Conceptualisation of happiness in the Kalmyks' worldview

The article deals with the concept of Kalmyk linguistic culture кишг ‘kishg’ (happiness). Study materials include data from lexicographic sources that verbalize the concept of кишг. We have used interpretative and linguocultural research methods. The analysis has shown that Kalmyks associate happiness with children (кYYкд, урн), health (эрул-менд), knowledge (сурhуль), team (олн), cattle ownership (унЫ, дааhн, кеелтэ маштг). Happiness depends on social status (age, gender) and personal qualities (hard-working nature, diligence, assiduity, decency, steadfastness, restraint, ability to overcome life's obstacles). In the Kalmyks' worldview happiness is endowed with the ability to move (ирх, орх, ho^x); it is understood as something that can be found (олх), wasted (алдх), experienced (эдлх), enjoyed (щирhx), dreamed about (дурдх), and gifted (заях). In our opinion, perceptual signs of кишг are size (баЩ, duration (ахр), taste (амт), "strength" (бат). The ethnocultural specificity of the conceptualisation of happiness can be traced in the metaphor of dwelling (mer erkar оrdg, YYdar hаrdg ‘happiness comes through the yurt's chimney and leaves through the door’), as well as in the complex of measures to preserve happiness. Kuшг in the material culture of the Kalmyks has a form of elza ‘knot of happiness’, anthroponyms (the names Заян, Заяна, Заята, Хев, Хевтз, Кишгтз, Кишг, влззтз, ЩирМ), йерзл ‘good wishes’ (Bat kishgta bol! влззtз bol! ‘Be happy!’), which shows the important place of the concept кишг in the world picture of the Kalmyk people.