The paper presents a mytholinguistic model through which the internal form (etymological meaning) of the word is projected onto a hidden code. This code can be deciphered at two levels: mythological beliefs, on the one hand, and rational and experiential perceptions, on the other. This model applies to certain Bulgarian and Indo-European words signifying ‘snake’ which reflect the outlook of the respective ethnos. The internal form of these words is a point of intersection between the mythological and the linguistic code, which together make up the mytholinguistic structure.
Key words: mytholinguistics, mytholinguistic structure, mythology, snake, internal form, etymological meaning, semantics, etymology, reconstruction.
