Multidimensional analysis of the zoolexeme tülkü 'fox' in the karachay-balkar language

The article focuses on the vocabulary of the Karachay-Balkarian language.  It examines the zoo-lexeme tulkyu 'lisa' using multivector analysis, reveals its word-formation possibilities, and discusses its representation in phytonyms, toponyms, and anthroponyms.  The research observes that the examined zoonymic lexeme is differentiated by archaic components specific to the Karachay-Balkarian ethnoculture.  In its most generic form, the fox appears in the ethnos' worldview as an animal distinguished by traits like as cunning, cleverness, and ingenuity. It is viewed as a predator that harms poultry husbandry, and the skin of the black-brown type is regarded as a talisman that aids in the preservation and enhancement of human well-being.  In animal legends, the fox beats larger predators thanks to its cunning and resourcefulness, yet it loses to some bird species.  The corpus of Karachay-Balkarian paremias demonstrates a variety of cognitive qualities relevant to both foxes and humans, which are determined by people's mentalities.  The studied factual material allows us to discuss broadly about the universals linked with the image of a fox.  The tulkyu zoolexeme is an important part of the zoomorphic cultural code in the Karachay-Balkarian worldview.