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Maximilian A. Zakharov et al// Metaphors and linguistic image in the analysis of phraseological … 572-584

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.34.31

Metaphors and linguistic image in the analysis of phraseological

units of the archaic Olonkho narrative

Maximilian A. Zakharov *

Svetlana M. Prokopieva **

Agafja E. Zakharova ***

ABSTRACT

The article analyzes metaphors in the linguistic image of the world using the description of

the sky (айыы) and underground (абаасы), mythical creatures represented in

phraseological units with numbers in T.V. Zakharov-Chääbij's Epic (2018) "Bulkun Wing

the Hero". Compositional analysis, context analysis and the method of phraseological

identification were used. The general method of investigation is induction-deduction, with

theoretical conclusions drawn from the analysis of the material. The study of the linguistic

image of the world in the Yakut epic Olonkho provides insight into the hidden creative

process of an Olonkho narrator that recreates the structured and almost canonized oral

tradition embedded in his repertoire. Phraseological units (PU) with a numerical component

reflect a specific worldview through two opposing forces. PU animates the epic image of the

world, representing a unique and rich language, and preserving the distant world of ancestors

for us and future generations

KEY WORDS: epic poetry; linguistic picture of the world; archaic genre; phraseological unit;

hyperbolization; folk metrology.

*

Master’s Degree student Institute of Languages and Culture of Peoples of the RF North-

East M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University Russia. ORCID:

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2478-2054 . E-mail: maksimilian.zakharov@gmail.com

**Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, North-Eastern Federal University, Russia.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-7528-8243 . E-mail: dsmplana@mail.ru

*

**Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate professor, Research and International

Communication Director, Olonkho Center, Russia. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-

987-0568 . E-mail: solnse18@mail.ru

8

Recibido: 28/05/2021

Aceptado: 07/07/2021

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.34.31

Metáforas e imagen lingüística en el análisis de unidades

fraseológicas de la narrativa arcaica de Olonkho

RESUMEN

El artículo analiza metáforas en la imagen lingüística del mundo utilizando la descripción del

cielo (айыы) y subterránea (абаасы), criaturas míticas representadas en unidades

fraseológicas con números en la Epopeya de T.V. Zakharov-Chääbij (2018) "Ala Bulkun el

Héroe". Se utilizó el análisis componencial, el análisis de contexto y el método de

identificación fraseológica. El método general de investigación es la inducción-deducción,

con conclusiones teóricas que se extraen del análisis del material. El estudio de la imagen

lingüística del mundo en la epopeya yakuto Olonkho proporciona una visión del proceso

creativo oculto de un narrador Olonkho que recrea la tradición oral estructurada y casi

canonizada incrustada en su repertorio. Las unidades fraseológicas (UF) con un componente

numérico reflejan una cosmovisión específica a través de dos fuerzas opuestas. UF anima la

imagen épica del mundo, representando un lenguaje único y rico, y preservando el lejano

mundo de los antepasados para nosotros y las generaciones futuras.

PALABRAS CLAVE: poesía épica; imagen lingüística del mundo; género arcaico; unidad

fraseológica; hiperbolización; metrología popular.

Introduction

In modern Russian linguistics the concept of the linguistic picture of the world

(

further, LPW) has become the subject of regional studies. “LPW is one of the most

underlying layers in the wider sense of word” (Popova, Sternin 2007). It becomes even more

profound and fundamental with respect to epic tradition. The epic picture of the world is

based on the conceptual and national pictures that represent its basic, essential part. “If the

world is man and environment in their interaction, the picture of the world is “the result of

processing of information about environment and man” (Zakharov-Chääbij, 2018).

“

The general picture of the world is “appropriated” and perceived by man through

the linguistic picture of the world: “the whole language structure may be

correlated to the world structure …, the picture of the world as the totality of man’s

knowledge of the world is replaced by the picture of the world existing in

language, i.e. “the linguistic picture of the world” (Kolshansky, 1990).

