Об определении понятия «формула»
On the Definition of “Formula”

Summary/Abstract: This article aims to clarify the definition of the concept of “formula.” The study analyzes various definitions presented in dictionaries of several languages and explores different approaches to defining a formula, including literary, linguo-stylistic, and folkloric interpretations. The most established definition is considered to be the one proposed by A. Lord in “The Singer of Tales.” Using examples from Spanish and English epic poetry, the article discusses the problem of the “group of words” featured in the definitions by M. Parry and A. Lord, and examines its stability. In refining the term, three factors ensuring the coherence of a formula are identified: phonetic, syntagmatic, and semantic. Every sound device performs two functions: primary and secondary. The primary function is constitutive: alliteration and assonance enhance the coherence of a formula by connecting its elements at the phonetic level. Phonetic coherence traces its origins back to the religious and magical roots of traditional oral storytelling. The secondary function is aesthetic. The formula became a means of composing verse, but for historical reasons, it did not become solely a means. The elements of a formula exhibit a high degree of syntactic coherence, which in extreme cases can lead to lexicalization. The semantic factor is interpreted through the lens of M. Black’s analytical philosophy. An external factor that limits and regulates the selection of specific “ideas” (in A. Lord’s terminology) and the words expressing them within a formula is tradition. The conclusion proposes a refined definition: a formula is a coherent and semantically integral pattern that is used and filled by the singer under specific metrical and thematic conditions determined by tradition.

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