Features of the semantics of the number hundred in Tuvan linguoculture (against the background of a few Turkic and Mongolian languages); [Особенности семантики числа сто в тувинской лингвокультуре (на фоне ряда тюркских и монгольских языков)]

The work is dedicated to the analysis of Tuvan folklore texts and phraseological units containing the numerical component “chus” (hundred). The materials were collected through continuous sampling from relevant lexical sources and collections of folkloric texts. The aim of the study is to examine the semantics of the number “chus”, its symbolic significance as a component of the numeric code of Tuvan linguistic culture, in comparison with its use in other languages such as Altai, Khakass, Buryat, Mongolian, and Kalmyk. Descriptive-analytical and linguo-cultural methods were employed in this study. It has been revealed that the numerical code “chus”, which is part of the Tuvan culture, does not have the sacredness or special power of symbolism, and its frequency of use in folklore texts and phraseology across different categories is relatively low. However, the numerical component “chus” still plays a role, symbolizing multiplicity and sometimes a certain quantitative limit. A comparative analysis of the Turks of the Sayano-Altai region, who are neighboring the Tuvans and Mongolian people, has shown that the symbolism of the numerical component hundred does not belong to the realm of the sacred or magical. At the same time, this numeral has a meaning of universality, plurality, and in some cases, a limit in folklore and mythology. © 2024 Ch. K. Lamazhaa. All rights reserved.