| Besolova E.B. Boris Alexandrovich Kaloev about Languages and Linguists. |
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Boris Alexandrovich Kaloyev is known to the scientific world as a tireless explorer-ethnologist, whose capital researches have become a groundwork for modern Caucasian studies. He conducted pioneer research in the field of Caucasian science and was distinguished by the breadth of his scientific interests, inquisitiveness, benevolence, individuality and deep understanding of the importance of a comprehensive study of the peoples of the Caucasus. The field material gathered by Professor Kaloyev for more than half a century, the identified archival and museum data, which became the basis of fundamental monographs, essays and many articles, cannot but give credence in and respect for the great worker of ethnographic science. But truly unique is the information scattered in Kaloyev’s works about the Ossetian language and linguists, with whom the scientist cooperated. The warmth and balance of his reviews, subtle humor and keen observation in these memories and assessments attract readers; create atmosphere of friendly communication. Kind friendship and long-term close communication between Kaloyev and Abaev had common ground: both of them were not armchair scientists, most of their works are based on the field material obtained in the places of Caucasian peoples residence; both of them took care to preserve their native language and considered a gradual transition to their historical self-name "Alans" to be their primary goal. The diary given as an appendix to Boris Alexandrovich's book "Vasily Ivanovich Abaev and questions of ethnography in his works", published on the centenary of the birth of an outstanding scientist, is invaluable. The book of Boris Alexandrovich on Hungarian Alans occupies prominent place among other works on this subject. In this book the attention of the reader is attracted by the subsection «"The Yass Dictionary" as an ethnographic source for the Alan-Ossetes"», in which there were about 40 Yas words in Latin script. The XV-th century glossary, supplied by a thorough analysis of Acad. J. Nemeth, was published first in Hungarian, then in German; and then from the latter was translated by V.I. Abaev into Russian with extensive comments. Keywords: Ossetians, the sources of the Ossetian language, dictionaries, Russian scientists, folklore, nartology.
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