunder god) in Estonian vernacular tradition and folk beliefs. The article will firstly investigate the lexicon connected with thunderstorm and its components, and secondly the etymological roots of the theonym. Subsequently, I will organize the linguistic data into facets such as homonyms and synonyms, co-hyponyms, hyperonyms, appearance, features unrelated to appearance, actions performed by the god, authority, addressee, address, and location. Finally, a cognitive definition will be proposed. The documentation will be shown in the original language alongside an English translation.

Keywords


cognitive definition; ethnolinguistics; Pikne; Uku; Estonian Thunder god

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ajkhenvald, Aleksandra, Eugene Helimski and Vladimir Petrukhin. 1989. On earliest Finno-Ugrian mythologic beliefs: Comparative and historical considerations for reconstruction. In Uralic Mythology and Folklore, ed. Mihály Hoppál and Juha Pentikäinen. 155–159. Helsinki: Finnish Literature Society.

Bartmiński, Jerzy. 2012. Aspects of cognitive ethnolinguistics. Sheffield and Oakville, CT: Equinox.

Bartmiński, Jerzy. 2013a. The cognitive definition as a text of culture. In The linguistic worldview: Ethnolinguistics, cognition, and culture, ed. Adam Głaz, David Danaher and Przemysław Lozowski. 161–175. London: Versita.

Bartmiński, Jerzy. 2013b. Rola etymologii w rekonstrukcji językowego obrazu świata. Lingvaria 2(16): 233–245.

Buck, Carl Darling. 1949. A dictionary of selected synonyms in the principal Indo-European languages. A contribution to the history of ideas. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Eisen, Matthias Johann. 1919. Eesti mütoloogia. Tartu: Eestimaa Kooliõpetajate Vastastiku Abiandmise Seltsi raamatukaupluse kirjastus.

Eisen, Matthias Johann. 1995. Eesti mütoloogia. Teine trükk. Tallinn: Mats.

Frog. 2017. Language and mythology: Semantic correlation and disambiguation of gods as iconic signs. In Shamanhood and mythology: Archaic techniques of ecstasy and current techniques of research: In honour of Mihály Hoppál, celebrating his 75th birthday, ed. Attila Mátéffy, György Szabados and Tamás Csernyei. 85–134. Budapest: Hungarian Society for Religious Studies.

Harvilahti, Lauri. 2019. Mythic logic and meta-discursive practises in the Scandinavian and Baltic regions. In Contacts and networks in the Baltic Sea region: Austmarr as a Northern Mare nostrum, ca. 500–1500 AD. Crossing boundaries: Turku medieval and Early Modern studies, ed. Maths Bertell, Frog, and Kendra Willson. 187–206. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048532674-013

Grimm, Jacob. 1882–1888. Teutonic mythology. Trans. from the 4th ed. by James Steven Stallybrass. London: George Bell and Sons).

Gutslaff, Johann. 1644. Kurtzer Bericht und Unterricht Von der Falsch-heilig genandten Bäche in Lieffland Wöhhanda. Dorpt.

Kallio, Petri. 2014. The diversification of Proto-Finnic. In Fibula, fabula, fact: The Viking Age in Finland, ed. Joonas Ahola, Frog, and Clive Tolley. 155–168. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. https://doi.org/10.21435/sf.18

Kallio, Petri. 2021. The position of Leivu. Journal of Estonian and Finno-Ugric Linguistics 12(2): 123–143. https://doi.org/jeful.2021.12.2.05

Kregždys, Rolandas. 2021. On the origin of mythonyms (Pol. dial. kautek, (g dial) (wschprus.) kautke). LingVaria 16 (2(32)): 283–298. https://doi.org/10.12797/LV.16.2021.32.22

Koski, Kaarina. 2012. Ghost, vermin and the ill-mannered: Polysemous words denoting opposition to social order. In Finno-Ugric folklore, myth and vultural dentity: Proceedings from the Fifth International Symposium on Finno-Ugric Languages in Groningen, University of Groningen, June 7–9, 2011. Ed. Adriaan van der Hoeven and Cornelius Hasselblatt. Studia Fenno-Ugrica Groningana 7. 153–164. Maastricht: Shaker.

