TABU JĘZYKOWE I EUFEMIZACJA A WARIANTYWNOŚĆ TEKSTÓW UKRAIŃSKICH LUDOWYCH PIEŚNI OBSCENICZNYCH
TABOO LANGUAGE AND EUPHEMISMS IN TEXTUAL VARIANTS OF UKRAINIAN OBSCENE FOLK SONGS

Summary/Abstract: This article investigates some methodological issues in research on euphemisms (resultingfrom taboo language) in textual variants of Ukrainian obscene folk songs. In the Polish scholarlyliterature, it has been suggested that euphemisms can be identified by comparing texts recorded indifferent territories and time. It is argued in this paper, on the basis of a comparative analysis of textspublished in two collections of obscene songs, that using this method does not allow to determinethe direction of changes in the texts. One cannot tell for sure whether the phrases became vulgarizedor euphemized. The conclusions contain a suggestion to investigate euphemisms in obscene songsby applying the method in question to original manuscripts or parallel variants of songs known toa single performer or community, e.g. the inhabitants of one village. In order to achieve the latteraim it would be necessary to carry out fieldwork.

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