The aim of the study was to identify the functional role of phraseological units of sacred origin in Romance discourse. The methodology included corpus selection and classification of phraseological units of biblical origin from five works by Romance authors (1980–2024) that comply with the canons of the Biblia Sacra Vulgata and the New International Version (NIV). A comparative analysis of their contextual variation and stylistic function was conducted. A total of 77 phraseological expressions were recorded, of which two units (in principio erat verbum and diliges proximum tuum) occurred in different works more than once, while the rest appeared only once. The greatest number of examples was noted in the works of Michel Houellebecq, Umberto Eco and Carlos Ruiz Zafón, whereas Elana Ferrante demonstrated a tendency towards generalised allusion and emotional adaptation of phraseological units within the context of the author’s speech. Three predominant types of stylistic transformation were identified: partial reworking (18 cases), metaphorisation (9) and ironic rethinking (7). Direct quotation (12 cases) was found mainly in the works of authors who preserved the sacred structure of expressions. Contextual analysis revealed the distribution of functional roles: moral-evaluative (35.4%), expositional (25%), structural-compositional (16.7%), dialogic (14.6%) and symbolic (8.3%). A direct relationship was observed between the type of genre discourse and the communicative load of sacred forms. The obtained data may be applied in the linguostylistic typology of sacred expressions in fiction, in the teaching of literary studies and in translation studies practices.
The study aimed to establish the typological commonality of archaic motifs reflected in the epic traditions of Turkic-speaking peoples. The study used comparative-historical analysis and a structural method and was based on a textual analysis of primary sources and drew upon data from folklore studies, ethnography, and history. The analysis revealed key archaic motifs that retained stability across different epic traditions, including the miraculous birth of the hero, prophecy of his fate, captivity and trials, struggle against external enemies, journeys to the otherworld, and tests of loyalty. The analysis of mythological structures showed that Turkic epics preserved a three-tiered model of the universe (earthly, celestial, and subterranean worlds), within which the hero interacted with ancestral spirits and supernatural forces. In certain epics, the central theme was the unification of the people and the building of statehood; in others, it was military valour, battles against enemies, and individual heroic deeds. In several traditions, collective forms of heroism appeared, with groups of characters playing the central role. In the epic traditions of nomadic peoples, motifs of campaigns, migrations, and struggles for power predominated, whereas in the epics of sedentary peoples, there was greater influence from interethnic contacts, diplomacy, and ethical reflections. Within the character system, alongside warrior-heroes appeared wise rulers, women-strategists, and collective defenders, underlining the multi-layered nature of epic tradition. The findings of this study may be applied in the study of folklore poetics and in higher education curricula devoted to folklore, mythology, and epic traditions.
The aim of this study was to identify the distinctive features of gender identity representation in the prose of Chinghiz Aitmatov and Haruki Murakami. The analysis focused on the ways in which gender, as a culturally conditioned and discursively constructed category, was textually expressed in the works of authors from different cultural and aesthetic traditions. The methodological foundation of the research included comparative, discursive, and narratological analysis, as well as elements of hermeneutics. Four works by each author were selected, with the criterion for selection being the prominence of gender themes, symbolic significance, and the artistic structure of the narrative. The theoretical framework was based on key concepts developed within feminist criticism, poststructuralism, and cognitive poetics. The study revealed that in the prose of Aitmatov, gender identity was represented within the context of cultural continuity, moral duty, and the philosophical opposition between individual ethics and social norms. It was found that female characters in Aitmatov’s works served as moral guides and communicative channels for cultural continuity, while male characters were marked by a crisis of speech subjectivity and ideologically marked structures. In the prose of Murakami, gender identities manifested as fragmented and unstable speech constructions, prone to transgression and semantic decay. Linguistic analysis showed that binary oppositions were disrupted through syntactic flexibility, pragmatic shifts, and metaphorical saturation. Differences in gender modelling were determined by the type of narrative strategy, discursive logic, and cultural speech norms.
Lacunar and real units as transmitters of ethnocultural asymmetry in creative discourse were examined typologically. Content analysis, interpretive, and comparative methods were used to explore the semantic structure and cultural character of units in texts from diverse national traditions. Kyrgyz, Turkish, Chinese, and French literature formed the empirical basis. Kyrgyz literature shows that realities and lacunae fix stable ethnocultural self-awareness incorporated within the text’s axiological and ritual structure, encompassing collective identity, holy rites, and moral orientations. The concepts of el (people, community), aiköl (generous, magnanimous), and bata (blessing) were conceptually and pragmatically untranslatable because they included cultural and historical connotations, ritual functions, and specific social norms. The main causes of gaps in Turkish literature are social organization, tribal affiliation, and ethical/behavioral norms (ağa, aşiret, namus), which reflect culturally conditioned disparities in interaction patterns and role expectations. Chinese literature shows mental, physical, and ceremonial lacunae induced by cultural taboos, social hierarchy, and distinctive physical representation. French literature has demonstrated cognitive and sensory forms of lacunae associated with the absence of moral causality, the autonomy of the subject, and the individualised perception of sensory experience. The investigation revealed four categories of untranslatability: lexical, conceptual, pragmatic, and sensory, each reflecting deep ethnocultural incomparability. The study found that lacunae and realities produce interpretative tension and semantic fragmentation by indicating cultural codes, behaviour patterns, and symbolic systems. The research clarifies cultural otherness analysis mechanisms and develops ethnoculturally marked text interpretation methods for translation studies, intercultural communication, and literary analysis.
The purpose of the study was to explore ethical problems in the works of literature of the postwar period, which reflected the juxtaposition of humanism and cruelty, in order to identify the deep mechanisms of the development of moral values under the influence of history, and to find out the features of reflecting ethical contradictions in the literary narratives of various authors. The research methodology includes a comprehensive theoretical analysis of journalistic texts, archival documents, folklore collections, and literary works by Ismail Kadare. The study also includes a detailed analysis of the author’s specific novels, such as The Palace of Dreams and The General of the Dead Army, with a focus on internal conflicts and their moral choices. The results show a greater repeatability of the theme of humanism against cruelty, which was reflected both through symbolic imagery and through intertextual references to important historical events, in particular, the consequences of the Second World War. The analysis of literary works and journalistic texts helps to establish that they not only showed external socio-political processes, but also deeply assimilated the moral decisions of individuals and society, forming an ethical basis for further cultural development. The conclusions of the study emphasise that the integration of traditional and modern methods of analysis is crucial for a deep understanding of complex moral processes in literary narratives, and the results obtained are used to develop new approaches in the humanities and literary studies, for example, to create interdisciplinary methods that combine literary analysis with historical, cultural, and sociological aspects. The practical significance of research is to develop recommendations for further interdisciplinary work in the field of literary studies, history, and cultural studies. The results obtained can be used to develop new methods for analysing works of art, which help to accurately determine the moral and ethical aspects of military conflicts.
