Notes from the history of the Russian vocabulary (a case study of the Russian Etymological Dictionary)

This paper demonstrates how the Russian Etymological Dictionary (RES) addresses a key challenge in etymological lexicography: the reconciliation of thorough and representative entries with the demands of brevity and efficient presentation. In pursuit of comprehensive representation, the scope of the dictionary could be expanded to encompass the correlation between Western and Eastern elements within Russian culture and their linguistic reflection. Acknowledging the importance of parsimony and inherent limitations, the author of the RES gives precedence to the principle of maximum representativeness, exemplified by the research on the Old Prussian language conducted by V. N. Toporov. It was recommended that lexical coverage be maximized, foregoing the limitation of vocabulary to literary sources. Following the recommendation, the RES employs both lexical and textual materials extensively. A consequence of this orientation toward completeness is the resultant expansion in the scope and duration of dictionary development. The paper analyzes the aforementioned and related problems in three sections. The focus is on the etymology and semantics of various terms found in Great Russian and Siberian dialects, as well as some literary works. These terms include the watercraft designations kaúk and kayúk, the semimythical bird inog, and the word kazák with its diverse meanings.

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