A Contemporary Manaschi in Oral Performance and in Print

Abstract

This study examines the vocabulary density and the frequency of unique and repeated lines of a contemporary manaschi in oral performance and in print. Transcriptions of audiovisual recordings of Talantaaly Bakchiev (b. 1971) performing are compared with two volumes of Manas narratives that he published. The research reveals that the published versions have a higher vocabulary density than the oral performance, have a greater percentage of unique lines and less repetitions. This suggests that the medium in which the metrical narrative is presented is reflected in the language, and indications of orality are absent from written variants.

Manas Anlatılarının Bilgisayar Destekli Analizi: Gösteriler ve Yol Tarifleri

“…The transcriptions of Bakchiev's performances (T1, T2, T3) are set aside those of Doolot Sydykov (D1, D2, D3). (This table also corrects some of the data previously misprinted in (Plumtree, 2021b).) These numbers appear to give weight to the speculative hypothesis mentioned earlier in the 'Method' section.…”

“…It might also be possible to attribute sections of the 'harmonized' version (Yunusaliev, 1958(Yunusaliev, -1960, created with the desire for a single overarching version for study, to specific performers (and revisers). One recent study (Plumtree, 2021b) compares the oral performances of a contemporary manaschi (AKYN, 2018) with those the performer prepared for publication (Bakchiev, 2011;2012). Though such a study is statistical, such research will illuminate how the manaschi prepares the narrative for a different medium.…”