Bulgaaria sünnipärimused aastatuhandevahetusel
Bulgarian Birth-Lore at the Turn of Millennium

Summary/Abstract: Author analyses a fragment of family rites from the corpus of a Slavic tradition, namely, the Bulgarian. There has been a revival of the popular tradition, in spite of the fact that many beliefs and practices have disappeared and have become a part of everyday life. Such practices can be performed many times a day. Interviews have revealed that people often regret having forgotten the practices they have been asked about. Another important thing is that significant aspects of folk beliefs are still known in the cities and in the capital, and not only in rural regions. There are also local differences in ritual practices. In eastern parts of Bulgaria, for example, cutting anything on St. Simeon's day is still strictly prohibited because the cutter's baby may be born with a cut hand or leg. At the same time in western parts of the country, St. Simeon's day is not perceived as a particularly inauspicious one. Another important factor is the stability of the stock-phrases and clichés in the language. Many old beliefs and practices concerning birth-lore have been preserved in language. This is typical of the modern Bulgarian society in general, but of folk speech in particular. Many phrases are a very important part of the communicative code.

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