Kalmyk Fairy Tales as Recorded by G. Ramstedt: Peculiarities of the Conversational Style

The article aims to study the peculiarities of the conversational style with evidence from Kalmyk fairy tales recorded by the Finnish scholar G. J. Ramstedt. The purpose of the paper is to identify elements of the conversational style within folklore texts. Such research seems to be important enough due to the fact that linguistic and stylistic aspects of the conversational style both in folklore texts and the colloquial Kalmyk language have not generally been subject of any special studies. With evidence from fairy tale texts phonetically transcribed by G. J. Ramstedt, phonetic, lexical, phraseological, morphological and syntactic norms typical for the conversational style of Kalmyk are considered. The folklore texts contain a great number of elements characteristic of the conversational style at all levels of colloquial Kalmyk, such as ellipsis of vowel and consonant sounds, use of colloquial words and phrases, interjections, incomplete sentences, parcelings, etc. The analysis of the materials allows to conclude as follows: 1) creation of fairy tale texts is characterized by a low level of spontaneity, 2) fairy tale telling process is full of elements typical for the conversational style at all levels of colloquial Kalmyk, such as ellipsis of vowel and consonant sounds, use of colloquial words and phrases, interjections, incomplete sentences, parcelings, etc., 3) the informants are speakers of the Dorbet sub-dialect.

oral tradition, fairy tale, colloquial style, the Kalmyk language, speech, syntax, parcellation

1. Avanesov R. I. Russkoe literaturnoe proiznoshenie. Uchebn. posobie dlja uchit. in- tov [Russian literary accent. Textbook for teachers’ institutes]. Moscow, Uchpedgiz Publ. (State Publ. House for Schools and Pedag. Institutions), 1950, 160 p. (In Russ.).

2. Altn cheejtǝ kelmrch Boktan Shanja. Hranitel' mudrosti narodnoj Shanja Boktaev. Sost., predisl., komment. i prilozh. B. B. Mandzhievoj [Treasurer of the folk wisdom Shanya Boktaev. Comp., foreword, comment. by B. B. Mandzhieva]. Övknrin zöör (Sokrovishcha predkov) [The ancestors’ treasures]. Elista, KIGI RAN (Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS) Publ., 2010, 172 p. (In Kalm. and Russ.).

3. Butaeva A. O., Kukanova V. V., Gorjaeva B. B., Bajanova A. T. Parcellirovannye konstrukcii v kalmyckom jazyke: postanovka problemy (na materiale skazok, zapisannyh G. J. Ramstedtom) [Parcelled constructions in the Kalmyk language: articulation of issue (evidence from fairy tales recorded by G. J. Ramstedt)]. Mir fol'klora v kontekste istorii i kul'tury mongol'skih narodov: Mezhdunar. nauch. konf. (Irkutsk, 8‒9 oktjabrja 2015 g.): materialy / [otv. red. E. K. Sharakshinova] [Proc. of the Internat. scient. conf. “World of folklore in the context of history and culture of Mongolian peoples”. Irkutsk, October 8–9, 2015. Ed. by E. K. Sharakshinova]. Irkutsk, IGU (Irkutsk State Univ.) Press, 2016, pp. 199– 209 (In Russ.).

4. Buutan Sanjin tuul's (Skazki Sandzhi Butaeva). Zapisi 1971–1978 gg. V 2-h kn. Kn. 1. / Sost., podg. tekstov i prilozh. B. H. Borlykovoj [Sandzhi Butaev’s fairy tales. The 1971–1978 records. In 2 vol. Vol. 1. Comp. and prep. by B. H. Borlykova]. Övknrin zöör (Sokrovishcha predkov) [The ancestors’ treasures]. Elista, KIGI RAN (Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS) Publ., 2008, 308 p. (In Kalm. and Russ.).

5. Vannikov Ju. V. Sintaksicheskie osobennosti russkoj rechi (javlenie parcelljacii) [Syntactic peculiarities of English speech (phenomenon of parcellation)]. Moscow, 1969, 131 p. (In Russ.).

6. Gerltsn suvsn (B. M. Sandzhievan bichülj avsn amn urn ügin körŋgəs). Siyayushchaya zhemchuzhina (Fol'klornye materialy, sobrannye B. M. Sandzhievoy). Sobiratel' Sandzhieva B. M. Zapisi 1972–1974 gg. / Vstup. st., sost., predisl., podg. tekstov i prilozh. I. M. Boldyrevoy [The sacred pearl. Folklore materials collected by B. M. Sandzhieva. The 1972–1974 records. Foreword, comp., introd., prep. by I. M. Boldyreva]. Övknrin zöör (Sokrovishcha predkov) [The ancestors’ treasures]. Elista, KIGI RAN (Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS) Publ., 2014, 230 p. (In Kalm.).

7. Grammatika kalmyckogo jazyka. Fonetika i morfologija [Kalmyk grammar. Phonetics and morphology]. Elista, Kalm. Book Publ., 1983, 335 p. (In Russ.).

