For the Issue of the Terminology of Georgian Rhetoric

Abstract

The subject of this study is the examination of terminology related to Georgian rhetoric. The analysis identifies two groups of terminology: vocabulary consisting of original Georgian terms, and vocabulary borrowed from various languages. The study of both groups is crucial for exploring Georgian word formation as well as linguistic contact with foreign languages. Furthermore, the terms examined in this research can also be classified according to the fields and genres in rhetoric. Special attention is devoted to the terminology used to denote rhetorical tropes in Georgian rhetorical tradition. Thus, the terminology under investigation is divided into three thematic groups: terminology related to rhetorical fields, genres, and tropes. The novelty and relevance of the research lie in the fact that it presents a corpus-based approach to studying the subject, which enables a continuation and renewal of scholarly research using modern methodology. In particular, it allows us to verify already identified lexical and phraseological terms using more extensive linguistic resources and frequency data on term usage. The empirical material consists of Old Georgian literature, spoken language, folklore, and oral traditions – most of which are included in the Georgian National Corpus (henceforth GNC), although not all. In addition to corpus resources, the research also utilizes terminology found in the first Georgian-language textbooks on rhetoric and Georgian academic literature, adding greater depth and completeness to the study. In quoting attested terms, preference is given to examples derived directly from oratorical texts. Based on the examination of early Georgian textbooks and academic literature, it is deemed necessary to clarify issues related to key rhetorical terminology.