Mansi Memes

Read in: Русский | Esperanto

Mansi Memes is a collection of memes in the Mansi language, structured as a multilingual dataset for educational research and linguistic experimentation. This project aims to support one of the endangered Indigenous languages of Siberia through modern digital formats.

Why?

Memes are a powerful tool for transmitting a living language. Through the meme format, I aim to foster interest in Mansi culture and language—which is currently at risk of extinction—by making its study relevant for the digital age.

How it works

I study scans of archival dictionaries and textbooks, digitize the vocabulary into a personal database, and use it to create memes in the Mansi language. Each meme is accompanied by translations in Russian, English, and Esperanto.

Why Esperanto?

Russian and English are essential for reaching local and international audiences. I use Esperanto as a neutral communication tool to connect with a global community of language enthusiasts and support the ideal of linguistic diversity.

Use Cases

This project can be useful for:

• Learning the Mansi language through memes.
• Analyzing idioms and contemporary expressions.
• Developing linguistic tools and NLP experiments.
• Research in the field of Digital Humanities.

Data Structure (JSON)

All memes are described in JSON format. This allows for automated data processing and integration into third-party applications.

Structure example:

{
      "id": "1",
      "phrase": "Ам тувыл хотьют?",
      "dialect": "sosva",
      "level": "basic",
      "tags": ["mem", "ironic", "absurd", "relatable", "friendship", "conflict"],
      "image": {
        "filename": "me-and-who.png"
      },
      "translation": {
        "sosva": "Ам тувыл хотьют?",
        "en": "Me and who?",
        "ru": "Я и кто?",
        "eo": "Mi kaj kiu?"
      }
}

Resources and Materials

I collect and utilize the following dictionaries and educational materials:

• Short Mansi–Russian Dictionary — Chernetsov, Chernetsova, 1936 (4,000 words)
• Mansi–Russian Dictionary — Balandin, Varkhushev, 1958
• Mansi–Russian and Russian–Mansi Dictionary — Rombandeyeva, Kuzakova, 1982 (4,000 words)
• Primer in the Mansi (Vogul) Language — Cherentsova, 1983
• Mansi–Russian Dictionary (Konda dialect) — Kuzakova, 2001
• Russian–Mansi Dictionary — Rombandeyeva, 2005 (11,000 words)
• Practical Course of the Mansi Language. Part 2 — Skribnik, 2007
• Mansi–Russian Dictionary (Upper Lozva dialect) — Bakhtiyarova, Dinislamov, 2016 (2,000 words)
• Short Mansi–Russian Dictionary (for grades 1–4) — Kumaev, 2019 (800 words)
• Illustrated Phraseological Dictionary of the Mansi Language — Dinislamova, 2020
• Dictionary of Mansi Toponyms — Slinkina, 2024

Do you have other books or rare materials? I would appreciate any help: beeressence@gmail.com!

Gallery

 

"Me and who?" / "Я и кто?" / "Mi kaj kiu?"

 

"Why" / "Почему" / "Kial"

How to support?

• Star ⭐ the repository — it helps the project gain visibility.
• Discuss: Propose ideas, suggestions, or corrections via Issues.
• Share: Send meme templates or help with translations.
• Learn: Simply use these materials to start your journey with the Mansi language!

License and Copyright

Images: This project uses popular internet templates. If you are the copyright holder of an image and would like it removed or attributed, please contact me.

Texts and Translations: All original content and translations belong to avysmorfias and are licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.