In Koryak, the suffix -Nvo, a grammaticalized form of the independent verb Nvo “start, begin”, not only indicates the inceptive aspect maintaining the original meaning of the verb, but also indicates the habitual or continuous aspect. The present paper will aim to explain how these two aspects are complementarily distributed in the verbal inflectional system and why -Nvo can indicate both inceptive and habitual aspects.

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Lassos have been generally used among reindeer herders who belong to various ethnic groups, from Scandinavia to East Siberia, to catch domestic reindeer. An ordinary lasso is made of a cord with a noose formed by means of a toggle on one end. In this article, function, making process and structure of reindeer lasso is examined from field observation, research in collection of Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples and literatures. From my field observation in Sakha Republic, in eastern Siberia, lassos are used in order to catch reindeer for draft, milking, veterinary treatment, slaughter and so on. To make lasso, tanned reindeer skin is cut in about 1 cm wide to make strap, and 4 straps are plaited together to make a cord. Then a toggle made from horn of Siberian bighorn is attached at one end of the cord. Inspection of 6 lassos possessed in Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples reveals that length of them is from 908 to 3623 cm long. Cords of them are made of seal skin, plaited reindeer skin and vegetable fibers, and toggles are made from reindeer antlers, horns of Siberian bighorn and metal. According to the literatures a lasso is usually composed of seal skin or plaited reindeer skin cord and a toggle made of reindeer antler or horn of Siberian bighorn. These findings indicate that the lasso is a unique tool to catch reindeer alive, and in general its cord is made of seal or reindeer skin, and a toggle is from reindeer antler or horn of Siberian bighorn. The bearded seal skin is thought to be the best material for lasso cord. For inland herders, it is difficult to get seal skin, however they can obtain it through trade with the coastal sea hunters. On the other hand reindeer skin is common material for herders. Because reindeer skin is thin and weak, herders seem to plait straps of it to make strong cord.

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Across circumpolar region many wild reindeer populations are declining coincidently, and global warming is considered one of primary causes of this phenomenon. Various environmental factors induce by global warming may affect reindeer population dynamics. In this paper major factors regulating reindeer population are reviewed, and their influences to reindeer herding are examined. Climatic change influences local reindeer populations directly through absolute/relative forage availability, and indirectly through acceleration of human activities. Absolute forage availability includes biomass and quality of reindeers’ diet. Climatic variables influence vegetation, its nutritive value and phenology, then they affect reindeer physical condition, productivity and calf survival. Relative forage availability is based on absolute forage availability and accessibility to them, and includes snow depth and hardness, insect harassment. In winter much snow and ice layer disturb reindeer from grazing. Meanwhile in summer reindeer run away for a long time to avoid insect harassment and cannot forage sufficiently. Both of them lead shortage of energy needs and excessive energy cost, and may influence reindeer physical condition. Due to global warming accessibility of the Arctic regions for human activities are increasing, and many of them may disturb reindeer forage and spoil their habitat. They includes “line corridors” (roads, railways, oil pipe lines and so on), development projects (forestry, mining and so on) and recreational activities. These limiting factors similarly affect local reindeer herding. However there are some unique characteristics peculiarly in reindeer herding. First, as coat color of domestic reindeer is highly variable, it may accelerate insect harassment. Second, as pastures of domestic reindeer are relatively limited, damage of habitat are severer than wild reindeer. Third, as population traits of domestic reindeer may differ from wild one, sensitivity to environmental change also may be different. Through these factors and their multiple effects, global warming may economically influence reindeer herding.

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In this paper the oral literature (folklore texts) of Tungusic languages will be analysed mainly on the basis of the author’s field materials. The following problems will be considered: § 2) the variety of stories (folktales, l egends, and myths, § 3) the characters in the stories, § 4) the rhetoric,§ 5) the similarities between Tungusic folktales and neighbors’(Ainu andJapanese).

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