This article tries to show that the formulaic diction on the level of verse
line and formulaic patterning in the composition of scenes are closely
related and must be studied together. The analysis is done on the example of
Turkic epics. Of the formulaic patterns the most prominent one is the variety
of use of the attribute ak (white), which appears to be one of the most
common epithets in Turkic epic poetry. It is usually connected with cloth
(e.g. caftan, yurt), different parts of body (face, bosom), antelope, the
lumps of gold given as bride-price and various kinds of arms (sword, spear)
etc. It is usually denoted evaluatively as purity and beauty. In this matter
Turkic epics share its position with many national epics of the middle ages
including Serbian, Old English, Old German etc. The same role is analyzed for
the opposite pattern ?dust of earth?, and for the two themes: preparation of
the hero for his journey and council scenes which are also mutual to many
medieval epic traditions such as aforementioned Serbian and others.
The varieties of formulaic diction in Turkic oral epics
