DIFFERENTIATIONS BETWEEN SOME SHORT (APPELLATIVE) FOLK GENRES
Keywords:
genre differentiation, appellative genres, folkloristics, oral tradition vs. written textAbstract
Traditional oral folk genres, such as blessings, curses, toasts, as well as the liminal forms between them, such as
false curses or false/ironic blessings, convey the magical function of language. Distinguishing and defining these
genres can sometimes be particularly challenging because all of them are appellative genres closely related both in
meaning and function. These genres have been integral parts of broader ritualistic and performative practices, which
explains why we still encounter remnants of the belief in the so-called “verbal magic” in them, that is, the expectation or hope that by uttering specific formulae, one can bring about a change in reality. This is why these genres
differ from ordinary, everyday speech and are usually used in special occasions of the life cycle of an individual or
group of people.
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