These theoretical premises emphasize that the national picture of the world is closely

related to mentality of an ethnicity that reflects its conceptual views as the conceptual

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(

cultural) and linguistic picture of the world. An important role in the formation of the

picture of the world is played by phraseology, which is a form of ethnic linguistic heritage.

Z.B. Khozhieva believes that “ethnic-cultural specific may develop in three different levels of

the plane of content in PU: 1) in a total phraseological meaning; 2) in meanings of separate

PU components; 3) in the direct meaning of phraseme prototypes (Khozhieva, 2014).

The language of Olonkho has been extensively studied; however, this problem has not

received adequate attention. Phraseological units of a specific Olonkho narrative have not

been the subject of investigation yet.

Modern epic studies include investigation of rhythmic syntactic parallelisms in the

Yakut Olonkho and Altai epic Prokopieva S.M., Borisov Yu.P. (2018), symbols in epic texts

Pervin Ergun (2018), the mythological image Pavlova O.K. (2018), pagan names Danka, Bálasz

(

2018), the role of researchers in studying Olonkho Illarionov V.V., Illarionova T.V.,

Dmitrieva O.N. (2019), perception of Turkic epics in the West Boeschotten H. (2018), the

role of Olonkho in the changing world Harris, Robin (2017), etc.

The purpose of the study is to reveal metaphoric content of the linguistic picture of

the word through analysis of figurative PU from the archaic Olonkho narrative “Ala Bulkun

the Hero” by T.V. Zakharov-Chääbij (2018). For this purpose, PU with a numeral component

describing appearance of heaven (айыы) and underground (абаасы) mythical creatures.

1

. Methods

Phraseological units were selected from the Olonkho text for further semasiological

and onomasiological analysis. The general research method being induction-deduction,

theoretical conclusions are based on the analysis of the material. We used the componential

analysis, the context analysis, and the method of phraseological identification.

2

. Results and Discussion

Metaphor is a figure of speech based on figurative meaning of a word arisen from

external or internal similarity. “Metaphor is a trope, a hidden figurative comparison,

assimilation of one phenomenon to another as well as a figurative comparison in general in

various arts. In linguistics, it is a figurative use of a word (Moskvin, 2018).

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At present, some aspects of the epic and linguistic picture of the world as well as

symbolic and semantic set of the phraseological units used in Olonkho poetics are studied by

Yakut researchers (Nelunov, 1980).

At the phraseological level all analyzed PU with a numeral component of the modern

Yakut language have figurative meaning. Linguistic units of indirect nomination are formed

as a result of semantic transformation of the original prototypic free word combination. The

relevant PU characteristics are semantic reinterpretation of components, separate formation,

fixed structure, and reproducibility. Phraseological units of the Yakut language are referred

to here as “stable word complexes of various structural types with unique component

cohesion, meaning of which results from full or partial reinterpretation of components

(

Stepanova and Černyševa, 2003).

The interest in figurative language naturally reflects advances in research of

vocabulary. The phenomenon of linguistic figurativeness still needs to be looked at from the

cognitive perspective as it is related to world view and world perception originating from

ethnic-based knowledge of the world surrounding language speakers. Universal, global

knowledge as a result of collective consciousness is recorded in language and is explicated in

its lexical and phraseological composition.

All categories of stable word complexes are represented according to structural-

semantic classification in PE with the numeral component of the modern Yakut language:

1

. Phraseological units are word combinations with non-motivated or motivated

semantics, e.g.: биир муостанан хаамтар (lit. make walk on one floor board) – not

let someone act or do as one wishes;

сэттэ сирэй (lit. seven faces) – toady, flatterer;

икки илиитинэн түстэ (lit. fall with both/two arms) – fall on something, snatch.

