A retrospective analysis of words with a question mark in wordlists of Tsarist Russia colporteurs’ secret language by Vladimir Dahl: phonetically and non-phonetically caused errors in word recordings
Analysis of words with «?» included in wordlists of Russian colporteurs’ secret language compiled by Vladimir Dahl is important in several aspects: one of them is the role of phonetical and non-phonetical causes provoking errors in words recordings. The question mark is ambiguous symbol, though indicating certain hesitation of the lexicographer. Colporteurs’-Russian part listed 3850 units (according to the author’s calculations), including 133 words with «?». Russian-Colporteurs’ part has about 5000 units, including 130- 140 words with «?». In addition, there are signs of the publishers doubts. In the 1st dictionary, «?» marks 34 words recording and 5 word meanings. In the 2nd dictionary, 48 words corrected by the publisher with «?», and 3 without «?». Sometimes, errors in words recordings are provoked by phonetical causes, though most of them are caused by confusing of letters in written sources: 1. Omissions of letters and other similar mistakes. 2. Misreadings. 2.1. Misreadings of letters. 2.2. Misreadings of letters groups with reintegration of their elements. 2.3. Metathesis. One can concludes that «?» of the 1st layer, i. e. posed by Vladimir Dahl and his assistants, in some cases, can be removed now, because more successful verification runs can be based on new data gathered for the last one and a half century.