Tuvan English

noun phrase white sky (the origin of the strongest shamans)

proper name supreme god

proper name name of a supreme god (lireally sky)

noun phrase Milky way (literally road of sky)

noun phrase Milky way (literally top of sky)

noun phrase Orion

noun phrase Mars (literally fire star)

noun phrase Mount Suree - border between the worlds of life and dead

noun phrase nine skys (in shamanism meaning nine worlds of the upper universe)

proper name Yenisey River (literally big river)

noun phrase envy, slander (lterally white mouth-tongue)

noun phrase white soul (which comes to living relatives in the image of a dead person)

verb get shaman’s illness (meaning become a shaman) (literally get possessed by devils)

noun phrase under world / hell

noun ritual of cleansing

noun phrase master of the spring water

noun phrase spirits of mountain passes

noun shaman ritual of cleansing

noun pl half-gods living in the higher world of sansara

noun travelling lamas walking around camps and reading prayers

noun wandering lamas tradesmen

noun phrase middle world / universe (literally this universe / world)

noun phrase lama-shaman

verb phrase get shaman’s illness (meaning become a shaman) (literally pass out)

noun smal drum (used by lamas)

noun phrase life soul

verb phrase send curses

noun honorable place of the master of the home

proper name shamans and lamas who can see the spirits

noun phrase fights (quarells), scolding, scandals (literally black mouth-tongue)

noun phrase black soul (which guards the grave of a dead person)

noun phrase black (dark) forces

noun phrase black asronomy

noun phrase under world / hell (literally dark world / universe)

noun mind, consciousness

noun phrase red breath (the last sigh)

noun phrase red caragana (Siberian peashrub)

noun phrase lama-astrologer

noun Tuvan flute

noun paper strips with mantras

verb phrase ritual of fixing the birthmark of a person

noun phrase silver breath (good physical shape)

noun phrase eternal universe (referring to upper and under worlds)

verb phrase ritual of burning memorial food in the sacred fire during the funerals

noun festivities for youth after harvesting (holiday)

noun grave (literally hole)

noun universe

verb phrase ritual of burning a sacral fire

noun local spirit-master

noun phrase middle world / universe (literally yellow universe / world)

verb phrase ritual of making sacred bonfire or incense burner in front of a grave (literally put the bonfire)

noun ritual of reading prayers and offering ’prayed’ vodka to the local spirit-master

noun phrase another world (literally Northen edge)

noun burials of outstanding lamas

noun spirit, life force

noun / noun phrase soul

noun phrase ways of soul to extract the curse out of a body practiced by shamans

noun phrase people who are engaged in transportation and burial (literally those who bury bones)

verb phrase shaman ritual aiming the spirits of taiga

noun hell

noun pl chiefs (referring to Soviet party top bosses)

noun mantra

noun / noun phrase breath of life / soul

noun phrase great shaman (literally big shaman)

noun phrase soul of a child (from newborn until 13 years of age)

noun pl children born from parents of different nationalities or ethnicities (somewhat pejorative)

noun phrase she-shaman (literally shaman-woman)

noun phrase shaman tree

noun phrase shaman fight (literally shaman eating of each other)

noun phrase shaman’s fellow travellers (referring collectively to all mythical-spiritual beings with whom a shaman may interact)

Source: Simchit 2010,

noun smoke hole

verb phrase final stage of shaman ritual (literally closing of chimney (the hole on the top of the yurt))

noun phrase devil’s bird - messenger of death

noun phrase boiled (cooked) sheep leg

noun phrase white caragana (Siberian peashrub)

noun small stones for fortune-telling (used by shamans)

noun ritual of cleansing face and hands after the funerals

noun summer tent (in modern Tuvan - barn)

noun summer camp

noun curse

noun chosen person who can manage the special stone

noun phrase cave (literally mouth of the earth)

noun phrase ending of life (literally earth instantly disappears)

noun phrase ritual of ’renting the land" (for burials)

noun phrase master of the land

noun phrase the direction of thу evil spirits / devils (unfavorable geographical direction when calculating the element of the birth)

noun phrase agalmatolite (stone used in Tuvan stone carving)

noun hell

noun basics of buddhist astrology

noun doll figure symbolizing sign of illness

noun wooden models of sables painted with soot

noun phrase afterlife world for good people (Shambala)

noun buddhist fortune telling on bones

verb phrase suicide or death through the fault of doctors - euphemism (literally he/she couldn’t stand it any more)

noun phrase mourning, grave sign

noun phrase upper sky

noun phrase wooden spoon or trowel used to "feed" (coax) the spirits of dead people (literally three eyes)

noun destination and deeds

noun fate

noun phrase dead soul