2. Phraseological units are stable word complexes with structure of a sentence, e.g.: үс

өргөстөөх, аҕыскырыылаах(lit. with three points, with eight edges) – a strong and

brave young man;

иккитэ эрбэҕин эргитиэ, үстэ сөмүйэтин төгүрүтүө (lit. will turn someone

twice around the thumb, thrice around the forefinger) – cheat, rogue.

3. Phraseological units with just one component having figurative meaning, e.g.: үс

дойдуттан (lit. from three countries) – from all over the world.

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Phraseology reflects the ethnic originality of a language. PU are units of indirect

nomination, with their relative feature being dominance of the connotative component in

semantic structure of PU (Prokopieva, 2001). Although the process of phraseologization is a

universal linguistic phenomenon, it has explicative specific features. The reason is that PU,

being structurally separately formed and semantically reinterpreted formations, are units of

secondary nomination in contrast to the linguistic units of direct nomination such as

phoneme, morpheme, and word. As stable word complexes, PU have bot a nominative and

axiological function as well as the function of keeping, recording, and passing on the body of

knowledge of a language community about the world.

“

The use of numerals in Olonkho is very specific. One of the interesting instances is

description of characters’ appearance with prevailing “hyperbolization and grotesque

exaggeration” (Putilov, 1979) and the use of numerical characterization along with folk

metrology terms. On this basis, phrases describing characters’ epic size are presented as a

separate subject group. Yakut anthropometric measures былас, харыс, тутум, илии;

yakutized [made Yakut in form] Russian measures саһаан, арсыын, etc. in alliteration-

assonance relationship with numerals describe characters of epic giants” (Illarionov et al.,

2019).

Linear measures are differentiated in colloquial speech, literary language, and epic.

The first researcher who emphasized that was the Olonkho poet P.A. Oyunsky (2013). He

revealed linear measures in epic былас, тутум etc., explaining their folklore use. “Length

is measured in былас which is the distance between tips of arms stretched sidewards.

Thickness is measured by girth also called былас. Былас is equal to two былас аҥаара, a

measure from the middle of the chest to finger tips. Былас аҥаара is divided into cubits

тоҥолох устата, which is divided into palms тутум, which consists of fingers илии or

тарбах(Popova, 1980). Oyunsky pointed out that each linear measure contains subordinate

ones which testifies to people’s inquisitiveness, powers of observation, and knowledge of

human anatomy. N.S. Popova emphasizes that despite “relative nature of folk linear

measures, they had been used throughout history” which is shown in each language. The

most common measure in Yakut epic былас is equal to about 1.5 m (Popova, 1980).

V.V. Vinokurov summarizes the most common folk measures in Olonkho, providing

their detailed explanation, such as: тыһы кыл ‘thin hair’, илии ‘arm’, тарбах ‘finger’,

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тутум ‘fist’, сүөм ‘little span’, харыс ‘great span’, уллуҥах ‘foot’, суор холото ‘crow’s leg’,

кирис ‘bow string’, хардыы ‘step’, түөс аҥара ‘half of chest’, уунар былас ‘fathom’, былас

‘

distance between tips of arms stretched sidewards’, тутум ‘for finger (in a fist) high’

Vinokurov, 2017).

The analyzed passage describing appearance of the hero Ala Bulkun contains PU with

(

numerals 4, 10, 3, and 5 (Izbekova, 2014).

Olonkho narrators have a unique “panoramic” view and perception of space and time.

To show the scale and integrity of the world and universe they appeal to various

combinations of numerals. Numerals have different functions in Olonkho poetics:

compositional, stylistic, and descriptive. As a result, numerals in an epic text lose their

original function, turning into a symbol specific for each ethnicity.

