The Formula in Oral Poetry and Prose, New Approaches, Models and Interpretations, 1st Symposium of the Project “Formulae in Icelandic Saga Literature”
Call for papers:
In 1928 Milman Parry presented his definition of formula in the Homeric epics. It was followed by a series of articles which resulted in a new view of oral poetry in general. The “Oral-Formulaic Theory”, with its prominent role of precisely the formula, brought together poetry from genetically unrelated traditions into a universal model. It affected the research on various literary traditions, not least the Eddic poetry and the saga prose, and resulted in many reinterpretations. But the theory has also been questioned and revised. New approaches in the study of formulas have been developed among linguists and folklorists. The present symposium aims to discuss new approaches, models and interpretations of formulas in traditional poetry and prose. The symposium will have a special focus on Old Norse literature, but it attempts to integrate the research on several different cultures and let the knowledge of and research on them shed light on each other.
Keynote speakers:
Stephen Mitchell, Harvard University, “Memory, Formulas, and Merging Revisited”
Frog, Helsinki University, “Formulaic Language and Organizing Principles of Discourse: Making Sense of the Phenomenon in ‘Poetry’ and ‘Prose’”
William Lamb, University of Edinburgh, “The Formula in Narrative Prose: Recent Research and Future Challenges”
Paul Acker, Saint Louis University, “A History of Oral Formulas and Eddic Poetry”
Bernt Øyvind Thorvaldsen, University of South-Eastern Norway, “The Eddic Formula: Methodological Considerations”
Slavica Rankovic, Independent scholar, “The ‘No Reaction’ Formula in Íslendingasögur: A Distributed Reading of Grettir’s Temper Management”
Chiara Bozzone, “Chunks, Collocations, and Constructions: Cognitive and Linguistic Perspectives on Formularity in Homer”
Jonathan Roper, University of Tartu, “Formulas in Anglophone Tales”
All researchers (including PhD students) who are interested in presenting their ideas or research results connected to these or similar topics are encouraged submit proposals for 20-minute paper presentations (followed by 10 minutes of discussion). The venue of the symposium will be University of Tartu, Department of Scandinavian Studies.
Please send short abstracts by September 10 (NB! extended deadline!) to daniel.savborg [ät] ut.ee#_blank">daniel.savborg [ät] ut.ee. Further information can be found in the attachment and on the symposium website: https://www.maailmakeeled.ut.ee/en/departments/formula-oral-poetry-and-prose
You are of course welcome to forward this call for papers to anyone whom you think might be interested.