| Abstract [eng] |
This research paper examines border marking symbols in Lithuanian folklore and phraseology. The research strategy is based on the semiotics theory developed by Yuri M. Lotman, which states, that human thinking tends to segment the space into the own and the alien, into safe and dangerous and to construct the own world view according to this segmentation. Btween these two spaces there lies a border. The carried out study has shown that there are specific symbols in Lithuanian fairy tales that mark the border between the world of human ings and the world of non-human creatures. The border symbols can be divided into two lager groups: (1) landscape objects such as water, mountain, stone, forest, tree, tree stub, field and (2) buildings including their parts: bathhouse, barn, door, sill, window, chimney, fence, well and bridge. There are border places in the fairy tales, where human beings can meet God, Devil and other deities, make their fortune, lose everything or find the way into another (magic) world. The same symbols are components of phraseological units, but the language opens other dimensions of this meaning: the border between life and death, ruination and passing, but also rich possibilities to gain wealth and treasure. Some of these symbols contained he phraseological units mean simply the physical or temporal border or even marriage asa change in the social and family status. |