In Olonkho, the numerals from 1 to 10 prevail (Illarionov et al., 2019). The most

common of them are үс ‘three’, сэттэ ‘seven’, аҕыс ‘eight’, and тоҕус ‘nine’. These numerals

are considered sacred in Yakut traditional culture and epic. For example, the numeral three

үс is used as the beginning of time reference in the introducing Olonkho formula: Үс саха

үөскүү илигинэ, түөрт саха төрүү илигинэ ‘Before three Sakha were conceived, before

four Sakha were born’, i.e. before the Yakut originated. There are three worlds the vertical

epic model of Universe: the Upper World, the Middle World, and the Underworld. A person

has three souls (салгын-кут ‘air soul’, ийэ-кут ‘mother soul’, буор-кут ‘earth soul’) that

each have their own destiny after death. Various acts of rituals and traditional etiquette

manners are performed three times, e.g. make three rounds, make three bows, sprinkle kumis

three times, speak sacred key words three times, etc.

The numeral eight аҕыс is often used as an epithet in description of major objects in

the epic world: Аҕыс иилээх-саҕалаах Аан Ийэ дойду ‘Eight border-rim Mother Earth’,

Аҕысхаттыгастаах өндөл маҥан халлаан ‘Eight layer high bright sky’, Аҕыс салаалаах

Аал Луук Мас ‘eight branch sacred tree’, etc.

The numeral nine тоҕус, being a sacred number, is used to denote objects in

descriptions of rituals and ceremonies: Тоҕус томторҕолоох Тойон Сэргэ ‘The head serge

[tethering post] with nine rings of carving’, Тоҕус халлаан дуомньута ‘female shaman of

nine heavens’, Тоҕус субан туруйа курдук уолаттар ‘nine free cranes like young men’, etc.

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Let us analyze the example with description of a hero’s ride using PU with the

numerals five and ten in epic measures биэс күннүк сир/уон күннүк сир:

Бигээн-дайбаан биэс күннүк сир

буолла,

‘Having nonstop ridden five days land there

was’,

Уунан-дайбаан уон күннүк сир буолла. ‘Having without rest ridden ten days land

there was’.

(

Ala Bulkun the Hero, column 1210)

N.S. Popova pointed out the origins of the measures көс and күннүксир from traveling

on foot or on horses (сатыы көс‘walking’ көс, ат көс ‘horse’ көс). It is also true for күннүк

used for long distance travel: сатыы күннүк сир ‘days of walking [far] land’ and ат күннүк

сир ‘days of riding [far] land’. She believes they resulted from making distance equal to time

necessary to reach it based on notions of time (Popova, 1980). V.V. Vinokurov agrees with

that, adding that in the epic they are used in this very ancient meaning. G.U. Ergis in his

commentary to K.G. Orosin’s Olonkho “Nyurgun Bootur the Swift” differentiates сатыы

көс‘walking’ көс equal to about 7-8 km and ат көс ‘horse’ көс equal to about 10 km. (Ergis,

1

947). Both Popova and Vinokurov provide etymology of the word көс. Popova suggests it

originated from көһөр ‘move’, while V.V. Vinokurov believes that it originated from Turkic

köč meaning one period of travel of a nomad family, kin, or tribe between stops for a rest or

overnight (Vinokurov, 2017). Thus, semantics of Yakut measures of travel goes back to

nomad lifestyle of our ancestors in the south.

Vinokurov characterizes күннүк сир as a measure equal to one day travel of about 30

km. He believes that the difference between walking and riding is not relevant in Olonkho

since it is often used in combination аттаах күннүк ‘on a horse’ meaning hero’s horse rides.

The PU бигээн-дайбаан биэс күннүк сир буолла consists of three components: 1)

бигээн-дайбаан – combination of verbal forms, 2) биэс күннүк сир – metaphoric fixed

expression, 2) буолла – modal postposition. This PU as well as previous ones is presented

by the narrator in an evaluating manner by the word combination бигээн-дайбаан which he

often uses in descriptions. It is the key PU component meaning a careful and fast ride over

unknown land. The second component биэс күннүк сир shows the length of hero’s travel

represented by an Olonkho stock phrase with the numeral five. As we mentioned above,

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semantics of these folk measures is based on traditional views applied in practical life. Based

on practical experience, this PU is easily interpreted by the listener as a way 5 days long

(

equal to 150 km). At the same time, this measure биэскүннүксир agrees with people’s views

on a distance made by an epic hero.

