Standards of comparative constructions in the Olonkho texts of the Vilyui region of Yakutia

This article analyzes the compositional features and usage of standard comparative constructions within the Olonkho-Vilyui epic tradition. Traditional comparisons found in the olonkho of the Vilyui region can help establish common artistic and pictorial techniques in Yakut olonkho. Continuous text sampling has yielded a comparative catalog of Olonkho from the Vilyui region. The analysis focuses on three published Olonkho texts from the Vilyui uluses (districts): “Kyys Duuraya Bukhatyr” (2011), “Ton Saar Bukhatyr” (2004), and “Habytta Bergen” (2012). Comparative constructions are categorized into groups based on shared objects of comparison and similarities, including the appearance of the characters of olonkho and the nature, the epic space. The following five thematic categories of comparative standards have been determined: (1) zoonyms and somatisms, (2) flora, (3) nature, (4) artifacts, and (5) actions. The Olonkho dataset employs imagery from the surrounding environment to emphasize or idealize the qualities and symbolism of real-world elements. Indigenous flora and fauna, everyday objects, and domestic animals serve as standard artistic parameters. The principal element of Yakut comparisons is imagery. The constructions draw comparisons between objects from different fields, unified by a principal parameter and the associative link apparent to a native linguocultural speaker. Many comparisons omit explicit mention of the attribute being compared. The comparative structures in Vilyui olonkhos consist largely of traditional stable forms, supplemented by a considerable number of locally derived examples.