Semantic Features of Game Vocabulary in Russian Dialects of Mordovia Republic

Introduction. The study deals with semantic analysis of game vocabulary in Russian dialects of the Republic of Mordovia. The thematic diversity of dialect vocabulary makes it possible to identify the features of traditional folk culture. The aim of the study is to conduct a semantic analysis of dialect units referring to the game vocabulary and to identify the peculiarities of their functioning.Materials and Methods. The material of the study is the “Dictionary of Russian Dialects on the territory of the Republic of Mordovia”. The lexical units are categorized into semantic groups based on the classifications presented in the linguistic literature (Ya. V. Myznikova, M. M. Ugryumova), taking into account criteria such as the age of participants, the nature of the action, and the way the game is organized.Results. In the course of the study, several semantic groups are identified, within which the dialectal game lexicon is categorized into subgroups. The group “active games” includes lexical units denoting the names of children's games, with the names of several games that have survived to the present day; the group “age games” includes the names of “youth games”. There are numerous dialectal units denoting old folk games, games with objects, and objects for games; dialectal units denoting the names of games that traditionally accompanied some holidays, usually religious ones, are also recorded. The authors consider the correlation between linguistic and extralinguistic factors in describing regional identity of Russian people living in the territory of the Republic of Mordovia.Discussion and Conclusion. The analysis proves that game activity is an integral part of human life. The conclusions drawn by the authors contribute to the preservation of ethnocultural heritage and contribute to the development of semantics and ethnolinguistics. Prospects for further research are related to the study of nationally specific linguistic units taking into account the relationship between language and culture. The materials of the article can be useful in teaching the Russian language when studying its dialectal and linguocultural peculiarities.