THE TERM «ÖLEÑ» IN TURKIC FOLKLORE: GENESIS AND GENRE SPECIFICITY

Abstract

This article investigates the genesis, common origins, and genre transformation of the concept “öleñ”, a cornerstone of Turkic poetics extant in various phonetic forms (өлең, o'lan, өлөң, үләң, өләң, öleñ, üleñ). The study aims to transcend narrow regional interpretations to systematize the lexeme’s functional role in pan-Turkic oral tradition and unify the corresponding conceptual framework The empirical basis encompasses the folklore of Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Uyghur, Turkmen, Tatar, Bashkir, and Sakha peoples. Employing a multidisciplinary approach, the research utilizes comparative-historical, genetic, etymological, and structural-semantic analyses. It verifies hypothesis tracing the term to Old Turkic roots ula- (‘to connect”) or ül-/öl- (“to measure”), suggesting that the category originally signified the imposition of rhythmic order upon chaos. By comparing the Sakha олоҥхо and Bashkir өләң, the author posits that the term was initially linked to heroic epics before ivolving into a lyrical-ritual genre. The study identifies universal features of wedding song traditions across Turkic ethnicities and highlights the syncretic nature of “öleñ” (the unity of word, music, and performance) and its dialogic form (aitys). Ultimately, “öleñ” is characterized as a shared cultural code of the Turkic world, fasilitating the reconstuction of its poetic heritage.