УДК 821.511.152:393.05

EDN AXHRFK

 

Original article

 

Hyperbole as a means of expressive speech in funeral and memorial lamentations of the Mordovians

Yurchenkova N. G.

 

Abstract

Introduction. The article is devoted to the study of one of the most important and widespread uses of stylistic figures in funeral and memorial lamentations — hyperboles, which have specific imagery, expressiveness, the ability to give uniqueness and originality to the text and express the attitude towards the object of the statement.

Materials and methods. The study combines methods of structural-semantic, comparative-contrastive and problematic-aesthetic analysis for the productive study of hyperbole within the framework of the stated topic. The empirical data is based on folklore texts of funeral and memorial lamentations collected by the author during folklore expeditions of 1987 — 1989 in various regions of Mordovia, archival materials, as well as published Moksha and Erzya lamentations.

Research results and discussion. Among the traditional folk genres of folklore, funeral and memorial lamentations stand out as a feature of the poetic and linguistic style. In particular, in this genre of Mordovian and Komi folklore, hyperbolic statements are recorded that convey a wide range of emotions of the mourner, which reflect reality in a complex and indirect way. Analysis of the texts of funeral and memorial lamentations of these peoples made it possible to identify the means by which hyperbole is expressed in them, as well as for what purpose it is used and what exactly is expressed with its help. In the lamentations of the Komi and Mordovians, hyperbole, as a rule, is formed using an ordinary comparison or simile in the form of the instrumental case, but the most favorite in this genre is metaphorical hyperbole.

Conclusion. Hyperbole in a lament, on the one hand, is a manifestation of a certain emotional state of the mourner, and on the other, a means of arousing similar speech effects in listeners, charging them with the same attitude towards the subject of hyperbolization. In lamentations, the use of hyperbole does not lead to the creation of images similar to epic or epic, which is, in our opinion, a feature of lamentation as a genre. Even with the widespread use of this trope, listeners of the lament get the impression of the pure reality of what is happening, they do not get the impression of the miraculous, surreal.

Keywords: mourner, lamentation, hyperbole, folklore, Mordovians, Komi

For citation: Yurchenkova NG. Hyperbole as a means of expressive speech in funeral and memorial lamentations of the Mordovians. Bulletin of the Research Institute of the Humanities by the Government of the Republic of Mordovia. 2024;16(3):205—212. EDN AXHRFK

 

REFERENCES

 

1. Andrianova-Peretz VP. The word about the life and representation of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, Tsar of Russia. Proceedings of the Department of Ancient Russian Literature. Moscow; Leningrad;1947;5:73—36. (In Russ.)

2. Imyarekov MG. Mordovian ritual poetry: Lamentations. Abstract Dis. ... Cand. of Philol. Sci. Tartu;1974. (In Russ.)

3. Lazutin SG. On the folkloristic aspect in the study of the language of folk poetry. Russian literature. 1959;(3):69—78. (In Russ.)

4. Mikushev AK. Songwriting of the Komi people. Syktyvkar;1956. (In Russ.)

5. Samorodov KT. Mordovian ritual poetry. Saransk;1980. (In Russ.)

6. Yurchenkova NG. The lamentations of the Eastern Finno-Ugric peoples. (Comparative typological study). Abstract Dis. ... Cand. of Philol. Sci. Saransk;1990. (In Russ.)

7. Yurchenkova NG. The tradition of lamentation among the Eastern Finno-Ugric peoples. Bulletin of the Research Institute of the Humanities by the Government of the Republic of Mordovia. 2021;(3):114—122. URL: http://www.niign.ru/nauchnie-jurnaly/vestnik-niign-3,2021-na-sajt.pdf (In Russ.)

8. Yurchenkova NG. The symbolism of grief, longing and sadness in the funeral and memorial service of the Mordovian people. Bulletin of the Research Institute of the Humanities by the Government of the Republic of Mordovia. 2022;(3):181—187. URL: http://vestnikniign.ru/gallery/V-3-2022-st-20.pdf (In Russ)

 

The article was submitted 22.03.2024; approved after reviewing 26.04.2024; accepted for publication 30.04.2024.

 

Information about the author:

Nina G. Yurchenkova, Professor of Department of Humanitarian and Special Disciplines of the Middle Volga Institute (branch) of All-Russian State University of Justice (6 Fedoseenko Str., Saransk 430003, Russia); Leading Researcher of Department of Literature and Folklore of the Research Institute of the Humanities by the Government of the Republic of Mordovia (3 L. Tolstogo Str., Saransk 430005, Russia), Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6167-738X, nina-saransk@mail.ru

 

Conflict of interests: the author declares no conflict of interests.

 

The author has read and approved the final version of the manuscript.