8. Demidova E. B. Stil'… Stil'… Stil'…: uch. posobie [Style… Style… Style… Textbook]. Moscow, MPGU (Moscow State Pedag. University) Press, 2011, 118 p. (In Russ.).

9. Kukanova V. V., Gorjaeva B. B. Kalmyckie skazki, zapisannye G. J. Ramstedtom: opyt kvantitativnogo analiza [Kalmyk fairy tales recorded by G. J. Ramstedt: an effort of quantitative analysis]. Vestnik Kalmyckogo instituta gumanitarnyh issledovanij RAN [Bulletin of the Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS], 2015, No. 4, pp. 124– 131 (In Russ.).

10. Lapteva O. A. Russkij razgovornyj sintaksis [Russian colloquial syntax]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1976, 400 p. (In Russ.).

11. Matveeva T. V. Funkcional'nye stili v aspekte tekstovyh kategorij: sinhronno- sopostavitel'nyj ocherk [Functional styles from the perspective of textual categories: a synchronous comparative sketch]. Sverdlovsk, Ural State University Press, 1990, 172 p. (In Russ.).

12. Ochirov U. U. Grammatika kalmyckogo jazyka. Sintaksis [Kalmyk grammar. Syntax]. Elista, Kalmgosizdat Publ. (Kalm. State Publ. House), 1964, 243 p. (In Russ.).

13. Pal'shina D. A. Temp rechi kak odna iz prichin vozniknovenija allegrovyh form russkih slov v povsednevnoj kommunikacii [Speech rate as a reason for reduced forms of Russian words in everyday communication]. Vestnik Permskogo universiteta [Bulletin of Perm University], 2013, iss. 2 (22), pp. 18–24 (In Russ.).

14. Reformatskij A. A. Ocherki po fonologii, morfonologii i morfologii [Sketches on phonology, morphonology and morphology]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1979, 102 p. (In Russ.).

15. Romanova N. N. Stilistika i stili: uch. posobie. Izd. 2-e [Stylistics and styles: textbook. 2nd edition]. Moscow, Flinta Publ., 2012, 416 p. (In Russ.).

16. Russkij jazyk i kul'tura rechi: uch. posobie /M. V. Nevezhina i dr. [The Russian language and speech culture: textbook. By M. V. Nevezhina et al.]. Moscow, JuNITI- DANA Publ., 2012, 351 p. (In Russ.).

17. Stilistika russkogo jazyka: uch. posobie / V. D. Bondaletov i dr. [Russian stylistics: textbook. By V. D. Bondaletov et al.]. Leningrad, Prosveshhenie Publ., 1982, 286 p. (In Russ.).

18. Stilistika russkogo jazyka: uchebnik / M. N. Kozhina i dr. [Russian stylistics: textbook. By M. N. Kozhina et al.]. Moscow, Flinta-Nauka Publ., 2008, 464 p. (In Russ.).

19. T. S. Tyaginovan amn urn үgin körŋgəs. Fol'klornye materialy iz repertuara T. S. Tyaginovoj. Samozapis' 2004–2010 gg. / predisl. N. G. Ochirovoj, sost., komment. B. B. Gorjaevoj [Folklore materials from the repertoire of T. S. Tyaginova. Self- records made in 2004–2010. Foreword by N. G. Ochirova.Comp., comment. by B. B. Goryaeva]. Övknrin zöör (Sokrovishcha predkov) [The ancestors’ treasures]. Elista, KIGI RAN (Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS) Publ., 2011, 208 p. (In Kalm. and Russ.).

20. Hal'mg ulsin jörǝlmüd (Kalmyckie narodnye blagopozhelanija). Sost., vstupit. stat'ja

21. M. E-G. Erdni-Gorjaeva. Podgotovka tekstov i prilozhenija E. B. Ovalova [Kalmyk folk blessing wishes. Comp., foreword by M. Erdni- Goryaeva. Texts and supplements prep. by E. Ovalova]. Övknrin zöör (Sokrovishcha predkov) [The ancestors’ treasures]. Elista, KIGI RAN (Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS) Publ., 2010, 160 p. (In Kalm. and Russ.).

22. Kalműckische Sprachproben. Gesammelt und herausgegeben von G. J. Ramstedt. Erster Teil. Kalműckische Märchen [Kalmyk oral samples. Coll. and ed. by G. J. Ramstedt. Part I. Kalmyk fairy tales]. Helsinki, Finno-Ugrian Society Publ., 1909, 154 p. (In Germ.).

23. Kalműckische Sprachproben. Gesammelt und herausgegeben von G. J. Ramstedt. Zweiter Teil. Kalmuckische Märchen [Kalmyk oral samples. Coll. and ed. by G. J. Ramstedt. Part II. Kalmyk fairy tales]. Helsinki, Finno- Ugrian Society Publ., 1919, pp. 155– 237 (In Germ.).

24. Ramstedt G. J. Kalmukisches Wӧrterbuch [Kalmyk dictionary]. Helsinki, Suomalais- Ugrilainen Seura, 1976, 560 p. (In Germ.).