Kulmar, Tarvo. 2006. On supreme sky god from the aspect of religious history and in prehistoric Estonian material. Folklore: Electronic Journal of Folklore, 15–30.

Laugaste, Eduard. 1963. Eesti rahvaluuleteaduse ajalugu, I. Valitud tekste ja pilte. Tallinn: Eesti Riiklik Kirjastus.

Loorits, Oskar. 1930. Das Märchen vom gestohlenen Donnerinstrument bei den Esten. In Sitzungsberichte der gelehrten estnischen Gesellschaft zu Dorpat. 47–121. Tartu: Õpetatud Eesti Selts.

Loorits, Oskar. 1936. Uku. Virittäjä (40): 256–267.

Loorits, Oskar. 1951. Grundzüge des estnischen Volksglaubens. 2. Heft. 1. Lund: Lundequistska Bokhandeln.

Niebrzegowska-Bartmińska, Stanisława. 2020. Definiowanie i profilowanie pojęć w (etno)lingwistyce. Lublin: Wydawnictwo UMCS,

Paulson, Ivar. 1971. The old Estonian folk religion. Trans. by Juta Kovamees Kitching and H. Kovamees. Bloomington: Indiana University.

Popowska-Taborska, Hanna. 2012. Rola etymologii w kształtowaniu językowego obrazu świata. Etnolingwistyka 24: 155–171.

Salo, Unto. 1990. Agricola’s Ukko in the light of archaeology: a chronological and interpretative study of ancient Finnish religion. Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis 13: 92–190. https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67175

Salo, Unto. 2006. Ukko: The God of thunder of the ancient Finns and his Indo-European family. Washington: Journal of Indo-European studies. Monograph series 51.

Sayers, William 1990. Weather gods syncretism and the Eastern Baltic. Temenos: Studies in Comparative Religions 26: 104–114.

Valk, Heiki. 1995. The 13–17th century village cemeteries of South Estonia in folk tradition and beliefs. In Folk Belief Today. 501-509. Eesti Keele Instituut, Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum.

Valk, Heiki. 2015. Püha Võhandu rahvausus ja pärimuses. Õpetatud Eesti Seltsi aastaraamat / Annales Litterarum Societatis Esthonicae 9-51. https://doi.org/10.12697/AA.2015.1-2.01

Valk, Ülo. 1994. Thunder chasing the devil – An Estonian folk belief in the Indo-European context. In Professor August Robert Niemi and comparative folklore investigations of the Balts and Baltic Finns, International Conference; Vilnius; 1-2 December. 16-21.

Valk, Ülo. 2012. Thunder and lightning in Estonian folklore in the light of vernacular theories. In Mythic discourses: Studies in Uralic traditions, ed. Frog, Anna-Leena Siikala, Eila Stepanova. 40-67. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura 20. https://doi.org/10.21435/sff.20

Voigt, Vilmos. 1998. Comparing Baltic and Balto-Finnic lists of gods. In Senosios raštijos ir tautosakos sąveika: kulturine Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystes patirtis [The interaction of old literature and folklore: The cultural experience of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania], ed. Rita Repšiene. 13–27. Vilnius: Lietuviu literatros ir tantosakos institutas.

West, Martin Litchfield. 2007. Indo-European poetry and myth. Oxford: Oxford University Press.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/et.2022.34.223
Date of publication: 2022-09-30 20:08:37
Date of submission: 2022-01-30 18:22:03


Statistics


Total abstract view - 755
Downloads (from 2020-06-17) - PDF - 451

Indicators



Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2022 Giuliano Gajetti

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.