Nicknames as one of the main ways of designating people in Erzya Mordovians (on the example of residents of the village of Staraya Shentala of the Shentalinsky district of the Samara region)

Introduction. For the rural population it is characteristic that many members are given not only codified nominations, but also all kinds of nicknames. Rural Erzya population is not an exception in this regard. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe the national and cultural identity of the semantics of the nicknames in the Erzya language. It considers the communicative aspect referring to the way their function in the village of Staraya Shentala, Shentalinsky district of the Samara region. Materials and Methods. The main research method is descriptive-analytical. The paper describes some typological features of modern Erzya nicknames, gives their classification based on motivational signs of appearance. The nicknames were collected using questionnaires and observation. Results and Discussion. The study revealed the reasons for the use of nicknames, among which is tribute to historical tradition, the need for a more accurate designation of a person in the case when the names and surnames of fellow villagers coincide, creative potential of a linguistic communicating personality. The Erzya nicknames help characterize the objects of speech from different sides. The main motivation behind engineering the nicknames is the names, surnames, appearance, character, features in persons’ behavior, speech, habits, favorite activities, distinctive skills, similarity with the characters of literature, movie characters, artists, origin, facts of biography, intellectual abilities, relation to other persons. In addition to individual nicknames, group (collective) nicknames are also used in the village of Staraya Shentala. Conclusion. Currently, a nickname as a type of nomination has lost its position in reference to the past. If modern nicknames appear, they no longer contain any national features. Such research is necessary as an opportunity to preserve such an layer of vocabulary which is interesting and important from historical, cultural and linguistic points of view.