Dialect words as a marker of ethnocultural identity in the language of Platon Oyunsky’s olonkho “Nurgun Botur the Swift” (based on the first three songs)

In the context of global processes, the language of works of art becomes a unique carrier of linguistic and cultural information, capable of strengthening the connection of a generation with historical memory and traditions. The relevance of studying dialect words in the olonkho language is determined by the need to preserve the cultural and historical heritage, recording archaic linguistic phenomena lost in the processes of globalization and digitalization. The aim of this study was a comprehensive analysis of the functions and specifics of the use of phonetic and lexical dialect words in the lyrics of the olonkho songs “Nurgun Botur the Swift” by Platon Oyunsky as markers of ethnocultural identity. The objectives of the work included: identifying and systematizing phonetic and lexical dialect words in the text under study; determining their dialectal attribution based on the existing classifications of Yakut dialects; analysis of the functions of dialect words in the artistic structure of the epic (creation of color, rhythmic and melodic organization, speech characteristics); Interpretation of dialect words from the Oyunsky’s olonkho as an element of linguistic and cultural identity in the formation of the Yakut literary language.

The study’s material is the texts of the first three songs of the Oyunsky’s olonkho “Nurgun Botur the Swift.” The methodology included a comprehensive linguistic analysis using descriptive and comparative methods, as well as elements of diachronic analysis to identify phonetic and lexical dialect words. Main results: a system of phonetic dialect words characteristic of the central (with akanje) dialect of the Yakut language was identified: the phenomenon of akanje (‘land, country’: dialectism dajdy vs. standard dojdu), the correspondence of bilabial consonants b~m (‘to burn’: dialect word ubaj vs. standard umai), the use of diphthongs instead of long vowels in verb stems (dialect word törüöbüt vs. standard törööbüt), as well as consonant alternations. Lexical dialect words were isolated, which indicates the author’s conscious focus on regional usage. It was established that dialect words play a multifunctional role in olonkho texts: they serve as a means of creating an authentic epic flavor, provide rhythmic and melodic organization for the verse, and act as a marker of linguistic and cultural identity during the formation of the Yakut literary language. The language of folklore serves as the foundation for the development of artistic language, ensuring the preservation of ethnic identity, enrichment of literary vocabulary, and the continuity of cultural codes. This dialectic of mutual influence confirms the thesis of the unity of verbal art, where folklore and the language of artistic works form an inseparable link between times and generations.

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