The Motif of the Inheritance of the Younger Son in Folk Tales of the Turkic Peoples: Structure and Symbolism

Authors

  • Gulnazira Muzhigova

    Faculty of Philology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050047, Kazakhstan
  • Metin Ekici

    Department of Turkish Folklore Ege University, E. U. Institute For The Study of The Turkic World, Izmir 35100, Bornova, Turkey
  • Eleonora Seisenbiyeva

    Faculty of Philology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050047, Kazakhstan
  • Gulzhaukhar Kurebayeva

    Faculty of Humanitarian Science, Alikhan Bokeikhan University, Semey 071400, Kazakhstan
  • Nazgul Suranchiyeva

    Department of Aviation English, Academy of Civil Aviation, Almaty 44 050039, Kazakhstan
  • Yerlan Alashbayev

    Department of Turkish Philology, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan 161200, Kazakhstan
  • Gulzhanat Abikhanova

    Department of Turkish Philology, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan 161200, Kazakhstan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i3.8640
Received: 3 February 2025 | Revised: 28 February 2025 | Accepted: 4 March 2025 | Published Online: 19 March 2025

Abstract

The mutual influence and creative connections between folklore and oral art of the Turkic peoples are a broad problem. One important aspect of this urgent problem is the study of the motive of the inheritance of the younger son in the folk tales of the Turkic peoples. The study of folk tale characters is crucial for elucidating the artistic foundation of this kind of folklore work because different artistic expression techniques are employed in their portrayal. The study’s object is folk tales of the Turkic peoples. The subject is the motive of the younger son’s inheritance in Turkic folklore, its structure, symbolism, and cultural and social significance. Through structural and symbolic analysis, the study aims to identify the characteristics, cultural significance, and evolution of the motive behind the younger son’s inheritance in Turkic folktales. The description and analysis use comparative-typological, structural-semiotic, and historical-cultural textual analysis techniques. The study’s findings indicate that even though the younger son usually faces difficult circumstances, his skills, courage, and hard work enable him to succeed. This motive highlights the value of social connections and family ties in traditional society in addition to illuminating the hero’s personal traits. The study’s findings can be applied to the compilation of Turkic folktale catalogs as well as to additional research on the poetics and style of Turkic folktales.

Keywords:

Folklore; Fairy Tale; Inheritance; Motif; Structure; Symbolism; Younger Son

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How to Cite

Muzhigova, G., Ekici, M., Seisenbiyeva , E., Kurebayeva, G., Suranchiyeva , N., Alashbayev , Y., & Abikhanova , G. (2025). The Motif of the Inheritance of the Younger Son in Folk Tales of the Turkic Peoples: Structure and Symbolism. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(3), 1047–1058. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i3.8640

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 3 (March 2025)

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Article

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Copyright © 2025 Gulnazira Muzhigova, Metin Ekici, Eleonora Seisenbiyeva , Gulzhaukhar Kurebayeva, Nazgul Suranchiyeva , Yerlan Alashbayev , Gulzhanat Abikhanova

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