The encyclopedic dictionary defines "A lullaby song is a song performed by a mother or a nurse when rocking a child; a special lyrical genre popular in folk poetry." In English, "lullaby" sounds like "lullaby" The English word "lullaby" consists of a combination of two lexemes: "lulla" (from the Middle English "lollai", "lullay", which means "to soothe, soften"), and "bye" is a farewell and is interpreted similarly to the Russian "a soothing song to send a child to sleep".Thus, it can be concluded that the very concept of "lullaby song" in these languages has a similar meaning.
There are several opinions regarding the genre to which lullabies belong. For example, linguists G.S.Vinogradov and O.I. Kapitsa do not attribute lullabies to children's folklore. In their opinion, the fact that they are written and performed for children, not linguists G.S. Vinogradov and O.I. Kapitsa do not attribute them to children. Scientists M.N.Melnikova, A.N. Martynova, M.Y.Novitskaya consider lullabies to be children's folklore and part of folk culture. Most researchers define the genre of a lullaby based on its functional feature. However, according to linguist V.V. Golovina, a lullaby is not just a song performed by a mother for a child, it is part of a system of traditional ideas about the worldview. A lullaby song interacts closely with reality, so in lullabies you can find a reflection of historical events, descriptions of everyday life, traditions. It can be considered that by its nature and the form of its functioning, a lullaby becomes a "translator" of the traditional worldview.
The form of lullabies was formed gradually, as a result of centuries-old selection. Now it is a small work of two quatrains or short stanzas. The lyrics were improvised and passed from mouth to mouth. They talk about the surrounding world of the child, about the sorrows and anxieties of the mother. The German scientist Herder defines: "Lullabies are the most famous tunes of the nation, in which the ethical characteristics of people are reflected in their fantasies and sufferings". Thus, a lullaby is a collective creative activity, a genre of folk art reflecting and transmitting the life, views and way of life of the people from generation to generation.