Article

Name: Compiling a motif index for Siberian mythological narratives: a case study of the “mythical master of the peasant house and homestead”

Authors: N. K. Kozlova

Omsk State Pedagogical University, Omsk, Russia

In the section Систематизация фольклора

Abstract: This article presents a motif index, compiled by the author, for Russian mythological prose, specifically focusing on its Siberian variant. The index is dedicated to the motif of the “mythical master of the peasant house and homestead”. The relevance of this work is underscored by its contribution to the scholarly series “Monuments of Folklore of the Peoples of Siberia and the Far East”, published by the Institute of Philology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk. The index operates on several key principles. First, a motif is defined as a cohesive unit of logical and semantic structures, representing an abstract concept independent of a specific narrative. Second, motif variability is illustrated by showcasing the variability within its components. Third, the system is designed to accommodate new material. Finally, the index functions as a critical research tool. The index employs the theme as its unit of classification and the motif as its unit of systematization. It is emphasized that creating such an index requires a substantial corpus of texts, relevant experience, and deep immersion in the material, with the researcher’s scholarly intuition also deemed important. Following these principles, the index identifies sixteen motifs, each with a detailed description and explanation of the principles behind its identification and structure. This index facilitates the study of mythological themes, offers an open-ended structure, and provides folklorists with a tool for systematically organizing their regional data.

Keywords: classification, systematization, theme, motif, index, mythological prose about the mythical master of the house and homestead

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