Connotative Meanings of ‘White’ in the Lower Mythology of the Slavs in the Light of the Etymology of Proto-Slavic *běl-

The description and nomination of mythological characters as white has already attracted the attention of researchers. This article focuses on the cademia of contextual, functional and connotative synonyms of the definition «white» in demonological beliefs and narratives. The material of Slavic demononymy has shown that «white» is the main colour denotation of mythological characters. In different contexts the definitions «shining», «sparkling», «glittery», «gleaming», «transparent», etc. are synonymous with white; these – as a result of various semantic processes – attract a number of other definitions, etymologically far from the designation of white colour, but functionally or symbolically replacing it, for example, «red» or «mottled». An attempt is made to show that the cultural and cademia meanings of mythological vocabulary reflect quite fully the reconstructed ancient etymological meanings of the root *běl-, including the meanings «fire», «ghost» and «fog». The topic of the designation of mythological characters as black was also partly touched upon, but only in the context of opposition with white. The situations of the opposition «white – black» in the nominations and descriptions of mythological characters is due mainly to the axiological perception of demons, where white and fair colours mark positive or neutral characters, and black marks negative ones.