Frequent Fixed Collocations in the “Livonian Rhymed Chronicle”: Structure and Variety

Introduction. The article considers the structure and variety of fixed collocations in the “Livonian Rhymed Chronicle”. Introduction explores historiographical researches on this source and states a lack of studies from historical poetics’ point of view. Methodology and sources. Material for the research is the “Livonian Rhymed Chronicle”. Issues on its authorship and different opinions on the role of fixed collocations in the Сhronicle are discussed. All researchers agree that the influence of courtly epics is unmistakable but also that of W. von Eschenbach. However, the evaluation of this influence varies from research to research. Results and discussion. The research’s results represent the most frequent models of fixed collocations in respect to their reproducibility, variation and structuring role in the text. Position of a collocation in the text and in line, its rhyme and lexical composition of each model are considered. The models are described as logical-syntactic schemes. The analyzed models are illustrated by 32 examples. Discussion is devoted to summarizing the investigation and reviewing the results. A conclusion is drawn that the analyzed models are represented richly enough to speak of their regular reproducibility, but many fixed collocations are used just for rhyme or to fit in the line. High variety of discussed models’ lexical composition and of their structure is stated, but also regular iteration of stable collocations within a relatively short passage. Conclusion. The conclusion highlights that the study of the Chronicle’s stylistic features allows to understand its place in the German order’s literature and in the literature of the Middle High German period.

Authors: Elena S. Tikhonova

Direction: Linguistics

Keywords: Middle High German, “Livonian Rhymed Chronicle”, Teutonic Order, language stereotypes, fixed collocations, historical poetics

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