Phytonymic vocabulary in the Yakut, Tuvan, Khakas, Altai languages: motivational aspect

The study is conducted within the framework of the cognitive onomasiological approach, which focuses on examining the perception and comprehension of the realities of the natural environment through the analysis of lexical means, particularly plant names. Plant names constitute a distinct segment of vocabulary, representing a rich material for research from various perspectives. For many centuries, plants have played a significant role in human life. Historically, they were used as components of food culture, folk medicine, and elements of ritualistic practices. Currently, as knowledge about the properties of different plants accumulates, humanity continues to utilize them across various spheres of activity. Thus, the analysis of motivated plant nominations in the context of the studied languages enables the acquisition of new scientific insights both at a fundamental and applied level, concerning lexical structure, word-formation systems and psycholinguistic categories. Naming is a complex phenomenon occupying a central position in onomasiology. An onomasiological approach to studying plant nominations allows for revealing the semantic content of linguistic units in relation to their extralinguistic referents. The selection of languages under investigation is motivated by their geographical proximity and similarity of flora within their distribution areas, as well as by historical contacts and genetic relationships within the Turkic language family. Identifying similarities and differences in the structural features of each language, along with determining characteristic traits and establishing general patterns, will help to clarify the degree of closeness between Yakut and other Turkic languages of Southern Siberia. 

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