Timber rafting lexis in Kostroma patois (on the material of ethnographic sources)

This article is dedicated to describing timber rafting lexis in Kostroma patois in different aspects (in semantic, etymological, linguogeographical ones). This group of lexis is of particular interest due to the fact that even in the early 20th century it formed a significant part of the vocabulary of Kostroma Province’s northeastern dwellers living in the largest centre of logging and timber rafting. The works of “Kostroma Scientific Society for studying the native heath” are used as the main source, where the lexis denoting the names of rafts, their types, the method of rafting, gear and devices on rafts, rafting methods, names of workers and other related concepts are presented. Such lexemes as кошма, огородка, полуплоток, гонка, сойма, denoting various rafting structures made of logs, differing in their appearance, size, device, rafting method, are considered in detail. It is noted that rafting lexis reflects the influence of Finno-Ugric substratum; it reveals many features of the North-Eastern Kostroma patois and unites them with the patois of the neighboring territories of the Russian North, where vast forest areas are also cut through by rafting rivers, and where the overwhelming part of the population, due to the cold climate, poor soils and lack of bread, had to make some money on the side by seasonal occupation – pulling river boats or barges and woodworking.