『몽골비사』에 반영된 말(馬) 관련 민속언어 연구

A Study of Folk Language concerning Horses found inside the Secret History of the Mongols

This article deals with folk language concerning horses found inside the Secret History of the Mongols. The chief theoretical background of this article derives from Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis and a sociolinguistic approach. In other words, various language usages imply different characteristic culture features. In fact, the Secret History of the Mongols was written during 13th century and is considered as the major historical text about Chinghis Khan. However the Secret History of the Mongols also contains plenty hints of nomadic culture as well as unique traditions. Hence, in this paper I analyse folk language of horses which is described inside the Secret History of the Mongols, clearly presenting 13th century Mongolian nomadic culture and tradition. I intend to classify these folk language about horses into several sub-divisions, such as folk classification, names for horses, terms for ornaments and instruments of horses, terms for body parts, terms for food and drinks made from horse milk, idiomatic expressions for horses, etc. In comparison to contemporary folk language concerning Mongolian horses the Secret History of Mongols demonstrates various cultural aspects of Mongolian horses. In particular, all sorts of horses in the Mongolian steppe are delicately identified inside the Secret History of Mongols according to colour, age, castration, distinctive body details weights and appearance (fat or slim), particular behaviour, etc. An insight into the world of nomadic culture of the 13th century will be helpful for further diachronic and contemporary research on Mongolian horse culture.