Leksykalna analiza kolędowych motywów n studium porównawcze tekstów piętnastowiecznych i «współczesnych»
Lexical Analysis of Carol Motives – Comparative Study of the 15th Century and “Contemporary” Texts

Summary/Abstract: The article describes various topics in Polish carols of two groups coming from distant epochs. The first one contains 10 texts originated in the 15th century, the second one – 24 “contemporary” carols which are sung in Poland nowadays (though dated from the 19th and 20th century). Comparative approach of this research permits to present following conclusions: 1. there are basic themes in carols of both the epochs: a) the birth of God – Child of Virgin Mary; b) characteristic persons: young Jesus and His Mother (both given various names), St. Joseph and the Magi as well as shepherds (in general without names); c) the place: Bethlehem, stable (shed), manger (crib) etc.; d) celestial choirs telling everybody the story about the divine birth; e) exceptional heavenly phenomena: Bethlehem Star, glow, unusual light etc.; f) animals in stable (first of all ox and donkey); 2. the choice and the way of description of themes, events, persons… are completely different (independently of epochs); 3. the language and the stylistics also vary – from unsophisticated, banal forms of statement at the beginning to very interesting ones using original metaphors.

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