The second PU уунан-дайбаан уон күннүк сир буолла eliminates the first distance

of 5 days (биэс күннүк сир) by referring to it as a 10 day travel (уонкүннүк сир), i.e. 300 km.

However, it doesn’t describe a real distance; PU is used to emphasize the length and duration

of the ride. Although the structure of this PU is identical to that of the first PU, its semantics

differs. The first key component бигээн-дайбаан implies difficulty and dangers of the ride

in the first place. It can be translated as ‘feeling one’s way/jumping over’. It cannot be used to

describe a rollicking, breaking through ride, but a careful and dangerous one. On the other

hand, the word combination уунан-дайбаан is equivalent to ууннары дайбаан/ууннары

сыыйылыннаран ‘stretch/flow’ used in other Olonkho texts to describe such a fast ride that

it creates an integral image of a “flying” horse with a rider who travel great distances at one

go. When riding fast, a horse “stretches” in one string and its “flowing” mane and tail make

up an image of a “flying” hero’s horse. Thus, the first PU component уунан-дайбаанprovides

the metaphoric image with expressiveness and dynamics, creating a visual image of high

speed. The second component уон күннүк сир characterizes hero’s travel as long, far, and

difficult which only a hero is capable of. The third component, the modal postposition

буолла ‘happened’ summarizes and confirms the situation described by PU.

Thereby, these two examples with complex structured numerals and figurative

components demonstrate the unique style, expressiveness, and figurativeness of language in

this Olonkho. The narrator provides an image of a “flying” rider on his long and dangerous

way in concise form.

Unfortunately, Yakut PU are usually lost when translated and only the long distance

is adequately conveyed in Russian through numerals which have become clichés for

translating epics, including the Yakut one. Translation doesn’t convey the epic nature of the

narrative and the visual image of a “flying” rider which are much more pronounced in Yakut.

Good qualities of a hero are described in Olonkho through hyperbolization of

appearance, his existence in nature and material world, emotions during battles with

enemies (hero’s wrath), his actions (long epic travel, battles in all three worlds). In this text,

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the narrator often uses numerals with complex structure along with folk metrology, epic

categories of time and space. He utilizes not only well-established traditional figures of

speech, but archaisms, obsolete vocabulary typical for folklore texts which certainly expands

the linguistic picture of the world in the Olonkho.

In the given Olonkho, antagonist underground world creatures абаасы (opposition

of own/alien) are described within the tradition, yet, the linguistic picture of the world here

shows its specific features too. In contrast to the protagonist, the description of appearance

of an underground creature is more detailed, contrasting, and three-dimensional. The

hyperbolized image is drawn using simple numerals with extreme negative connotation.

Let us analyze the first example describing an unexpected appearance of an

underground creature абаасы in the Middle World:

Оруомна уон быластаах хагдаҥ от

саҕа

As big as ten былас [the distance between

tips of arms stretched sidewards] big faded

haystacks

Күтүр улахан хара түһэн үллэ сытар Heaving, a big black [something] fallen

үһү.

[having come here from somewhere] is

lying, they say.

(

Ala Bulkun the Hero, column 760)

We deal with a three-dimensional description of an underground creature that

suddenly appeared out from nowhere. It is unknown where it came from and it is unknown

what it actually is. The narrator, to attract listeners’ attention, describes it as something

mysterious and frightening at the same time. He draws comparisons conventional for cattle

breeders what his audience are. The size of the faded last year’s haystack is described using

the numeral уон былас ‘ten bïlas’. The measure былас equal to about 1.5 m is considered to

be the most common in Yakut epic (Popova, 1980). Bïlas is the distance between tips of arms

stretched sidewards. If one bïlas is about 1.5 m, it makes the circumference of the haystack of

1

0 bïlas equal to 15 m.

