Linguistic means of conveying the comic in the Yakut heroic epic Olonkho
https://doi.org/10.25587/2782-4861-2026-3-105-115
Abstract
The article examines the linguistic aspect of the comic component of the poetics of the Yakut heroic epic Olonkho. The theme of the comic in Olonkho is partially touched upon in the works of epic scholars when studying the artistic and visual means of Olonkho, but the linguistic means of conveying the comic have not yet received special attention. The relevance of this topic is due to the fact that in studies on the epic heritage of the people of the world, there is little information about the comic, both in general terms and regarding the specific means of expressing the comic. The purpose of the work is to determine the linguistic means used by the storytellers that form the integrity of the structural-semantic content and the functional role of popular humor in the artistic fabric of Olonkho. The material for the study was obtained through a comprehensive analysis of Olonkho texts, selected based on the content of comic elements in Olonkho. The methodology is based on types of philological analysis of the folklore text, namely linguistic, which involves identifying the language means that create a comic effect; literary, which considers the features of folklore poetics; and stylistic, aimed at studying individual techniques of using language means. As a result of the work, the role of lexical, morphological, and syntactic forms in conveying the comic was identified; the means of creating situational-linguistic humor in the texts of Olonkho were shown, as well as their determination by both tradition and the creative approach of the storyteller; the linguistic and cultural aspects of understanding the comic effect in a folk work were determined. The novelty of the approach and its interest to researchers lie in the fact that in the poetics of Olonkho, with the exception of the obligatory satirical context in depicting negative characters, the comic is not a characteristic but an additional, dynamic element, which has specific linguistic means, the main function of which is to attract the interest of listeners to what is being depicted, and, consequently, is conditioned by the immediate reaction of the listeners. In the perspective of the work, a comparative study of the epic heritage of peoples is considered in order to deepen linguistic research on the problems of the language of a folklore work. The practical significance of the work lies in attracting new information to the study of the artistic and expressive means of Olonkho, the living tradition of storytelling.
About the Authors
Marina T. GogolevaRussian Federation
Evdokiya M. Polikarpova
Russian Federation
Evdokiya P. Nikiforova
Russian Federation
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Review
For citations:
Gogoleva M., Polikarpova E., Nikiforova E. Linguistic means of conveying the comic in the Yakut heroic epic Olonkho. Epic Studies. 2026;(3):105-115. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25587/2782-4861-2026-3-105-115
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