Zavjalova3

STUDIA MYTHOLOGICA SLAVICA
| Znanstvenoraziskovalni center SAZU

STUDIA MYTHOLOGICA SLAVICA 3, 2000

Marija Zavjalova:

Reflections on the Distinctive Structure of Oral World Images in the Structural Organization of Discourse (Based on Lithuanian Invocations)

Abstract

Invocations have much in common with the distinctiveness of primeval magic and human thought, particularly as concerns the desire to restore the world as integral and conclusive in form. Repetition, both at the level of groups of sentences as well as in the framework of individual syntagms as words, serves this above-mentioned tendency. Quantitatively speaking, an even number of repetitions of roots such as "grom grmi" as well as diminutive or augmentative suffixes, describes a static reality, while an odd number of repetitions refers to a dynamic passing to the next level corroborated by a prompt omission of the verb. Phonetic repetition may also occur forwards and backwards in terms of anagrams and word play. As far as the employment of word order is concerned, the static state of the noun is similar to the present tense of performative verbs. In the case of verb forms, one observes a distinctive domination of the imperative and future tenses over the conditional tense. The varied use of participles, gerunds and verbal nouns serves to maintain of a unified and definitive structure. Compared to Slavic invocations, Lithuanian are less burdened by more recent transmutations.

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