Having a closer look, we are presented with its repulsive, hideous appearance, facial

features, and clothes. The description utilizes simple and complex numerals. Here is how the

narrator describes the creature абаасы that looked like a haystack at first sight:

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Соҕотох сордоох сототун туора

тарпыт,

Its single miserable crooked shin [it] stuck

out,

Биир илиилээх киһи кэдирги

[like] one-armed human [it] leaned on it,

тайаммыт,

Икки сирэйдээх киһи иттэнэри түспүт. [like] Two-faced human [it] fell prone.

Ala Bulkun the Hero, column 820)

(

The narrator conveys the image of a non-human creature that act unlike a human with

two arms and two legs. The beast trying to copy human actions looks caricature-like,

hideous, and ridiculous. In addition to that, the creature has two faces unlike any human. The

narrative emphasizes its features using simple numerals соҕотох/биир/икки. Соҕотох

‘single, the only’ is equivalent to one, биир is the numeral ‘one’ as well as икки ‘two’.

Later, the narrator describes the face of the underground creature:

Тоҕус илии кирдээх

Тордохтоох ньуура

бу ньололло сытар.

Аҕыс илии кирдээх

Ардахтаах сирэйэ

Ардьалла сытар.

Nine fingers [thick] dirty

soot-covered muzzle

here [it] lies, pulling its long thin face.

Eight fingers [thick] dirty

sour [mould-covered] face

[it] lies, grinning with large rake teeth.

(

Ala Bulkun the Hero, column 830)

The face description emphasizes slovenliness, untidiness of the creature through the

amount of dirt covering its face: тоҕус ‘nine’ fingers thick, аҕыс ‘eight’ fingers thick. The

description of the foot reveals its major feature:

Ол алын кырыытыгар

On the end of that shin

As big as a seven-board-boat

As if fallen prone

Сэттэ мастаах сиитик оҥочону

Иттэннэри кэбэн кэбиспит курдук,

Тимир лэмпээрийэ

An iron ugly

Уллуҥахтаах эбит.

Foot it has, they say.

(

Ala Bulkun the Hero, column 780)

The gigantic foot of the creature, as big as a flat-bottomed boat made of seven boards,

is iron. It means that the creature is made of iron; it cannot be defeated as it is immortal. The

evil always returns and it must be constantly fought for sake of the good.

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When describing the underground, the narrator makes use of formulas based on the

opposition of own and alien to make listeners feel repulsion towards it. The narrator provides

a very detailed description of creature’s hair, teeth, clothes, demonstrating his ability to

create a metaphoric comic image.

The narrator uses complex structure numerals to describe the heaven creature, the

hero, and generally simple numerals to describe the underground creature.

Conclusions

The analysis revealed specific characteristics of the linguistic picture of the world

represented in figurative PU with numerals that are used to describe appearance of the

heaven hero and the underground creature from the Olonkho “Ala Bulkun the Hero” by T.V.

Zakharov-Chääbij. The epic picture of the world comes to life through PU with a numeral

component that contribute to uniqueness and richness of the epic.

Numerals are used to contrast the protagonist and the antagonist. The hero is

described using hyperbolization of his features – appearance, emotions, and actions.

Complex structures with numerals are composed of folk measures embedded into epic

categories of time and space. The underground creature is described through comic and

repulsive details emphasizing its inhuman nature. The numerals used make these images

even more vivid and effective.

Investigation of figurative force of PU in related and non-related languages is of great

interest as it demonstrates inexhaustible richness of native and foreign languages. Studying

the figurative layer of a language may be beneficial for further reconstruction of general and

specific characteristics, ethnogenetic conclusions on mental worldview of a person.

Dictionaries and Olonkho play a great role in this process, serving as an inexhaustible source

for research not only in Yakut philology, but in cognitive-typological studies of various

families of languages.

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