Two days ago, we celebrated the Day of Cultural Workers of Bashkortostan. Keepers and creators of culture - workers of theatres, concert organizations, amateur art groups, museum and library workers, specialists of recreation centres, city and country clubs - celebrated their professional holiday. On the eve of the important date, the Akhmet-Zaki Validi National Library of Bashkortostan hosted presentation of the book of Lilia Khasanova, the professor of the Miftakhetdin Akmulla Bashkir State Teachers' Training University, doctor of University of Reims in France.
       Publication of the book of proverbs "The Fount of Folk Wisdom" was timed to the Year of Republic and to the 3d World Bashkir Kurultay. More than 50 Bashkir proverbs and their correspondences in seven languages - Russian, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Latin - make the basis of the book. The fact that the author turned to dead Latin language was no mere chance. A great number of popular Latin phrases are used in many disciplines, such as history, law, political science, diplomacy. According to Lilia Khasanova, when collecting material for the book she found out that many proverbs are adopted from Roman sayings and expressions.
       This collection representing correspondences of Bashkir proverbs in seven European languages has had no analogues before. Its author is not a philologist, but a microbiologist, who has been working abroad for almost 20 years and has good command of several foreign languages. The edition is opened with the introductory article of Lilia Khasanova in Russian, Bashkir, English, German and French. The book is richly illustrated with pictures of the Honoured Artist of Russia and Bashkortostan Kamil Gubaidullin. The famous graphic artist celebrated his 60th birthday last year and published a series of 60 pictures devoted to Bashkir proverbs on this occasion. 46 of them were included to "The Fount of Folk Wisdom".
       According to Lilia Khasanova the idea of the book first visited her when she worked over the magazine for children and adults, the first issue of which came out in February of 2010. A few Bashkir proverbs and their correspondences in foreign languages with illustrations of Kamil Gubaidullin were first published in this edition. Lilia Khasanova confesses that she was so much carried away with the work that decided to go on collecting and systematizing Bashkir proverbs and searching for their analogues in other languages. The author resorted to many sources and made use of scientific papers of both foreign and native linguists. The result of this activity became "The Fount of Folk Wisdom".
       "I came to the conclusion that all proverbs could be divided into four groups. The first group includes proverbs borrowed from ancient literary sources, particularly from Latin expressions. The second one is word for word analogues, I mean when the same notions are used in different languages to express the same thought. There are also partial correspondences and they make the third group. The last fourth group unites proverbs that are similar in their meaning, but different in their verbal expression. I also wanted to represent classical maxims through unique illustrations of Kamil Gubaidullin."
       Lilia Khasanova said that there was good reason for choosing a pocket format for the book. One can easily put it in the bag and it is comfortable to read it while travelling. Going on tour across European countries people may start to familiarize themselves with them turning to folk wisdom.
       "Today and like never before language is the main connecting link in the world where boundaries are relative and a man can easily move from one continent to another. And the process of language learning must be effective and quick. Proverbs are a unique key to such learning. Those who know them and especially in many languages became holders of the concentrated experience of people who lived many years ago," Lilia Khasanova sums up.
       The presentation of the book "The Fount of Folk Wisdom" gathered scholars, representatives of academic elite, artists.
       "This book is a visual evidence of the fact that philosophy of the Bashkirs is organic whole with the philosophy of the whole world. I leafed through the edition, looked at the pictures and read proverbs with great pleasure. I am sure that turning to this book even from time to time one will broaden his outlook and enrich vocabulary," Alfis Gayazov, the director of the Institute of Pedagogy under Miftakhetdin Akmulla Bashkir State Teachers' Training University, expressed his opinion of the collection of proverbs.
       American professors who also received several copies of the book as a present supported their Ufa colleague as well. They pointed out that owing to the book of Bashkir proverbs and their correspondences in European languages, more foreigners would be able to get acquainted with mentality and culture of the Bashkir people.
       According to the author's opinion, "The Fount of Folk Wisdom" must lay foundation of the large-scale Internet project named "Proverbs of the Earth". The publication of "The Vivid Book of Proverbs of the Caucasus and Urals" and "The Caucasus - Europe - the Urals" is planned within the framework of the action. Anyone may take part in the project and send any proverbs he wants.
       The presentation of the book was not the only event on the eve of the Day of Cultural Workers of Bashkortostan. The awarding ceremony of the best cultural workers of the republic took place in the Trade Unions' House. Artists, writers, teachers of children's art and musical schools, library workers were presented with Letters of Commendation of the RF Ministry of Culture and the Russian Trade Union of Cultural Workers. This year awards in this sphere were given in our republic for the fourth time. Fourteen people received them. More than 750 cultural workers of Bashkortostan are currently the holders of the above-mentioned awards.
       Photo by Andrey Starostin.